Presi Traverse

[sapblatt]

I am planning on doing a sort of Presi Traverse on Saturday, June 11 with Sunday June 12 being my backup bad weather day.
What does "sort of" mean?
I am going north to south, in via Valley Way and out via Crawford Path and I am not committing to doing many peaks. I am basically looking for a nice day of above treeline travel with maximum daylight hours.
If anyone is interested in this, or is doing anything similar and can take part in the car spots let me know!

 

[Tramper Al]

Lesser Presidential candidates

Sounds like a Vice Presidential Traverse, where you do the miles but take all the bypasses which skip the summits, much like the tourists who go hut-to-hut.

Oh, no, am I a 'tourist'? If I am, is that a bad thing? My Dad and I went hut to summit to summit to hut, so is that like "Secretary of the Inferior" or something?

 

[sapblatt]

Sounds like a Vice Presidential Traverse, where you do the miles but take all the bypasses which skip the summits, much like the tourists who go hut-to-hut.

Man that hurts ...I think there is a big difference between doing an almost 20 mile hike in one day than breaking it up over two or three days with huts. I am not in shape to do all of the peaks without killing myself , unless you could let Brutus carry my pack.

 

[peakbagger]

If you have never done this trip before, there is a lot to be said to take the main route versus the summits. Leave the summits for another year as an excuse to do it again. An excpetion may be to do Monroe and Eisenhower as the bypass routes are not very scenic and you dont save a lot of time, plus its near the end of the trip so you can gauge your condition.

 

[Dugan]

Could you be talked into doing the peaks?

 

[sapblatt]

Hey Peakbagger -

Those were my thoughts...I do not want to wipe myself out on Madison, Adams and Jefferson and have a long horrible day after. As of now I am thinking about doing Madison and Clay (as I have not done them before, and I hope to do Adams before then.)
I am sure I will hit some peaks, but just not all of them.

 

[dr_wu002]

Man that hurts ...I think there is a big difference between doing an almost 20 mile hike in one day than breaking it up over two or three days with huts. I am not in shape to do all of the peaks without killing myself , unless you could let Brutus carry my pack.

You could also say you're "blue lining" (or is it "red lining"?) the various trails. Crawford Path doesn't go over the summit of Monroe and Eisenhower. The views from Crawford Path going around Monroe are spectacular. I believe the entire Gulfside Trail avoids Clay, Jeffereson and Adams, if I'm not mistaken and goes Washington - Madison Hut. It may go over Adams -- there are so many trails there that I can't remember and I left my maps at home today.

Sounds like a fun hike to me!

My preference would be South to North for this hike but that's just me.

Afterwards you can start working on the WU-1729 peaks, the extension list of the WU-666 peaks! That'll be fun!

-Dr. Wu

 

[sapblatt]

Michelob Ultra Traverse

Could you be talked into doing the peaks?

My brain could be talked into it but I doubt my body could physically do it. My condition is decent and improving, but the milage is very high and I do not want that much of an elevation in one day. I have some former experience with distance and exertion and have a pretty good handle on what i can do right now.

I would love to start out with anyone around 4-5am from Appalacia and some and do some or all of the traverse.

One other thing...because I am finishing my 48 on Jackson in October I will definitely not do Jackson.

 

[SteveHiker]

I thought you had said you were going on the 18th?

Anyway, I'm still interested in going. We can work out the logistics when the time gets closer.

I've seen some mention on this board of other people wanting to go two weeks later. Maybe we can go back and hit the summits then?

 

[sapblatt]

I thought you had said you were going on the 18th?

Anyway, I'm still interested in going. We can work out the logistics when the time gets closer.

I've seen some mention on this board of other people wanting to go two weeks later. Maybe we can go back and hit the summits then?

Steve - we can do the Dr. Wu and do the traverse as an out and back...nice 38 mile day!

I sent you a PM regarding the traverse and date change.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Dr Wu wrote "I believe the entire Gulfside Trail avoids Clay, Jeffereson and Adams, if I'm not mistaken and goes Washington - Madison Hut. It may go over Adams -- there are so many trails there that I can't remember and I left my maps at home today."

Yes, indeed, the Gulfside connects Madison and Lakes of the Clouds huts and avoids all of the northern Presi summits, including Adams and Washington, and despite its rockiness, is usually in much better shape these days than the Crawford Path, which is badly overgrown in places.

 

[dr_wu002]

Dr Wu wrote "I believe the entire Gulfside Trail avoids Clay, Jeffereson and Adams, if I'm not mistaken and goes Washington - Madison Hut. It may go over Adams -- there are so many trails there that I can't remember and I left my maps at home today."

Yes, indeed, the Gulfside connects Madison and Lakes of the Clouds huts and avoids all of the northern Presi summits, including Adams and Washington, and despite its rockiness, is usually in much better shape these days than the Crawford Path, which is badly overgrown in places.

Correction -- The Gulfside Trail connects Madison Hut to Washington Summit, avoiding Adams (though there is some climbing) Jefferson and Clay along the way.

This actually sounds like a really fun hike. I don't understand why anyone would belittle this trip as it's spectacular and challenging enough.

I might be interested in this hike -- although I'm so fleeting I wouldn't count on me However, doing all of Crawford Path and then all of the Gulfside Trail I think is a pretty awesome endeavor. I've only hiked Clay, Jefferson and Adams so it would be interesting to see them from another perspective. Also, in terms of prominence, Clay, Jefferson and Adams and Monroe and Eisenhower are actually quite low (142', 757', 861', 272', 335') so if you want to look at it from that perspective, you're not missing very much. As far as I'm concerned, Washington is the only real peak on that ridge. Washington is the ridge.

-Dr. Wu

 

[SherpaKroto]

I've done the Gulfside trail end to end and it is definitely a worthy hike. Anyone criticizing it should put the clicker down, get off the couch and do it. Every second spent in the Presis is precious time, ergardless of what you are doing.

And don't forget to moon the Cog, even if you have to wait a bit for it to pass. Feeling like a kid a mile high will keep you smiling for a long time

 

[dr_wu002]

I've done the Gulfside trail end to end and it is definitely a worthy hike. Anyone criticizing it should put the clicker down, get off the couch and do it. Every second spent in the Presis is precious time, ergardless of what you are doing.

You get views galore when you're above treeline & also that nice alpine feel. I love it.

And don't forget to moon the Cog, even if you have to wait a bit for it to pass. Feeling like a kid a mile high will keep you smiling for a long time

Too crude. I throw poops at the train, like a monkey. Hopefully I won't have played too many rounds of Crap-in-the-Pants with my friends the night before though.

-Dr. Wu

 

[sapblatt]

You get views galore when you're above treeline & also that nice alpine feel. I love it.


-Dr. Wu

That is the plan.
As for the poop at the cog...I will have to carefully plan my prehike dinner.

 

[WildPeaks]

Hey Mike,
Sounds like a great trip. I've always gone after the summits, but I can understand your intentions.
One thought on the direction to travel, N to S or S to N. WIND! Maybe look at forecasts ahead of time and check the direction & speed. That could make a big difference on everything. And just decide as you go, which summits to hit & which ones to bypass.

 

[sapblatt]

Hi Tom -

Thanks for the tip. Seeing that it looks like at least one or two people are going with me we will have that flexibility with car spots. I very much want to start at Appalacia, but the wind is a very important factor!

 

[blueZ]

Seeing that it looks like at least one or two people are going with me we will have that flexibility with car spots.

mike, please please update your plan when the time comes. I might join too!!!

 

[sapblatt]

mike, please please update your plan when the time comes. I might join too!!!

I will keep everyone updated!

 

[RGF1]

Mike , I am not sure this is a easy to answer question but what pace to you usually hike ? I say I am a moderately paced hiker but then I stop to take photos plus i am recovering from two serious injuries and surgery. So maybe I am slower now. So I am not sure If I want to join up with some one I do not want to slow some one down . But your plan sounds good especailly if you add the peaks. It would be a nice wrm up before I head out west for my late spring /early summer before the crowds Vacation.