Intro + Looking for suggestions

[mubb]

Hello everyone!

I just want to start off by saying that I *haven't* been lurking all that long so I haven't really gotten to know anyone or even my way around this board too well. I apologize if this is in the wrong forum!

Anyway.. on with it!

I'm pretty much a computer geek who, once in a while, gets a chance to do a little hiking. This will be my 5th year going on a winter camping trip! I'm not all that noobish but I regress now and again

The first year I went I pretty much packed everything under the sun and barely made my way up Cascade Brook Trail to Kinsman Pond in an entire day. Since then I've been able to hone my packing skills and I'm doing pretty well these days!

This year, well a week and a half from now, a couple buddies and I are going to try a different trail. We're planning on heading up to the Imp shelter by way of the Stony Brook Trail.. We're thinking that a little change of scenery will be good Do you people here have any helpful advice for a couple quasi-noobs hiking a ridge trail for the first time?

We were initially thinking of doing the Carter-Moriah trail all the way to Imp, but the map makes that seem a lot harder (and longer!). Is that accurate?

Either way, the only thing I can think of that I might need for equipment that I haven't yet is an ice pick. I read that it's been icy lately, but even in the ice we've been fine on Cascade Brook and Fishin' Jimmy.

I'm looking forward to sharing my adventures here with this great community! Thanks to everyone for all the great advice I've learned so far!

-Steve

 

[Stan]

Stony Brook is a direct link to the Imp Shelter and saves you from the hike over Moriah thus avoiding the additional elevation gain and faily exposed ledges in bad weather. Then, you can make camp and hike Moriah with a much lighter load.

I would think this trip is doable with snowshoes, possibly crampons, and a hiking pole with a winter basket. I think you can get up the Moriah ledges without an ice axe because there is vegetation along many of the edges that you can favor ... but I haven't been there in really icy conditions so I'd defer to someone who has.

Welcome to VFTT.

 

[mubb]

Stony Brook is a direct link to the Imp Shelter and saves you from the hike over Moriah thus avoiding the additional elevation gain and faily exposed ledges in bad weather. Then, you can make camp and hike Moriah with a much lighter load.

I would think this trip is doable with snowshoes, possibly crampons, and a hiking pole with a winter basket. I think you can get up the Moriah ledges without an ice axe because there is vegetation along many of the edges that you can favor ... but I haven't been there in really icy conditions so I'd defer to someone who has.

Welcome to VFTT.

Stan,

Thanks for the great wisdom! I think we're just going to stick with Stony Brook, since I've never been on the Carter-Moriah even in the summertime.

Depending on what the weather turns out to be this week, I think I'll just stick with my snowshoes and crampons..

Thanks again for the tips. I'm looking forward to using them next weekend!

Am I going to meet any of you guys up there next weekend?

-Steve

 

[Panama Jack]

. I think you can get up the Moriah ledges without an ice axe because there is vegetation along many of the edges that you can favor ... .

I would say the addition of an axe is always weight worth carrying. Crampons and snowshoes can be clumsy at times in certain conditions for even the most seasoned winter hiker. IMHO having an axe if for nothing other than self arrrest gets my vote