Top 8 hikes in the NE??

[Tom Rankin]

If you get the A M C magazine, you will see that they've listed what they feel are the top 8 hikes in the Northeast, (which seems to include Virginia ?!?! ). And the winner is.... [drumroll]

Breakneck Ridge along the Hudson River! Again - ?!?!?

It's a nice hike, and it's near by, but I still beg to differ.

Here's the list:

• Breakneck Ridge, Hudson Valley, N.Y.
• Mount Tom Traverse via the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail Easthampton/Holyoke, Mass
• Old Rag Mountain, Shenandoah National Park, Va
• Cadillac Mountain via the South Ridge Trail Acadia National Park, Maine
• Camels Hump via the Monroe and Dean Trails Northern Vermont
• Rattlesnake Swamp Trail/Appalachian Trail Delaware Water Gap, N.J.
• Bondcliff Traverse, Pemigewasset Wilderness Central White Mountains, New Hampshire - NOW WE'RE TALKING!!!
• Welch-Dickey Loop Southern White Mountains, New Hampshire

Anyone else agree or disagree with the choices?

 

[TDawg]

I can't see a top 8 list without the Franconia Loop. Falling Waters, Ridge, Bridle Path Trails. It's a classic.

 

[trailbiscuit]

I also grumbled when I first read the article. But, I agree with their choices based on their audience. They have to cover a large geographic area and many different types of people. The choices aren't for me, but little I see in AMC Outdoors is. (But, Katahdin only gets runner-up status?...come on...)
Either way, it's an impossible task for them...someone will always have a differing opinion.

 

[lumberzac]

How come the Adirondacks have been excluded? Is it maybe because the AMC isn’t involved with any of the trails there?

 

[Rik]

No Katahdin? No Adirondacks? Nice hikes on the list but the best? Are these just the editors picks or did they have another method for coming up with this list?

 

[pilgrim]

The article is online here

They seem to be hedging a bit about calling them the best. "We chose eight of the most popular picks" they say.

 

[sapblatt]

Surprised that I have done all of the NH and VT ones...

But I would have to say King Ravine takes the cake for me...
Bond Traverse I love and plan to do annually, Camel's Hump is primo and Welch Dickey is great for tuning up or when you do not have a lot of time.

I agree with others...I have never been to the dax (to hike at least) or BSP - it seems hard to fathom that a route up Kathadin or at least on dax high peak would not make the cut.

 

[David Metsky]

While they are numbered, I don't think they are ranked. It's a list pulling from a variety of geographical regions, trying to appeal to a wide audience. These articles show up from time to time the Outdoors, there was a similar one by Mike Lanza(?) less than 6 months ago with different criteria.

If they just listed Franconia Ridge, Knife Edge Loop, etc, the article wouldn't be worth much. We all know those loops already. I didn't know several of these hikes so the article was interesting to me.

-dave-

 

[Tom Rankin]

While they are numbered, I don't think they are ranked. It's a list pulling from a variety of geographical regions, trying to appeal to a wide audience. These articles show up from time to time the Outdoors, there was a similar one by Mike Lanza(?) less than 6 months ago with different criteria.

If they just listed Franconia Ridge, Knife Edge Loop, etc, the article wouldn't be worth much. We all know those loops already. I didn't know several of these hikes so the article was interesting to me.

-dave-

You might be correct about the numbering.

And I agree it's good to hear about hikes over a large area. So many lists, so little time!

And I should have read each one more closely, there's a serious Views and Brews list there!

 

[Jay H]

I'm familiar with all of them except for

# Old Rag Mountain, Shenandoah National Park, Va

Since when is Virginia in the NE, it's even below the Mason Dixon Line...

Jay

 

[Gris]

BSP's Traveller Loop es numero uno in my book...

 

[SLB]

If Katahdin doesn't make this list, it could be to avoid drawing crowds to it.

Take Mount Monadnock for example: If people posted trip reports on hiking Mount Monadnock, it could get crowded.

Last Labor Day Weekend, we drove to a place called Park HQ and hiked a loop on White Dot Trail and White Cross Trail, and saw nobody all day.

We're training to repeat this loop hike on Memorial Day Weekend, if anyone's interested in joining us. People who don't apply deodorant while hiking need not apply!

 

[chipc]

Here is the thread on the AMC board that I believe was used to get hiker input:
http://appalachia.outdoors.org/bbs/messageview.cfm?catid=3&threadid=8042


Seems like they wanted to cover several bases at once:
"What I'm looking for is a hike that you believe every self-respecting Northeast hiker should do or should have one. Or the hike you would take a (relatively fit) out-of-town friend on to get a flavor for the region. The Don't-Miss hike. You get the picture. I'm doing a mix of short and long trips---day hikes to longer backpack adventures."

 

[Quietman]

Old Rag is similar in many aspects to Monadnock. Very crowded at times, stands apart from other mountains, and great views. At 7 miles roundtrip and 2,200 elev. gain, it is more a tougher hike but not difficult. We did it early on a weekday, and had a great time. Here are a few links
Old Rag Trip Report
Old Rag
Summit Pic
Ridge pic The trail ascends this ridge

 

[Tom Rankin]

If Katahdin doesn't make this list, it could be to avoid drawing crowds to it.

Katahdin was on the 'honorable mention' list.

 

[dvbl]

They seem to be hedging a bit about calling them the best. "We chose eight of the most popular picks" they say.

Ah. "Popular" is the key word there. Several years ago a music critic wrote (in a review for a Menudo concert ) "If quality was based on popularity, Twinkies would be better for you than carrots."

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Am probably being overly sensitive here, but - there's a possible typo on the Camels Hump description.

"Word to the Wise: French explorers called the mountain “Le Lion Couchant” (sleeping lion). The farm at the trailhead, Couching Lion Farm, is where Monroe spent his busy retirement years."

The original French name was Couching Lion, not Sleeping Lion. Perhaps they didn't think the readership was literate enough for "Couching"?

 

[woodstrider]

Here are some of my own favorites

The Escarpement Trail- Catskills NY
The Burroughs Range Trail- Catskills NY
Massie Gap to the AT- Mount Rogers Virginia
Anywhere in the Pemi- White Mts NH
The Bonds- White Mtns NH
The Dixes from any direction- Adirondacks NY
Cascade to Porter and Bluberry Mtn- Adirondacks NY
The RD trail- Harriman State Park NY.
St John's Ledges- AT in CT
Sages Ravine-AT in CT
October Mtn State Park-AT in Mass
Saddle Back Mtn Traverse- AT in ME
Bigelow Preserve- AT in ME
Old Speck- Grafton Notch State Park- AT in ME

I think 8 is too small a number. There are so many great places to visit. .

 

[percious]

I think Knife's Edge has GOT to be on there.

-percious

 

[giggy]

the link and cornice on jefferson