solitude

[sweeper]

1/4 of my name is, I sweep the cobwebs off the trail by starting early and being the first on the trail. Most of my multipuly climbed peaks include one planned to be alone on top.

Katahdin was my favorite. But you scariface the view most of the time. A lot of times the fog has bruned off yet.

 

[king tut]

Most of the times i hike, there is lots of solitude. When i hiked on thursday in Baxter, in 8 hours, i saw 0 other people. Usually when i hike katahdin, i am alone when i get to the top of Baxter. Maybe because it is about 9 in the morning. The only peak i have never had solitude on is washington. and cadillac in acadia. so as long as there is not a road to the top of the mt, it generally is real quiet on top. The only other peak i have come across that was crowded was camel's hump. But it didn't bother me. I enjoy seeing lots of people outdoors taking in the beauty.

 

[Jasonst]

I think I have had more peaks to myself than have had to share. I don't mind sharing, as most people keep to themselves. Occasionally you get the cell phone yakker...

 

[teleskier]

I do most of my hiking in the Adirondacks, and what I've found is that even on a holiday weekend, I can find solitude on a beautiful summit if I choose the peak. Or, I can be alone on Marcy, Algonquin, etc. if I choose the day. But in my opinion, too many people have the expectation that they should be able to climb the mountain of their choice, on the day of their choice, and be the only ones up there. That's just not realistic. And, for myself, solitude is important at times, but it's not the primary reason I'm out there. It's to do the things I love in the setting I love and I really don't mind sharing that experience with other people. You meet some nice folks that way...

 

[BrentD22]

I hike SOLO often

I often hike solo. I am not sure why I often have summits to myself. I do hike in the winter a lot so that helps. I've been on the summit of some of the most popular mountains all by myself (more than once).

Adams - 3 maybe more times (winter). Have hiked several other times summer and winter with company on the summit.

Madison - 1 (winter) hiked several other times summer and winter with company.

Hale - 1 - 1st 4000 footer (summer)

Chocorua - 1 (this past winter, very windy and cold -10ish when summit)

Carters (all same day) - 1 (winter) Summited in extremely icey conditions.

Passaconway - 3 (summer)

Whiteface - 3 (summer)


That is at least what I can remember for sure. Passaconway & Whiteface I summited in a small group during trail crew work. Hale was with 1 other person. The others where all summited solo.


There are often chances to be or feel "alone" in this world in winter. Winter hiking for me has been a great challenge of my personal skills. It has also been a way for me to get away from everything and everyone. I've been alone while hiking in the winter more than seeing others. Good luck finding solitude!

 

[TCD]

You know, post'r boy's posts are sometimes a bit too sarcastic for me, but on this topic, I think he's right on the money.

I love company on the trail and on the summit. People are fun!

And if I want solitude, it's easy to get, just by going to less popular places, or off trail. I, or my party, have been to the most gorgeous places only an hour from the trailheads in the Adirondacks, with no one else around. Just takes learning how to navigate. The trails are skinny, but the woods are huge.

But regarding "going to a popular place and wanting soitude there," that's either irrational or elitist. After all, what makes me so special, that the summit of "___" should be reserved just for me?

TCD

 

[MattC]

One thing I think that's cool about the Catskills in NY is aside from Wittenburg-Cornell-Slide... the park tends to get overlooked big time by the masses.

What Catskill Park? I have no idea what you're talking about.

I'm yet another one who often enjoys solitude, but doesn't insist on it. I've also had luck w/ all the obvious stuff that's been mentioned- early starts, winter, going mid-week, etc. I think sometimes it's nice to have some time alone when I take a short evening hike after work. My after work hikes are always in the Shawangunks, which are just 15 minutes away. One interesting thing about the 'Gunks is the dramatic contrast in usage levels of areas that are very close to one another. There are places where you can have solitude and even sort of get the illusion of wilderness for a while, then a quarter mile away you'll see lots of mountain bikers, trail-runners, "touristy" hikers, etc.

Matt

 

[askus3]

This last trip of mine to Maine made me think of this subject. I usually hike with a group but even with in my group we were of such different paces that I wound up hiking by myself a good bit and two places which I thought would be far more popular I had complete solitude (Mt. Abraham & Tumledown Mountain & Pond). I couldn't believe we (my group) were able to go swimming with nobody around and enjoy the Loop Trail, summits all by ourselves. It was Friday, August 19 and 12:15 PM and the weather was warm and pretty and I hadn't seen another soul outside of my group and then on my way down the Brook Trail: Everyone was coming up kids, hikers, non-hikers, you name it a whole community was heading up for the afternoon or for the weekend. Boy I was glad I left Tumbledown Pond in time. It is amazing how a couple of hours could turn a pond of solitude into a community. But, I was amazed that it was my 3rd time at the Pond and my first when I didn't see anyone and this time was the best weather I experienced there. BTW, the blueberries were an added delight.

I consider myself a social person, but when I go to the mountains, I usually want to share it with a few friends although I wanted to clebrate my Catskill completion with many, so 23 friends showed up to celebrate on Westkill with me, but being a summer Thursday, we saw nobody on the hike aside form our group. So it wasn't crowded and even then we were so spread out some did not arrive at the summit when others already departed.

But I started this thread because I have read too many times, don't do the Fallingwaters/Lafayette Loop because of the crowds or this or that sumit is to crowded or noisy. So I figured lets here it for the Isolationists. I don't mind a few people but crowded summits ie. Washington, Katahdin, Lafayette & Marcy I figured you never would get solitude (maybe even Whiteface or Cannon or Killington). so I am glad there is quiet in them hills.

 

[rocksnrolls]

I've had a few 4k footers to myself, but usually only briefly: Liberty, Garfield, and South Hancock. I had most of the day to myself when I hit the lower Montalban Ridge, including all of my summit time on Mt Stanton, Mt Pickering, Mt Langdon and The Crippies.

Anyone else have the summit of Monadnock to themselves? Me and a friend of mine had almost 10 whole minutes up there on a windy summer Wednesday with storms threatening - before two other pairs of people showed up

 

[mike46r]

I have been alone on many of the summits several times, not necessarily on week days in February, but then, too. I remember being all alone on Marcy in June, Haystack several times alone. Alone on Whiteface in February. Esther, too, on that trip, but who would expect people there?

Although I usually get an early start, I found getting a late start on Sundays sometimes works even on popular peaks. The people I pass are on their way out, but for many years I never hiked the weekends. I don't like the irony of not being able to get "the wilderness experience" because I could not find a parking place.

Generally, I enjoy meeting people on the trail and summit and hearing their stories, but the solitude is precious.

 

[snowshoe]

This is the reason why I like hiking the Catskills. They are underused when compared to the ADK or Whites. There are many times I have been all alone on a summit in the Cats. Even Slide and Panther on a nice summer day I have been alone many times.
I also enjoy the Kittatinny's like the Northern Water Gap, Stokes SF and High Point SP. They are in my backyard and very underused. I can be the first to break trail a month after a snowstorm or do a 10 mile loop and not see a sole even on a weekend. Seems like everyone would rather drive 3 hours every weekend to do the bigger peaks like the ADK and Whites. Rather than hike localy. Of course that is great for me, I am more of a local hiker. I hate to drive far to hike especially when I have so much close to home.

 

[forestgnome]

But regarding "going to a popular place and wanting soitude there," that's either irrational or elitist. After all, what makes me so special, that the summit of "___" should be reserved just for me?

TCD

I don't think askus3 is irrational, elitist, or thinks any place should be reserved just for her. As others have stated, the most popular peaks are sometimes empty of hikers and it's really nice to have the perfect timing to be alone on a peak. She just wants pointers on timing.

I've been on Franconia Ridge in solitude twice. Once was a moonlit hike in July, and once on a beautiful Saturday in August when I started before sunrise.

On the morning hike, I saw two moose. The forest has a very special feel around that time. When I made treeline, I was treated to partial undercast and an orange Sun hanging low in the east. I enjoyed the ridge hike all the way to Mt. Lafayette before I saw a few hikers coming up from the hut. I then turned around and hiked the ridge back to the south. I rested on Mt. Lincoln and I could see the crowds thicken at both ends of the ridge. By the time I got back to Haystack, there were about 50 people! There were people talking on cell phones while hiking. The was a ranger stationed near treeline, barking at hikers to stay on the trail. What an enormous difference in atmosphere and spirit. I dashed for the trees and didn't slow down until I was out of earshot of the ranger. To clens myself, I entered the forest for a nice long bushwack back down the slopes.

Lately, I've taken to timing it for late afternoon if I'm going to a popular peak. I'll start in late morning and take my time on a quiet trail. Descending hikers will comment on the conditions. By the time I get to the peak I'm often the only one there, and the last one for the day. Just don't try this on a day with t-storms in the forecast, that's when early morning is my choice.

Happy Trails!

 

[MrAmeche]

Based on some of the stories here, I suppose I should consider myself lucky, as I've had most of the NH 4000's to myself ("myself" being a minimum of, say, 20 minutes) - Pierce, Whiteface, Tecumseh, Passaconaway, Tecumseh, Hale, Flume, and Jefferson are a few off the top of my head. I usually start somewhat early on weekdays, at around 7:30 or so. Although as sweeper mentioned earlier, sometimes the fog hasn't burned off by the time you hit the summit, and by then you've been choking on spiderwebs.

Has anyone ever had the summit of Moosilauke to themselves? I've only been once, last October, and it was an absolute circus. A lady had set up her own office at the base of a cairn, and was chatting business on her cellphone nonstop for 45 minutes, which I found amusing. The only thing missing was her fax machine.

 

[kerry13]

Yes, to find the quiet solitude on a mountain top is getting more difficult these days. I find that getting a early start, 7:30 or earlier affords me the best chance of solitude. At the least, the people I run into at that hour seem to be early risers, like myself. I did have one of those peaceful hikes yesterday. We did Caps Ridge to Jefferson and Gulfside to Clay and down Jewell. We did not see or hear a single person until we reached Jewell Trail for our descent down. Jefferson and Clay we had to ourselves. We ran into a total of 3 groups and seven people over the whole day. Really was kinda nice. Weekday hikes I also find are more condusive to avoiding crowds, but then not everyone can get away on weekdays. On the other hand I did Mt Monadnock last Sunday as a last minute Sunday morning thing. The Spellman Trail was nice and I had it all to myself. About a 1/2 mile from the top I could already hear the screams and yells of what sounded like a thousand kids. There weren't quite that many, when I got there, but the noise was deafening. I thought I was at a school ground play yard at recess. I didn't spend much time on top. I got to wondering on the way down, if those same kids will someday want to hike for the solitude of it. Right now they have lot of growing up to do to reach that state, but then I was probably just like them at their age.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

I've never had this problem. When I hike in the WMNF it's always during the week and in the fall. With the exception of seeing 3 maybe 4 other people, I usually have the summit of wherever to myself. I guess the key is to go during the week after schools open.

 

[slowandsteady]

same mountain - two different experiences

A slightly different take – is it solitude desired or just the absence of noisy, thoughtless, or overly competitive people? In the WMs, the people encountered on a particular hike can have a lot to do with achieving the feeling of solitude rather than actually having the day entirely to ourselves.

Case in point, the people on the Moriah summit on two different trips made for two vastly different experiences.

Good hike - This past Saturday we hiked over Moriah and Shelburne Moriah starting and ending at Wild River (Moriah Brook, Carter-Moriah, Kenduskeag, Shelburne Trails). We started at 6:30AM. Saw two moose but met no humans until reaching the Moriah summit at 10:45. Two women and a dog that had summited earlier were off to one side of the ledge. We rested on a different part of the ledge. The dog whined a little, obviously wanting to check us out, but being restrained, quickly settled down. Everyone was considerate of everyone else’s space. ​

Not-so-good hike - Our first trip to Moriah (via the C-M Trail from Gorham) included encountering a family who seemed to take over the entire summit. They allowed their dogs to roam freely, barking at and running up to everyone else on the summit ledges (so much for physical and verbal restraint). This family barely acknowledged that they were sharing the summit with the dozen or so others also there. One of their dogs repeatedly invaded peoples’ space and tried to take other hikers’ food. Then the two boys boasted (looking directly at my son) about this being their 6th 4000-footer (some number I can’t remember but under ten). My son was about to reply that he was about two thirds of the way through the list when we gave him a look that said “don’t go there”. We quickly packed up and headed down the C-M Trail only to be overtaken by this group about a half dozen times. They seemed hell-bent on getting off the mountain as fast as possible, but were clearly pushing their youngest member to her limit on the slippery ledges (she had fallen more than once and was crying) so they had to keep stopping. They would pass us and then stop, pass us and then stop. Each time they passed us and each time we passed them one of the dogs barked, growled and charged at us; we finally said something about restraining them, which went unacknowledged. After the last encounter near Mt. Surprise, we RAN the rest of the way down the trail to the car. Phew. ​

So, same mountain, two completely different experiences.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Has anyone ever had the summit of Moosilauke to themselves? I've only been once, last October, and it was an absolute circus. A lady had set up her own office at the base of a cairn, and was chatting business on her cellphone nonstop for 45 minutes, which I found amusing. The only thing missing was her fax machine.

Talk about killing the purpose of hiking.

 

[Blue]

There is a certain time of year you can find very few people in the Whites. It's post foliage, pre ski. This is around the late November, early December time period. I have found the summits and trails are quiet, the campgrounds are empty. You can drive through Lincoln without traffic or get yourself a quick seat on a Saturday night at the Woodstock Inn.. its really a perfect time of year.

 

[JeffAndrews]

I guess I've been luckier then I realized.

I've actually had the top of Washington to myself. (well, I knew there were people in observatory, but since they stayed out of sight, it seemed like I was alone.) It was late June. We started hiking early and got to the top before the first cars or train arrived. I hike faster than my friends, so I had the top to myself before they caught up. It was a little spooky, almost like a ghost town.

Another time, my brother and I were the last two people on top of Washington after all the tourists have left. This was also in June, We started up in the late afternoon, and once we turned off toward the Huntington Ravine on the way up we didn't see anyone else except two climbers until after we had summited and hiked all the way back down below the crew cabin. Then we started running into crew heading "home" for the night with lanterns.

I've also had the top of Katahdin to myself on a beautiful clear Saturday morning in June. We stayed at Chimney Pond and started hiking at first light. We were almost back to Chimney Pond before we saw any other hikers!

 

[TCD]

Forestnome,

I'm sorry if my post was taken the wrong way (the dangers of posting!).

I think I reacted to the way askus3's post started, with the reference to the mountains being "overrun with hikers," and a desire to have solitude on some very popular summits. There's also been a lot of traffic on this forum over the last few years in various threads bemoaning how the presence of other people has "ruined someone's mountain experience."

Timing is important, and sometimes I've been lucky enough to have either solitude, or great company, on my travels. We should all remember that the public land belongs to all of us.

Thanks.

TCD