Pemi Loop 8-24-25

[AOC-1]

I've done the popular long day-hikes in the northeast (the Presidential Traverse, the Devil's Path, the Great Range Traverse). All except one - the fearsome Pemi Loop. My middle-aged punter's time on some of these hikes (e.g., 17 hours for the Adk. Great Range earlier this summer), left me questioning whether I could limp out a "one-day" hike of the Pemi Loop. I'd never set foot on any part of it. So, to test the waters (and the old knees), I decided to overnight it earlier this week. I was blessed with 2 days of perfect weather, and a relatively light pack (20+ pounds). I'm sure the terrain is familar ground to all the N.H. hikers on this board, so I'll just note a few highlights:

A Catholic mass celebrated on the summit of Mount Lafayette (never seen that in the Adirondacks)

The view south from Mount Garfield! Sublime.

The steady stream of students on college orientation hikes, big cooking pots swaying from their packs.

The fellowship of the tent platforms at the crowded, but well-run AMC campsites.

Total trail time was 21 hours, even skipping Galehead and West Bond so I'm not sure I'll ever try the Pemi as a day-hike. My hat is off to all the fast hikers on this board who do so. None of the other long northeast day hikes has a section as wearying as the Garfield Ridge trail at midpoint.

From near the beginnig and "end":

 

[blacklab2020]

Nice trip.

Have done the AT through here, and have thought about how hard a pemi-in-a-day would be... definitely some of the more interesting terrain to be found in the whites.