This was a question posed to me in desparation yesterday by a friend who needs practise next weekend before a hiking trip to Corsica, where apparently there will be an altitude gain of over 5,000 feet in one day. Can any of you experienced hikers out there pass on suggestions for 2 good hikes in the Whites with this in mind? Many thanks!
Trail with greatest altitude gain in the Whites?
- Thread starter TRUFFLES
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nartreb
Well-known member
Almost any trail up Mt Washington, Mt Jefferson, Mt Adams, or Mt Madison will have over 4,000 ft of gain. (Exceptions are Ammonoosuc and Jewell at about 3,800, and Caps Ridge, at about 2,700.) Linking two peaks in a loop hike will add a few hundred more. So for example, Adams and Madison via Air Line or Valley Way gets you an even 5,000-foot gain and is a convenient ten-mile day hike with a hut along the way. I suggest going up Air Line, for scenery, and descending Valley Way for variety and slightly easier footing.
By the way, I'm getting my numbers from Ellozy's website
By the way, I'm getting my numbers from Ellozy's website
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David Metsky
Well-known member
Biggest single trail gain is the Great Gulf trail from Rt 16 to the summit of Washington, but anything in the northern Presidentials (except Caps Ridge) will get you around 4000'. Combine two peaks and you'll have your 5000'.
-dave-
-dave-
blacknblue
Active member
From Lowes Store on Route 2 to the summit of Adams is 4500' vert. (From roughly 1200' to roughly 5700'.)
That is about as much as you are going to find in one continuous climb around here. You can always find another 500' (or more) by summitting Madison as well, or just find a 2500' climb and do it twice.
That is about as much as you are going to find in one continuous climb around here. You can always find another 500' (or more) by summitting Madison as well, or just find a 2500' climb and do it twice.
David Metsky
Well-known member
The Great Gulf trail starts at roughly the same elevation and climbs about 500' more. That'll get you 5000' in one trail, although a longer distance.blacknblue said:
-dave-
giggy
New member
yep - 100% agree with dave - when training for the cascades, I researched this to death to get 4500-5000k ele days. - the great gulf is the biggest ele gain for one trail; one mountain in the whites - 5000K vert - I want to say 12 miles r/t - one of my faves as well.
jfb
Active member
If this trip is soon and your friend is uncertain about climbing 5000 ft. in a day, I'd recommend training hikes with 3000 ft. and 4000 ft. elevation gains. I'd be worried about a potential overtraining injury and ruining the trip.
Jeff-B
New member
Great Gulf vs. Airline
Great Gulf (Washinton) vs. Airline (Adams)
I would say, that even though Great Gulf is the largest gain, that Airline trail, on Adams would prove more challenging, if taken from Appalacia.
The Great Gulf is long, but most of the "climb" is quite gradual, until the headwall (1600 vert), whereas the Airline hammers up a bouldery knee, then exposes for a long trek to the Adams summit.
I also believe the Airline trial to be more rocky overall as well.
Alternate routes could include the Kings Ravine.
Great Gulf (Washinton) vs. Airline (Adams)
I would say, that even though Great Gulf is the largest gain, that Airline trail, on Adams would prove more challenging, if taken from Appalacia.
The Great Gulf is long, but most of the "climb" is quite gradual, until the headwall (1600 vert), whereas the Airline hammers up a bouldery knee, then exposes for a long trek to the Adams summit.
I also believe the Airline trial to be more rocky overall as well.
Alternate routes could include the Kings Ravine.
giggy
New member
turffles - how high are you going to be? The only thing I know about corsica is a cartoon about twins 
Is this in the alps? huge difference of a 5k day in the whites and a 5k day where you start above 6K - if your going to be at atlitude, I would try and build up to 6 and 7k days in the whites. just my 2 cents.
unless you have a week or so to acclimatize (wouldn't that be great), I think going from 9K to 14K is much tougher than going from 1K to 6K. but if you doing 7k training days, you will be better off on that 9K-14K day. if you know what I mean
Not saying you can train for altitude, but if your in better shape, you will be better off.
Is this in the alps? huge difference of a 5k day in the whites and a 5k day where you start above 6K - if your going to be at atlitude, I would try and build up to 6 and 7k days in the whites. just my 2 cents. unless you have a week or so to acclimatize (wouldn't that be great), I think going from 9K to 14K is much tougher than going from 1K to 6K. but if you doing 7k training days, you will be better off on that 9K-14K day. if you know what I mean
Not saying you can train for altitude, but if your in better shape, you will be better off.
jrbren
New member
I have been using Airline from Appalachia for biggest altitude gain in shortest distance from trailhead to summit. I see on a map at topozone.com Bowman (Lowe's) at 458 meters (~1500') and Appalachia at 398 meters (1300'), hence the bigger gain would be to park at Appalachia. To nitpick, Adams is really 5800' (5799', depending on what map you look at, I also see 5778' in some web locations), giving one a 4500' gain. It is also shorter distance wise, ~4 miles. This is for training for my Cascade trip later this month. Instead of doing much longer gains or mileage, you can also add weight to your pack to increase stress and build strength. I have been lugging 10-14 liters (~2lbs per liter) of water up these trails to get heavier pack weight and dumping the water for lighter descent and less impact on joints.
I will look up the great gulf trail for the future, I want to see the mileage. That is, do I have to walk another 2-3 miles of flat trail to get 500' extra may not be worth it when trying to simulate a relentless up slope, for training that is. Looks like a great trail I have always wanted to do but never gotten around to.
I did Huntington Ravine last weekend with 45lb pack weight,that is a great full body work out ! ~4300' gain. Sheesh, I am still drained ...
I will look up the great gulf trail for the future, I want to see the mileage. That is, do I have to walk another 2-3 miles of flat trail to get 500' extra may not be worth it when trying to simulate a relentless up slope, for training that is. Looks like a great trail I have always wanted to do but never gotten around to.
I did Huntington Ravine last weekend with 45lb pack weight,that is a great full body work out ! ~4300' gain. Sheesh, I am still drained ...
David Metsky
Well-known member
Corsica is an Italian island in the Med. The highest point is 2700 meters, or about 8000'. Looking at the hiking links below, I don't see any typical days that would have a 5000' gain. More like you'd get that over serveral days, but obviously there are many routes not covered on these pages.
http://www.corsica-isula.com/mountains.htm
http://www.calinzana.corsica-isula.com/GR20.htm
http://www.corsica-hiking.com/
Actually, it looks like a wonderful place to hike.
-dave-
http://www.corsica-isula.com/mountains.htm
http://www.calinzana.corsica-isula.com/GR20.htm
http://www.corsica-hiking.com/
Actually, it looks like a wonderful place to hike.
-dave-
Mike P.
Well-known member
At 8,000 feet altitude shouldn't be life threatening (may be one case out there at that altitude but breathing would be a little harder. if Corsica is similar to terrain I saw in Italy rocks & ascending with some additional weight (Airline, King Raivne trails up Adams) might be a better training day for conditions & elevation over the longer & higher gain done on the Great Gulf trail to Washington that spends more time in the woods. For a little extra on an Adams trip (500 feet) add Madison.
nartreb
Well-known member
Actually 2700 meters (Monte Cinto is officially 2706m) is closer to 8900 feet.
More important, Corsica is not part of Italy! The native language (spoken by 60% of inhabitants - the official language is French) is similar to Italian, but then so are Catalan, Romanche, and Castilian. Corsica has been part of France since 1768 [in theory, that's when Genoa ceded it; in practice French occupation required a war that lasted into 1769, since Corsica had been effectively independent from Genoa since 1735 if not 1730]. Napoleon Bonaparte (orig. "Buonaparte") was born there in 1769.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the island became Vandal territory, then Byzantine, then Lombard. Charlemagne, in his capacity as King of the Lombards, ceded it to the Papacy in 775(?), who gave it to the Bishop of Pisa in 1077. However, a division of the bishopric in 1133 began a long campaign which eventually resulted in the Genoans supplanting the Pisans by 1284.
(One of many legends about Cristopher Columbus says he was born in Corsica, during the period when the island was claimed by Genoa.)
I'm skipping over Sampiero Corso's invasion/revolt of 1553 and his attempt to repeat it in 1564, and several French "interventions" in the 18th century...
Corsica today is considered part of the French "Metropole", not even an "overseas region". Its two "departements" constitute a "territorial collectivity" with marginally more autonomy than other French "regions", but for all intents and purposes Corsica functions as part of mainland France. Recent years have seen gestures in favor of Corsican language (for example, bilingual road signs), but you see those in mainland regions like Brittany too. Quite a few Corsicans today aren't happy with French rule (you see lots of those road signs with the French names erased, and there have been some bombings over the years), but they seek independence or autonomy, not unification with Italy.
The GR20 trail runs across much of the island, a friend of mine did two sections of it in separate multi-day trips, and reported several 1000m days. His GPS tracks don't show any 5000ft+ single-peak routes but you could easily get that much gain by doing multiple peaks in a day. And judging from his pictures, it's a spectacular place for hiking.
More important, Corsica is not part of Italy! The native language (spoken by 60% of inhabitants - the official language is French) is similar to Italian, but then so are Catalan, Romanche, and Castilian. Corsica has been part of France since 1768 [in theory, that's when Genoa ceded it; in practice French occupation required a war that lasted into 1769, since Corsica had been effectively independent from Genoa since 1735 if not 1730]. Napoleon Bonaparte (orig. "Buonaparte") was born there in 1769.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the island became Vandal territory, then Byzantine, then Lombard. Charlemagne, in his capacity as King of the Lombards, ceded it to the Papacy in 775(?), who gave it to the Bishop of Pisa in 1077. However, a division of the bishopric in 1133 began a long campaign which eventually resulted in the Genoans supplanting the Pisans by 1284.
(One of many legends about Cristopher Columbus says he was born in Corsica, during the period when the island was claimed by Genoa.)
I'm skipping over Sampiero Corso's invasion/revolt of 1553 and his attempt to repeat it in 1564, and several French "interventions" in the 18th century...
Corsica today is considered part of the French "Metropole", not even an "overseas region". Its two "departements" constitute a "territorial collectivity" with marginally more autonomy than other French "regions", but for all intents and purposes Corsica functions as part of mainland France. Recent years have seen gestures in favor of Corsican language (for example, bilingual road signs), but you see those in mainland regions like Brittany too. Quite a few Corsicans today aren't happy with French rule (you see lots of those road signs with the French names erased, and there have been some bombings over the years), but they seek independence or autonomy, not unification with Italy.
The GR20 trail runs across much of the island, a friend of mine did two sections of it in separate multi-day trips, and reported several 1000m days. His GPS tracks don't show any 5000ft+ single-peak routes but you could easily get that much gain by doing multiple peaks in a day. And judging from his pictures, it's a spectacular place for hiking.
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David Metsky
Well-known member
Merci, I spaced on France vs Italy. And I used to work with a fellow from Corsica, who made it very clear that while it was part of France, he wasn't French, he was Corsican. I must have been thinking of Sicily when I typed that. D'oh!
Still, it looks like a great place to hike.
-dave-
Still, it looks like a great place to hike.
-dave-
giggy
New member
jbren - pretty much - I think its like 12 miles r/t (maybe a bit more)
I think the bottom line is that the nothern pressies are the place to go for this type of stuff. coming in from the GG or rt 2.
have fun on your trips!
I think the bottom line is that the nothern pressies are the place to go for this type of stuff. coming in from the GG or rt 2.
have fun on your trips!
HH1
Member
Well, nitpicking even more, the trail with greatest, gross vertical in the Whites is the Davis Path (hmm...not 'Trail'), that, starting from rt 302 at 1,000' and ending at the Crawford path at 5,625', gains a remarkable 6,400' over 14.4 miles.
Throw in Washington by the Crawford and you collect 7K vertical on your day!
Throw in Washington by the Crawford and you collect 7K vertical on your day!
HH1
Member
Bah, I spoke too soon!
If we are talking gross vertical, both (and at least) the Kilkenny Ridge Tr. and the Mahoosuc Tr. easily exceed the Davis by several hundred feet.
As Dave says, for net rise the Great Gulf is it.
So sorry!
If we are talking gross vertical, both (and at least) the Kilkenny Ridge Tr. and the Mahoosuc Tr. easily exceed the Davis by several hundred feet.
As Dave says, for net rise the Great Gulf is it.
So sorry!
Kevin Rooney
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Assuming you live in South Hero, VT (based upon your avatar), you don't need to go all the the way to the Whites for a 4K day. Take the Bamforth Ridge trail up Camels Hump - very close to 4K gain, and about 14 miles RT.jrbren said:
The trailhead is near the Onion River (Winooski) at about 110' in elevation. Plus it's a great hike, lots of exposed views as you work up the ridge, and even a few tricky spots to test your footwork. Only negative is road noise from I89 as you work your way up the first couple of miles.
Raymond
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What is the altitude gain of the Appalachian Trail? (The White Mountain segment.)
Anyway, it seems to me that climbing Garfield, Galehead, and South Twin gave me more than 5000 feet in one day.
Anyway, it seems to me that climbing Garfield, Galehead, and South Twin gave me more than 5000 feet in one day.
Many thanks to you all for your input - I'll pass this along to my friend, who may decide to include the Whites, as opposed to the Catskills, in her regular hiking itineraries, once she returns from the Mediterranean! Assuming she does not take liquids on the plane, as per this AM's news.
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