One day pemi loop?

[dr_wu002]

Thanks for the advice! I just need to pick a date now! I have done the pemi in 3 days in the summer and winter but feel the need to try a one day. With just a camelpack and a few supplies I think I can move pretty quick. I am doing a one day presi again this Saturday with a friend. I will see how that goes!

Seriously, the hardest part about the Pemi Loop is avoiding the accidental bail (all the freaking way) down the Garfield Trail, especially when you're alone and don't have a car spotted there and it's a week day and there probably won't be a lot of people out when you have to hitchhike and it's hot out and you're out of water and you can't use the old "drank too many beers on the trail" excuse... You have to be careful of that...

-Dr. Wu

 

[cbcbd]

Dig the wisdom coming out of the woodwork (nice post, gig ).
Have fun!!

 

[blaze]

don't listen to what people tell you can do or not...

It is very entertaining to see the cavalry come charging in, bugles blaring, sabres raised on high, eagerly looking to stab someone. But I am not certain that the damsel is in distress.

I have reread this entire thread and have not read one post, by anybody, calling Dangergirl's ability or fitness into question. Not one.

The only point that I raised, and I think I did so respectfully, without attacking anybody, or hollering at anyone, is that 14 hours is an excellent time. I still think so.

Congratulations to anybody who does the Pemi Loop, in book time, or faster, or slower. It is a fantastic achievement.

 

[giggy]

It is very entertaining to see the cavalry come charging in, bugles blaring, sabres raised on high, eagerly looking to stab someone. But I am not certain that the damsel is in distress.

honestly - I never even read your post so nothing was directed to you - my comments were general in nature..people generally talk of this hike as extremely tough - from the northeast gossip to the backpacker article a few years back that ranked it #2 in the US in hardest dayhikes.. I just added my perspective with some real life evidence tossed in..

 

[blaze]

honestly - I never even read your post so nothing was directed to you - my comments were general in nature..people generally talk of this hike as extremely tough - from the northeast gossip to the backpacker article a few years back that ranked it #2 in the US in hardest dayhikes.. I just added my perspective with some real life evidence tossed in..

I appreciate that.

And I fully agree that the difference in difficulty between the Presi Traverse and the Pemi Loop is not as great as people might think.

 

[dr_wu002]

And I fully agree that the difference in difficulty between the Presi Traverse and the Pemi Loop is not as great as people might think.

Yes, because a Pemi Loop is basically like a Presidential Traverse with 7 miles of walking on a boring dirt road (with RR ties to trip on....)

-Dr. Wu

 

[Mike P.]

I'd say it's harder than a presi-traverse, it's longer with more elevation gain & mentally (at least in my case, the hardest piece is the thought of the Garfield Ridge trail, my least favorite)

Currently I'm in no shape for it, however in 2006 when we did the presi-Traverse fund raiser that generated that picture of Dave in the Chicken hat, I was.

I tried the pemi-traverse twice that year, the first as training for the Presidentials. Memorial Day Weekend, I started arond 3:30 AM & was on Lafayette around 9:00 was feeling pretty good but by the time I got to Galehead, I had decided the misery of climbing the twinway to S. Twin would have made the trip a death march & I probably would have gotten out around 10:30. So I opted to do galehead & descend Twin Brook. Got out before dark, but not by much

Three of four weeks later we had great weather for the presi-traverse I started around 4;00 & finished around 7:00.

Late September (& I really should be back at school) I tried the Pemi traverse again, heading up the Bonds. Started around 3:30 again getting to Bond before 9:00. Did West Bond & both Twins, coming back from N. twin I was getting tired (& that's a pretty easy trip) Upon getting to the hut, the thought of doing my least favorite trail & going up Garfield & Lafayette sent me once again down Twin brook. (a nice trail) Again, i did get out before dark.

BTW, no Denali experience, my biggest is Zugspitze so you should be fine & congratulations.

 

[Snowflea]

"14 h is probably a decent time that any fit hiker can do. It's doable by anyone that can competently do a Presidential Traverse, in my opinion." Dr. Wu

"...the loop is very doable for fit hikers..." Giggy

Well, it's nice to see that you're all coming around to my way of thinking. A few years back I was berated on this site for making such a brash statement!

How long it will take is a question that cannot accurately be answered, of course. That depends on your fitness level, what kind of a day you're having (are your stars aligned?), trail conditions (dry? muddy?), weather (50 mph winds on Franconia Ridge?), etcetera. FWIW, my best time was about 9h15m IIRC.

Good luck!

 

[una_dogger]

p.s. Sabrina is probably chuckling at me

Oh, I just got here. Thanks for the laugh. Tee hee.

I wish I had made the commitment to tracking my hikes as closely as I track runs -- it would be interesting to see the tally and how many hours I've spent hiking in the past 20 odd years. Something tells me though, no matter how much it won't feel like *enough*.

I think there is alot of wisdom on this thread. I haven't done a One Day Pemi..yet..hope to in a few weeks. Although, being adverse to early starts I shoot for all my long hikes in summer and walk until dark.

Agreed with all others, if you are into pushing your limits and enjoying a nice long day playing outside, you will most likely have a very enjoyable and memorable time of it.

Pushing limits is incremental and it all depends on where you are at along the spectrum. For some a Pemi is a big push, for others its a little push.

Being ready for it, I humbly suspect, has probably more to do with a state of mind and a window of opportunity for most fit hikers.

 

[J.Dub]

Late September (& I really should be back at school)

I know we keep you amused, Mike.

Being ready for it, I humbly suspect, has probably more to do with a state of mind and a window of opportunity for most fit hikers.

Lessee...she just climbed Denali (including spending five days at 17 camp), came home and ran a trail marathon the following weekend.

State of mind? Check.

Fitness? Double check.

I think the thing Kristina may have the hardest time dealing with is the lack of snow in the Pemi this time of year!

 

[UNFROZENCAVEMAN]

Take it from a fat kid, Pemi-loop - no problem. You want a challenge? Go bang out the Mahoosucs in a day - same #'s but the terrain variances demonstrate quite nicely how one mountain mile can be WAY different from another.

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

So, I am thinking of a one day pemi loop at the end of this month. Who has done it and how long does it take? I am sort of planning a one day presi traverse next weekend with a friend to prepare.

If you find you can't get 14-15 hours out of the Pemi Loop, you can always throw in Galehead, North Twin, Zealand, and West Bond...and if that's not enough, there's always Owl's Head.

My feet hurt just thinking about long hikes.

 

[dr_wu002]

If you find you can't get 14-15 hours out of the Pemi Loop, you can always throw in Galehead, North Twin, Zealand, and West Bond...and if that's not enough, there's always Owl's Head.

My feet hurt just thinking about long hikes.

I think I heard that one group did a Pemi Loop + W. Bond, Zea-Land, North Twin, Galehead, and Owl's Head... in Winter. Took 'em 30 hours? Is that book time?

-Dr. Wu

 

[una_dogger]

If you find you can't get 14-15 hours out of the Pemi Loop, you can always throw in Galehead, North Twin, Zealand, and West Bond...

wait, I thought they were always included?

Nice to see you back.

 

[ColdRiverRun]

Well, it's nice to see that you're all coming around to my way of thinking. A few years back I was berated on this site for making such a brash statement!

Isn't progress nice. I think three years ago Wu would of replied, "I don't think the Pemi actually exist".

I think I heard that one group did a Pemi Loop + W. Bond, Zea-Land, North Twin, Galehead, and Owl's Head... in Winter. Took 'em 30 hours? Is that book time?

-Dr. Wu

I heard they would of been faster but fell they in a big azz snow pit trying to get a drink of water?

 

[giggy]

It is very entertaining to see the cavalry come charging in, bugles blaring, sabres raised on high, eagerly looking to stab someone. But I am not certain that the damsel is in distress.

civil war renactment?

 

[LRiz]

civil war renactment?

Will I still be able to make book time carrying my musket?

 

[J.Dub]

Will I still be able to make book time carrying my musket?

You can't carry your musket in the Pemi...only in National Parks!

 

[una_dogger]

Will I still be able to make book time carrying my musket?

a good bet so long as its not loaded.

 

[Dave Bear]

a good bet so long as its not loaded.

Whose going to deny her the right if it is?