Six Husbands

[ADK4Life]

I am planning a trip up this trail next weekend. Does anyone have a link to a good trip report with many pictures?

Another question. I was thinking about heading up Jefferson via Six Husbands and following the trails to Madison. Is the webster-scott trail clearly marked from Madison or Osgood trail?

 

[sapblatt]

Six Husbands Report Pics

Here are some good ones from a trip report at VFTT...scroll down.

Trip Report with pics

 

[David Metsky]

Another question. I was thinking about heading up Jefferson via Six Husbands and following the trails to Madison. Is the webster-scott trail clearly marked from Madison or Osgood trail?

Nope, but the Webster-Scout trail is.

There's a junction with a few signs coming down Osgood. You'd have to try hard to miss it.

-dave-

 

[Seeker]

Well, I've got some pics from a trip I did a week or so ago, but they are stuck in Dave's camera.

I also need to write up a TR to go with them. If I get to it soon, I'll be happy to share.

Boy this is a helpful post, eh?

 

[David Metsky]

I'll try to get them online tonight.

-dave-

 

[PhillyGeo]

Where are the names?

Damn, I opened this thread thinking I would be hearing news about one of my ex's ...

 

[jessbee]

This is a challenging and fun trail! Have a blast! I have a few pictures of Six Husbands here: Washington/Jefferson Insanity Loop . There are lots of really cool, HUGE boulders some of which you use ladders to climb and others you need to duck beneath. I would have enjoyed it more had I not been tired from climbing up and down Washington already

 

[ADK4Life]

Damn you Metsky for noticing the obvious flaw in my post!

Looking forward to more beta on this. Thanks for all the info to this point

 

[TMax]

Just a comment on the Daniel-Webster Trail...In my opinion, It's an a#$* killer going down. It's relentless with lots of big loose slippery boulders! I've been up and down it many times (I stay at Dolly Copp Campground a lot and the trail originates there) and have gotten to the point where I'll add significant mileage to a hike if it will allow me to avoid coming down this monster. My opinions of it are certainly clouded by the fact that I had a particularly difficult down-climb once in a wicked storm, but still...be prepared! On a more positive note, the Great Gulf Trail up to Six Husband's is a wonderfully mellow, easy grade of a hike along the river...Enjoy!

 

[king tut]

i'll have to 2nd that opinion of danny webster. I went up it, but would not want to go down it. It's not horrible, but its not great. Also avoid the great gulf trail, i think its called that, that goes from star lake directly down into the gulf. That trail was a bit psycho on a nice day, if it's wet, it could kill ya. It's all boulders w/ a stream trickling down the steep pitch, making the footing less than ideal. Given these options, you might want to just stay at madison hut. . . forever. Actually the osgood trail, same as the AT, is a steady downhill, pretty easy on the knees.

 

[blacknblue]

Ugh. I have brutal memories of the Six Husbands Trail. Going down, in the dark, in a storm, with a heavy pack... and almost falling to my death or dismemberment. Not good times. Then again, I did do two years later, so maybe I'm just dumb.
It's actually a really fun trail, but definitely better going uphill and with a manageable (read: not 50 lbs.) pack size.

 

[--M.]

Osgood downhill from Madison Parapet

Did this one this summer: not too bad at all. It does follow a ridge and is therefore somewhat exposed, and there are a lot of rock-hops that could be slippery when wet, but it wasn't difficult or unpleasant at all. And considering the day had started at The Perch, I expected to have more difficulty, being tired out.

Boots tangent: It was at the Osgood Junction that we met a south-bounder heading up Madison... in flip-flops. As usual for that time of year, he was head-down and moving on quickly (so we didn't chat), but he seemed to have no trouble. It was then that I fully realized how widely footwear needs can vary.

--M.

 

[jn316]

I agree with those who recommend Osgood rather than Dan'l Webster as a descent route. As you descend, you'll get a nice series of views from the little peaks on the ridge, nice retrospective views on where you hiked earlier in the day.
And, don't get tempted to take the Parapet Trail from Star Lake to the Osgood Trail. It's rougher and more time-consuming than hiking the Osgood from Madison Hut over the summit of Madison and then down Osgood Ridge.