Presidential Traverse?

[prana78]

Is is possible to do the Traverse 2 times in a day without touching the summits? Anyone know the distance along Crawford to Gulfside to Valley Way?

I recently heard of someone doing it in 11 hrs 56 min from Crawford to Appalachia back to Crawford...

 

[dr_wu002]

Is is possible to do the Traverse 2 times in a day without touching the summits? Anyone know the distance along Crawford to Gulfside to Valley Way?

I recently heard of someone doing it in 11 hrs 56 min from Crawford to Appalachia back to Crawford...

No, I think you have to go over Jackson. You can avoid Pierce, Eisenhower, and Monroe by simply staying on Crawford Path. And likewise, you can avoid Washington, Clay, Jefferson and Adams by staying on the Gulfside Trail (I guess hook up from the Crawford Path to Gulfside Trail before you summit Washington). Then, take the Paraphet Trail around Madison.

Technically though, I don't know how you'd pass Jackson w/o going on the summit. The Webster-Jackson Trail goes over the summit. From there you could hook up with the Mizpah Connector (or whatever it is) and hook up with Crawford Path before the Pierce Summit. Crawford Path actually never goes on the Pierce Summit. I don't know the exact distance but think 25 rough miles from Crawford Notch to Valley Way.

*Edit after Dave's post below* I meant technically you would have to pass over Jackson if you were going to do a "summitless presidential traverse" when I said "No". Distance wise, yeah, 50 miles isn't all that bad. Doesn't legand have it that Sherman Adams used to do like, 500 mile Day Hikes?

-Dr. Wu

 

[David Metsky]

It's certainly possible. In the grand scheme of mountain marathons, a Presie Traverse isn't such a huge trip. People do 100 mile mountain runs in a day. I've done an out and back on subsequent days, but that's not the same as doing it as one continuous hike.

Mohamed's site has a time and distance chart.

-dave-

 

[David Metsky]

No, I think you have to go over Jackson.

One popular version of the Traverse doesn't include Jackson. That's the way I've always done it. Hey, it wasn't named after the president, so I don't have to hike it.

-dave-

 

[dr_wu002]

One popular version of the Traverse doesn't include Jackson. That's the way I've always done it. Hey, it wasn't named after the president, so I don't have to hike it.

-dave-

Of course. I was thinking more in terms of "Southern Ridge" + "Northern Ridge".

What happens if one day we have a "President Isolation"? That would make things complicated, wouldn't it?

-Dr. Wu

 

[dr_wu002]

Hey, it wasn't named after the president, so I don't have to hike it.

-dave-

Seriously: does this mean you have to do John Quincy Adams for a presidential traverse since it's named after a president and on the ridge? Even though it's not an official peak?

-Dr. Wu

 

[sapblatt]

mileage

My recent attempt was pegged at about 17 miles (we only made it to Jewell do to weather and being beat)...we only summited Madison and Adams which would add between 1 and 2 miles. It is certainly doable. Some people did this last week between 12 and 19 hours doing all of the peaks. You would need to be very fit.

 

[sli74]

Some people did this last week between 12 and 19 hours doing all of the peaks. You would need to be very fit.

Or 22 hours

sli74

 

[Bob Kittredge]

But wouldn't a true Presidential traverse include the western Pressies, Garfield and Lincoln? Now that would make for a long day indeed.

 

[dr_wu002]

But wouldn't a true Presidential traverse include the eastern Pressies, Garfield and Lincoln? Now that would make for a long day indeed.

No, I don't think so -- Lincoln and Garfield aren't part of the Presidentials but J Q Adams is. I was just wondering if people do JQA as part of the traverse or not.

-Dr. Wu

 

[sapblatt]

No, I don't think so -- Lincoln and Garfield aren't part of the Presidentials but J Q Adams is. I was just wondering if people do JQA as part of the traverse or not.

-Dr. Wu

I have never heard or read of anyone including any of the "minor" Adams peaks...even though JQA was a president and not just a subway station!

 

[Double Bow]

One popular version of the Traverse doesn't include Jackson. That's the way I've always done it. Hey, it wasn't named after the president, so I don't have to hike it.

-dave-

I've never understood why some people think it's OK to leave off Jackson and Webster. From what I understand, it's supposed to be a traverse of the Presidential Range of which these are both a part. The way I see it, you would have to descend Webster Cliff trail to do a true Presi traverse.

BTW Washington wasn't named after a president either. How many folks out there know why this is true?

 

[Mike P.]

Named after a General

Oddly, Jackson, not named for a President, Clay not named for a President, oops Clay is now Reagan right? So now named after a President....

I thought it was the mountains named after Presidents so sub-peaks would not count

Presidential Traverse
open to intrepretation as I don't recall it being a Presidential Ridge Traverse or a Presidential Mountain Traverse or a Presidential Range Traverse.

Isn't the object to frolic on the summits that make up the largest Alpine area in the US East of CO?

 

[beverly]

I've never understood why some people think it's OK to leave off Jackson and Webster. From what I understand, it's supposed to be a traverse of the Presidential Range of which these are both a part. The way I see it, you would have to descend Webster Cliff trail to do a true Presi traverse.

Luckily, the Official Presidential Traverse Police weren't out on Sunday checking our summit log, so we high-tailed it after Pierce.

 

[Double Bow]

Mike, you win! Your prize? A no-expense-paid trip to the mountain of your choice on your next free day off!

Also, Franklin is not after a president but, everybody goes over that one!

Sorry, I didn't mean to come on strong about my definition of a Presi traverse. I'm just trying to understand the thought behind leaving off two on the ridge. It's not really a traverse if you are skipping peaks, by the definition of a traverse. That's like going from Lafayette to Liberty and then going down Liberty Spring and saying you did a Franconia traverse and that Flume doesn't count because it doesn't start with "L".

Of course, everyone should hike their own hike and can call it whatever they want but, when we don't have a common language, it makes it hard to get someone's meaning sometimes.

Far be it for me to think about telling someone they did a hike "wrong", I came down the Kinsman Pond trail!

 

[RoySwkr]

But wouldn't a true Presidential traverse include the western Pressies, Garfield and Lincoln? Now that would make for a long day indeed.

Don't forget President Carter

My sister & I were once speculating how long it would take before each 4000-footer was named after a President. You could say we already had a President Hancock (President of the Continental Congress) there were important politicians named Cabot and Cannon whose descendants might run for higher office. Any politicians named Galehead or Whiteface?

I've never understood why some people think it's OK to leave off Jackson and Webster. From what I understand, it's supposed to be a traverse of the Presidential Range of which these are both a part.

Actually the main ridge of the divide goes from Crawford Notch to an unnamed notch near the Castle trailhead near Bowman. Going up the Crawford Path and down Israel Ridge Path (or vice versa) is as close as trails get to the main ridge. Madison-Pine and Jackson-Webster are side ridges.

 

[Double Bow]

Actually the main ridge of the divide goes from Crawford Notch to an unnamed notch near the Castle trailhead near Bowman. Going up the Crawford Path and down Israel Ridge Path (or vice versa) is as close as trails get to the main ridge. Madison-Pine and Jackson-Webster are side ridges.

I don't quite understand how Jackson and Webster are not a continuation of the ridge that Pierce is on. Looking on the topo, it appears that that is the same. Could you explain how it is a geologically seperate ridge?

PS Folks don't need to dish out negatives just because I'm trying to understand others opinions. Thanks.

 

[sierra]

There has always been some confusion here, but the consensus is, Webster and Jackson are not presidents so they are not requiered for a "Presidential Traverse". I agree with you doublebow though,imo they are indeed part of a continuous range and make a more "classic' traverse when included as I have done in the past. To be frank, as you have, I think the traverse is alot easier without the last two so its convienent to say "hey there not presidents Im heading down Clinton.

Either way, people do what makes them happy, thats what really counts, I love the traverse either way to be honest, BUT any true White mountain tramper MUST do it all the way to Webster at least once,imho.

 

[RoySwkr]

I don't quite understand how Jackson and Webster are not a continuation of the ridge that Pierce is on. Looking on the topo, it appears that that is the same. Could you explain how it is a geologically seperate ridge?

The "divide" is the E-W divide between the Ammonoosuc-Connecticut watershed to the W and the Androscoggin-Saco watershed to the E. It does not go to Webster and Madison, etc. [Most of the 14K peaks in CO aren't on the Continental Divide either.] If you are trying to hike the longest ridge off Washington, the Davis Path-Mt Stanton Trails are much longer but they are a side ridge too.

 

[Double Bow]

Hmmm... I guess I'm still missing it. The ridge does not descend to a point between these two watersheds, rather the elevation stays consistantly high until it descends down to the Saco River after going over Webster.

I believe that it the reason why Jackson and Webster are always called part of the Presidential Range unlike the ridge that the Davis Path goes over which would be the Montalban Range.

Regardless, I had just been wondering if the reason for leaving them off was in the naming and I see now that it is. I wonder if folks went down Eisenhower when Pierce was still called Clinton...

Anyway, thank you all for your feedback.