Presi-Traverse Sat. 8/26

[blacklab2020]

With good weather several of us are hoping to do a presi-traverse, Saturday 8/26.

You are welcome to join. We will probably start around 5-5:30 am from Appalachia and head North to South.

More details to come...

~Justin

 

[blacklab2020]

Reminder

Just a reminder about the traverse for this weekend. We will hopefully be leaving the appalachia parking lot by 4am now.

Start with headlamps and not finish with headlamps is the idea.

 

[blacklab2020]

As of now we are still on for the weekend, with the weather looking somewhat iffy, but not unreasonable. If it turns out to be only the two of us (noone else has expressed interest). I think we are going to start at the Great Gulf Trailhead and head up to madison gulf trail and over to huntington ravine and then summit washington and complete the Northern traverse, descending the osgood trail.

Total distance of that trip is 23 miles with 7300+ feet gain in elevation. We will keep a start time of 3:30-4am... final details will be posted on Friday morning.

Either plan is doable at this point, it all depends on what you are interested in.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I would be interested in the trad presi traverse, north to south; we could meet at the Highland Center at 4 am (?) to spot a car before heading to Appalachia?

 

[blacklab2020]

Great!

Dr. Dasypodidae, I will PM you regarding more specifics.

Some recent developments last night... we now have a fourth person going as well (North to South). and the weather is certainly looking for the better at this point (4 sources).

We will be car spotting prior to 4am and hopefully hitting the trail around 4am from appalachia.

 

[giggy]

Justin - if your still doing the traverse - consider doing the howker ridge trail rather than valley way. Its a tad bit harder (but cake for you) - but much better views and I think you will enjoy it much more. Valley Way is a snoozefest until the hut.

Some say it hard to follow - not true, I did it in june and was very easy to follow.

Doing howker, no backtracking either. time should be about the same for you to summit madison either way.

give my cell a ring if you want to grab some beers sat night - I will be in the area doing another trek.

 

[blacklab2020]

Giggy

Got your message:

I was actually considering Howker and other options. What are your thoughts on going up Air Line to the cutoff to madison hut?

Will definately give you a call afterwards...

 

[giggy]

yea that would be cool too - arline is nice - anything but valley way IMO!! most do VW, b/c its easy and direct. the nice think about howker is you just traverse the summit and keep going, where as these others, your kind of backtracking a bit.

in reality, they are all good though. should be a great day for ya.

hopefully see ya sat eve.

 

[sapblatt]

Air Line to the Cut Off is a good route too...The Cut Off only takes about 5 minutes and you are in front of the hut...

Another good way up that I really liked is to take the Valley Way to the Brookside, then a short right onto the Watson Path and back to the Valley Way - only takes a few minutes longer and is very scenic compared to Valley Way...you could go straight/left on the Watson Path and up to Madison - not a bad weather option though...very exposed.

 

[blacklab2020]

The plans keep changing, but they keep getting better!

Weather is looking good for tomorrow (10 mph winds, with 50 deg high, partly cloudy)!

Not sure on meeting time yet (most likely between 4:30 and 4:50 at appalachia).

Our group is 4 (maybe 5) people at the moment and there is interest in doing both Valley Way or Howker Ridge or Airline as alternative starts.

Cars will already be spotted.