Figuring out how to retrive my car at the end of a long hike

[bintrepidhiker]

There is a trip I want to do but I'm not sure how to do it with only one car. My plan is to hike from Gorham to Pinkham Notch to hop over Moriah, the Carters, and the Wildcats as a solo trip. I'm wondering if anyone else has down this trip and how? Any thoughts or reccomendations on this would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[David Metsky]

Leave a bike at Pinkham. The return trip is mostly downhill. Or hitch, it is often not a big problem on Rt 16.

-dave-

 

[BIGEarl]

This is an ideal use for your thumb.

Once you're out just hitch a ride north. There is lots of traffic and I've never had a problem catching a ride in either direction. I remember one hike when there were multiple cars that stopped at the same time.

You could probably walk across the road to PNVC and find someone there willing to drive you back to your car.

Try to be out before it gets dark. After dark it's a little more difficult.

Good luck!

 

[kmorgan]

Drop your car off at the end and get a friend to drive you to the start of the trail.

 

[albee]

Use a "saddle-spot" at the base of Wildcat ski area. Just after dusk you can usually find a gullible moose or two along that section of Route 16. If you sneak up to one quietly, you can usually saddle it up and ride it back to your car in Gorham. Getting the bit in its mouth is usually the hardest part...

 

[DougPaul]

Use a "saddle-spot" at the base of Wildcat ski area. Just after dusk you can usually find a gullible moose or two along that section of Route 16. If you sneak up to one quietly, you can usually saddle it up and ride it back to your car in Gorham. Getting the bit in its mouth is usually the hardest part...

I was going to suggest that he tie a long string to the bumper and give a good pull when he gets to his destination...

Doug

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Hitching can take a while. I emerged from the Rocky Branch Trail one Sunday about 4PM and had to stick my thumb out for 20 minutes before someone stopped and gave me a ride back up to Glen Ellis.

Can't understand why someone wouldn't want to pick up a dirty, smelly, old hiker. What's not to love?

 

[Breeze]

This is an ideal use for your thumb.

Once you're out just hitch a ride north. There is lots of traffic and I've never had a problem catching a ride in either direction. I remember one hike when there were multiple cars that stopped at the same time.

You could probably walk across the road to PNVC and find someone there willing to drive you back to your car.

Try to be out before it gets dark. After dark it's a little more difficult.

Good luck!

Yep. Truth. Between 5 pm and 7 pm any day of the week, employees are returning home from their day jobs at Storyland, Pinkham Notch VC, Wildcat and Great Glen/ Auto Road. Easy thumbing to Gorham. If you're parked at Rattle River Trailhead ( Rt 2 in Shelburne) you'll have lots of company at any time over the next month or so, and probably meet some interesting folks. This is the thru-hiker peak season.

Breeze

 

[Stan]

For various reasons I like to end the hike back at my car so I start the hike with either a ride, shuttle or hitchhike. In locations of high hiker activity and traffic, rides are usually easy to come by, in daylight at least.

 

[una_dogger]

I'd bike it. Safer and more reliable than hitching.

 

[timmus]

Or hitch, it is often not a big problem on Rt 16.

-dave-

yeaah, right... Didn't work out well for me. It was the middle of the afternoon and it took 20 minutes. But maybe that is because I look like a total freak

 

[werdigo49]

Are you guys REALLY complaining about it taking a whole 20 minutes to snag a ride? Somebody's pretty spoiled. In some places it can take hours... and the hiker is just grateful for a ride.

 

[una_dogger]

Not sure if this will help with your particular route, but here is a link to the AMC Hiker Shuttle Service as a reminder for all.

http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/lodging-shuttle.cfm

 

[RoySwkr]

Gorham has taxi service, don't know what it costs, as well as commercial hiker shuttle service

I sometimes catch a ride on that road and sometimes have to walk it

A well-known hiker just goes up to someone and asks if they want to make a couple bucks, apparently they nearly always say yes and waive payment

 

[walker]

Hitching..Here's a good trick

Someone told me a while back, they always look for gaitors on the hitch hiker. If he/she has gaitors on they stop, if not, they keep on going.
So, don't take your gaitors off.

Good Luck.....Walker

 

[timmus]

Are you guys REALLY complaining about it taking a whole 20 minutes to snag a ride? Somebody's pretty spoiled. In some places it can take hours... and the hiker is just grateful for a ride.

I am certainly not complaining, but consider this : It's 2pm, on rte 16, near the Appalachian Trail... at least 80 cars passed by me. And it was starting to rain. And I am a young woman, not a old drunk hobo. I was just expecting it to be easier.

And I was grateful, I even made free advertisment in my TR for the lady who gave me a ride. Top Notch Hotel in Gorham, they love hikers, even if they smell bad (she actually asked me if I did an overnight )

 

[marchowes]

There is a trip I want to do but I'm not sure how to do it with only one car. My plan is to hike from Gorham to Pinkham Notch to hop over Moriah, the Carters, and the Wildcats as a solo trip. I'm wondering if anyone else has down this trip and how? Any thoughts or reccomendations on this would be appreciated, thanks!

I did this exact hike back in September 2006,

I left my bicycle across rte 16 from the trail head to wildcat. It was an easy all downhill bike ride all the way to the Moriah Trailhead in Gorham. I think the bike ride took 45 minutes but the effort was minimal. Have fun on this hike, its nets nearly 9000 vertical!!!!!!

 

[MichaelJ]

I totally agree about biking from Pinkham down to Gorham and over Rte 2 to the Rattle River Trail or the Carter-Moriah Trail. However, if the weather is good on your starting day, I'd recommend leaving the car at Pinkham and biking as your START, instead of your finish. Stash the bike deep in the woods by the trailhead, lock it to a tree.

Why? Because this way you:
Don't risk finishing the hike in bad weather and then having to bike that entire way down in wind/rain/fog.
Don't risk finishing the hike late enough in the evening that it's not safe to bike due to darkness.
Ride that long, sometimes steep downhill while you're fresh, not tired.
Finish at your car and can immediately take off and put away your pack.

I always try to arrange the ride at the beginning so as to finish at the car. It just feels safer that way.

 

[una_dogger]

I always try to arrange the ride at the beginning so as to finish at the car. It just feels safer that way.

Huh! 'cept when I'm the one doing the pedalling to retrieve the car!!!

All good points.....

 

[MichaelJ]

Huh! 'cept when I'm the one doing the pedalling to retrieve the car!!!

*cough* *blush* *cough*

I blame my parents for never teaching me to drive a stick shift!