Name yer Most Under-Rated Summit...

[Gris]

And/or which peak you think has the "most bang for the buck." As a NON-LIST person i have always been intrigued by this. I was once told it is Willard, but IMO Zealand's Middle S-Loaf's easy 3.0 mi RT blows Willard away. Some folks might think Davis, others Shelburne-Moriah, etc. Come on, let's hear it. What's yer vote?

 

[sapblatt]

For the ones I have done I would go with Willard and Avalon...although Avalon requires a lot more energy than Willard.

SherpaK's reports on Davis make that also sound like the place to go...and everyone loves Mount Hight, which is always fogged in when I go there, so it is hard for me to say.

If all goes according to plan (which it never does with a 2 1/2 year old ) young Aaron Rocco (my son) will summit his first peak on Willard in two weeks. He was carried it up it last year...I think he is ready, and he is interested without my input (I think!)

 

[Sherpa John]

Under-rated NOT on the lists... Hight.

Bang for Buck - Willard and Jackson

Under-rated ON the lists - South Twin and Isolation

 

[sp1936]

Mt. Parker.

Steve

 

[Rugger]

Mount Hunger, across the valley from Mansfield and great view of Camels Hump. Only time I was up it was a labor day weekend, the snow squall on top stopped just long enough to take in the views, snap 2 pictures and poof it was gone.

 

[SherpaKroto]

Puzzle Mtn in Maine. The best views of Grafton Notch and the Mahoosucs I've ever seen. An absolutely fun hike.

Others: Goose Eye (both peaks), Shelburne-Moriah, Mt Davis, Tumbledown (though everyone knows about that one), Doubletop (BSP), The Traveler (BSP), Imp Face. Mt Gosford in Quebec is a MUST do when doing Boundary Peak.

I also think Zealand gets a bad rap. I always feel at peace when I'm there.

 

[Tom Rankin]

From a new york state of mind...

Hunter and ...

Hunter.

Easy Hike. 360 views from the firetower.

And one of the few summits I know of with a 'Throne'.

 

[lumberzac]

In NY, Treadway. Small easy mountain with about a mile of bare rock hiking and 360 view on the top where you can look at the ADK High Peaks to the Northwest, Vermont to the East, and Pharaoh Lake & Mountain to the south.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/161357814/199429823wkdgXe


*edit*
On the list, Couchsachraga. The thorn in many a hiker's side, but there is something about this mountain that I enjoy.

 

[Brownie]

Mt Clay

MT. Clay in the Presidentials gets my vote!

El 5532, and excellent views down into the Great Gulf Wilderness headwall.
Grand views of course in between all the “giants”.
No real easy way to get there unless you plan to climb one of the others as well!
A "big bang for the buck"

Jeff

 

[Gris]

Willard again! can't believe it - Mid Z-Loaf is just SO much better!

 

[onestep]

Puzzle Mtn in Maine. The best views of Grafton Notch and the Mahoosucs I've ever seen.

Ditto... !!

 

[twigeater]

Any of the North Peaks on Katahdin.

 

[vegematic]

I just visited Doubletop and N. Brother in BSP last week on spectacular days and was amazed at the dearth of people on those mountains. Both had outstanding views! I thought the views of big-K from both these summits surpassed the views from big-K itself. The ranger at Katahdin stream said everybody wants to climb Katahdin...if you go on any other trail you won't have much company. He wasn't lying...folks are missing out.

Am getting pics together for a trip report soon.
-vegematic

 

[Double Bow]

Hmmm... so many to choose from! I know, I'll pick TWO of each SJ catagory

Under-rated and NOT on lists -- Guyot or Little Haystack
Best bang for buck -- Kearsarge or Stinson
Under-rated and ON lists -- Galehead or Cabot

Of these, I would have to say that I like Galehead the best. It's hard to say why. Maybe it's because that's where I "turned the corner" on my first go of the 48 (it was #24) but I just like that area. Maybe I feel sorry for it.

 

[bobandgeri]

"Most bang for the buck"

Okay - for us that means a great view with an easy hike to get there.

Several of the peaks that we have done on the Y-Alpine list meet this criteria.

Crawford
Stairs
Parker
Kearsarge - N Conway
Jennings Peak
Sandwich Dome

 

[Artex]

Cool Thread!

Maine:
1st: NW Plateau in Baxter - seldom ventured to by many despite it's short distance from Katahdin, and it's flat-out stunning.

2nd: Pleasant Mt. (Western ME) - great views of the Whites during the hike up that get even better as you get to the top.

NH:
Owl's Head - I went in with low expectations that were shattered after the hike in just to get to it and climbing the slide to get to the top.

NY:
Wittenburg (Catskills) - The Catskills in general are often overlooked because of the Dacks, but anyone who's climbed Wittenburg will tell you what an awesome hike it is, and the views are incredible at the top.

 

[audrey]

I don't know if Coe is underrated, but it gets my vote.

Mt. Livermore, Mt. Paugus, that nubble above the Giant's Washbowl, Sunday River Whitecap, Aziscoos, Little Bigelow...

 

[Frodo]

South Turner in Baxter State Park is short (only 2 miles to the summit), and has spectacular views of Katahdin (you also pass by Sandy Stream Pond along the way). It's also a rather easy hike because my daughter was able to climb it at the age of 5, back in 2000 (though I did carry her down that last scramble near the top).

Cadillac Mt. in Acadia is also easy AND spectacular. Speaking of Acadia, I also want to mention the Beehive, but don't do that one if you are afraid of heights.

Another one not mentioned yet is the Welch/Dickey Loop. So easy, yet so beautiful...

In VT, though it is a 4k, Camel's Hump is one awesome peak and easy to climb.

Another "bang for your buck" is Bald Mt. in Old Forge, NY (which I have climbed 5 times, but haven't been back since I was 12 years old.

In the Adk's, definitely Cascade, though it is a 4k...

cool thread...

 

[Davehiker]

I loved the up-close views from Mt. Ascutney in Vermont. It felt strange to be on a mountaintop that's really right in the middle of the Connecticut River Valley. Great views up and down the valley, with White Mountains in the distance, and field and villages to the west.

 

[injektilo]

Hmmm... I'm going with Baldpate. You get a wooded summit, an open summit, and a nice alpine bog between the two. Plus, in my experience, I've never had to share the mountain with too many people.

Of course, there are so many mountains I've yet to climb so my choice may change without notice.