Q-&-A For Pemi/Presi June Trip

[--M.]

Hi. A few questions; can you help a guy out?

==Bear Lockers: Are there any along the AT from Franconia Ridge to the Osgood Cutoff?

==Tenting at the Huts? We plan not to, but I'm curious, are there any tentsites at, say, Galehead or Zealand Falls?

==Alcohol Stoves: Bought one (Vargo), as an alternative to my 2.5-lb Optimus-From-The-Seventies. Can you cook for two on one? How does one simmer?

==Off-Trail Camping: Other than the stated rules, have any of you camped off of the Twinway or Ethan Pond trails? How about a bit down the Thoreau Falls Trail? Shoal Pond? Zeacliff Pond? I don't want to break the rules, either of the 'authorities,' or (more to the point) physics.

==Caching at Crawford: Are there any lockers or facilities for leaving a cache here? I've searched & read up on this (thank you), but nothing on this particular spot (Ethan Pond --> Webster Cliff).

==Osgood Tentsites: How many platforms are there? The AMC guide don't say and I've searched this whole site, I swear!

==Dolly Copp: Can you stash a car there and then start at Franconia? Despite the 'rules,' have any of you gotten them to let you camp for only one night?

==Getting it done in six days? The plan is
-- Monday (EARLY): Falling Waters --> Garfield Ridge Campsite
--> Tuesday: Guyot Campsite (and slack Guyot, Bonds & Bondcliff)
--> Wednesday: Ethan Pond Shelter
--> Thursday: Nauman Tentsite
--> Friday: The Perch (busy on a Friday night?)
--> Saturday: Osgood Tentsite or Dolly Copp (busy on a Saturday?)
I'm assuming this isn't too radical.

==Bonus Question: Favorite lightweight foods for a six-day, two-man hike?

Thanks for your help. By the way, is the Jefferson Notch Road open yet? Only kidding.

This site has been a real joy; thanks.

--Mike





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[David Metsky]

Hi. A few questions; can you help a guy out?

==Bear Lockers: Are there any along the AT from Franconia Ridge to the Osgood Cutoff?

Ethan Pond and 13 Falls have them. Not sure about Nauman.

==Tenting at the Huts? We plan not to, but I'm curious, are there any tentsites at, say, Galehead or Zealand Falls?

Nope, no camping allowed within 1/4 mile of the huts.

==Caching at Crawford: Are there any lockers or facilities for leaving a cache here? I've searched & read up on this (thank you), but nothing on this particular spot (Ethan Pond --> Webster Cliff).

Not that I know of.

==Osgood Tentsites: How many platforms are there? The AMC guide don't say and I've searched this whole site, I swear!

There are 5, IIRC.

==Getting it done in six days? The plan is
-- Monday (EARLY): Falling Waters --> Garfield Ridge Campsite
--> Tuesday: Guyot Campsite (and slack Guyot, Bonds & Bondcliff)
--> Wednesday: Ethan Pond Shelter
--> Thursday: Nauman Tentsite
--> Friday: The Perch (busy on a Friday night?)
--> Saturday: Osgood Tentsite or Dolly Copp (busy on a Saturday?)
I'm assuming this isn't too radical.

Sounds like a fine plan. Expect some traffic on Friday and Saturday, but if you get in fairly early neither should be a problem.

-dave-

 

[Waumbek]

Ethan Pond and 13 Falls have them. Not sure about Nauman. -dave-

Last summer Nauman had a bear box. So did Eliza Brook. There was a cable at the Pemi site, I think. By fall, they'd moved (stashed?) the one at Eliza Brook. I don't know why.

I'm not sure about the car stash at Dolly Copp. You can pay to leave it at Lowes around the corner on Rt 2, so to speak. Check the schedule for the shuttle from Pinkham.

Jeff Notch Road opens the day you'll be there.

 

[--M.]

You know, Dave, I almost called you out by name. Thanks! Your stuff has answered tons of my questions (and your photos have been great). Now, about that Dartmouth thing....

Thanks again.

 

[tonycc]

I've been eyeing the same trip, a couple of other questions:

- the section between Garfield Ridge and Guyot campsite is fairly short (<6 miles). However, there are other peaks (N Twinway, and the Bonds) in the area off the AT which could potentially be bagged.

- Based on the first question, are you allowed to spend two nights at one location? Tkinking of staying at Guyot, then bagging the Bonds on the layover day.

- The problem with the layover day means we would most likely hit The Perch after a long day on the Presi Range, which means we would get there late Friday afternoon. Seems risky, what options are there if the tentsites are full?

- Then there is the weather, so we might reverse the route if the first two days look good to get the Presi's done. This would put us at Garfield Ridge on a Friday night potentially, any options there if it gets filled?

Thanks,
Tony

 

[DougPaul]

- the section between Garfield Ridge and Guyot campsite is fairly short (<6 miles). However, there are other peaks (N Twinway, and the Bonds) in the area off the AT which could potentially be bagged.

Short in miles, but fairly hard miles.

Doug

 

[jfb]

You could stash a car at the Great Gulf trailhead, it's equivalent to Dolly Copp. Another option is to leave a car at Pinkham and spend your last night at Osgood, the Bluff or Clam Rock campsites.

A few years ago, I stayed at Dolly Copp for a single Thursday night. It confused the ranger who assumed I wanted to stay at a site that someone else had reserved for the weekend.

 

[Jasonst]

I hope you have good weather on friday - that has the potential to be a miserable day. If you get stuck at Galehead, chat with the caretaker - I know there are sites around if you are in a pinch.

 

[sapblatt]

Bonus Question

==Bonus Question: Favorite lightweight foods for a six-day, two-man hike?

Thanks for your help. By the way, is the Jefferson Notch Road open yet? Only kidding.

This site has been a real joy; thanks.

--Mike
.

well, if no one else is going to go for the bonus question I will...
I like the noodles that come in the Ramen Noodle bags, but I just use them because they are light, pack down well and cook fast. This is just the base for me...I will make a spicy peanut sauce (peanut butter, margarine, hot pepper, onion and garlic powder, soy sauce). I break the noodles into little peices at home for easier eating on the fly. Other great additions to the basic noodle dish is the new Tuna Steaks that Starkist has in foil pouches. Four ounce pack, takes about 2-4 minutes to heat up...good protein. Canned or foil packed chicken is also a good protein. I have heard WalMart sells chicken in foil, but I have not seen it at the one near my house.
By the way...after a day of hiking I find I need two packs of noodles (skip the seasoning pack, or only use half...way too much sodium, even for all that excercise!)

 

[Jim lombard]

==Off-Trail Camping: Other than the stated rules, have any of you camped off of the Twinway or Ethan Pond trails? How about a bit down the Thoreau Falls Trail? Shoal Pond? Zeacliff Pond? I don't want to break the rules, either of the 'authorities,' or (more to the point) physics.

About at the beginning of the Ethan Pond trail (off Zealand Trail) there are several nice camping spots on the right side of the trail. This gets you well outside of the 1/4 mile rule.

posted by DougPaul

Short in miles, but fairly hard miles

I agree

 

[--M.]

Hey,

Thanks, everyone for the help; I knew I'd get good responses. I knew this because I read up my AMC Guide and searched the site first, thus ensuring good karma. [Insert appropriately dorky winky thing here.]

Other than more cowbell, I could still use some extra tips on lightweight food (thanks, Sapblatt, good call), and how y'all have done cooking for two on an alcohol stove.

Thanks again,

--Mike

ps: We're going in late June, so I'm figuring the monsoon season will have passed it's peak by then. --M.

 

[sapblatt]

I could still use some extra tips on lightweight food (thanks, Sapblatt, good call), and how y'all have done cooking for two on an alcohol stove.


ps: We're going in late June, so I'm figuring the monsoon season will have passed it's peak by then. --M.

I use Isobutane, but the cooking i do is basically just boiling water and heating a sauce...alcohol stove should not be a problem.

By June we should be well into hurricane season!

 

[Peaks]

Alcohol stoves

IMHO, the homemade alcohol stoves are fine if you are cooking for one, and just boiling 2 cups of water at a time for Liptons or something similiar. When cooking for two, or doing something more than 2 cups at a time, then I would suggest a gas or canister stove. Alcohol stoves don't put out enough BTU's.