giggy
New member
First off - sorry no pix - didn't take a camera.
This was a trail I wanted to do for a long time - but plans kept getting put off due to weather, etc... Weather was forecasted to be awesome for the weekend so it was a go. I wanted to do this as an overnighter as the drive home to mass would have been a pain after a 20 mile day.
Hiked into the bluff on friday night via headlamp. The great gulf trail is for the most part a level walk to bluff - book says there was about 900 feet of ele, but you really don't feel it. The bluff comes pretty quick and is a well groomed trail up to this point.
We (scott and I - scott is vftt lurker but not on the site) set up camp had some hot chocolate and got bed about 11pm.
Had a hell of a sleep and woke up later than expected - about 7am. I wanted to be going by 7am - but after breakfast, etc.. - we hit the trail about 8am.
The great gulf trail is pretty easy/moderate grade and roughness. Its a pretty nice hike to the base of the six husbands. The six husbands starts to gain ele pretty quick and gets quite steep. You literally have to crawl under one of the boulders and some easy scrambling over others. Its quite fun. There are 2 sets of ladders (4 total - If i recall) that get you over really steep parts. There are a couple of "tricky" sections that you have to use your head an plan your move - but nothing with much exposure - so you don't have that open air feeling like on huntington. This is one fine trail though - the views get better and better as you get higher. Highly recomended. Descending this would a royal pain and I can't say I would want to do it. A large pack would also be a pain. I had a bigger day pack and the darn thing kept getting caught on trees, rocks, etc.. One time in a the place where the hardest move was.
Its quick though and before you know it - the grade moderates and your on jefferson cone and then the summit comes quite fast.
We hit the top of Jefferson and then took the gulfiside onto monticello lawn - always a nice place to be - when there are views are good. Went through sphinx col, over clay and then up the Washington Cone - this part is a great (and not to sterenous) hike when the weather is good and the views are abundant. (as sat was).
Hit the washington summit and it was the zoo we expected - but I don't mind it really. Did witness a macho exchange between a a loadmouth guy (who you know doesn't hike much) that came up tucks and he was bragging and such - which is ok - but he starting "small" talk with a couple of (how do I say this without getting trouble??) "very good looking woman" and was like - I climbed this - did you guys drive up??? and then one women says - no we came up huntington ravine - its too bad he hadn't a clue what that meant - But it was funny to me anyway.
Took the Great Gulf trail down and this is basically loose rock and scree and its not hard, but its steep and slow going. Good trail to go up I would think.
The trail bottoms out at the base of the gulf - and its a long (but nice) walk back to the Bluff passing the lake and a fair amount of tentsites. Its about 2:30 pm when we hit spaulding lake - now and scott and I are really looking forward to the 12 pack of beer I hauled up the prior night.
We get back, cook some food and chill out had a few beers and then crashed out about 7pm. Woke at 6am - packed up - hit the trail and was eating at pinkham notch by 8am. Saw 2 people the entire time after washington.
Great trip, perfect weather. Not many people in the great gulf this weekend at all though. Highly recommened loop.
This was a trail I wanted to do for a long time - but plans kept getting put off due to weather, etc... Weather was forecasted to be awesome for the weekend so it was a go. I wanted to do this as an overnighter as the drive home to mass would have been a pain after a 20 mile day.
Hiked into the bluff on friday night via headlamp. The great gulf trail is for the most part a level walk to bluff - book says there was about 900 feet of ele, but you really don't feel it. The bluff comes pretty quick and is a well groomed trail up to this point.
We (scott and I - scott is vftt lurker but not on the site) set up camp had some hot chocolate and got bed about 11pm.
Had a hell of a sleep and woke up later than expected - about 7am. I wanted to be going by 7am - but after breakfast, etc.. - we hit the trail about 8am.
The great gulf trail is pretty easy/moderate grade and roughness. Its a pretty nice hike to the base of the six husbands. The six husbands starts to gain ele pretty quick and gets quite steep. You literally have to crawl under one of the boulders and some easy scrambling over others. Its quite fun. There are 2 sets of ladders (4 total - If i recall) that get you over really steep parts. There are a couple of "tricky" sections that you have to use your head an plan your move - but nothing with much exposure - so you don't have that open air feeling like on huntington. This is one fine trail though - the views get better and better as you get higher. Highly recomended. Descending this would a royal pain and I can't say I would want to do it. A large pack would also be a pain. I had a bigger day pack and the darn thing kept getting caught on trees, rocks, etc.. One time in a the place where the hardest move was.
Its quick though and before you know it - the grade moderates and your on jefferson cone and then the summit comes quite fast.
We hit the top of Jefferson and then took the gulfiside onto monticello lawn - always a nice place to be - when there are views are good. Went through sphinx col, over clay and then up the Washington Cone - this part is a great (and not to sterenous) hike when the weather is good and the views are abundant. (as sat was).
Hit the washington summit and it was the zoo we expected - but I don't mind it really. Did witness a macho exchange between a a loadmouth guy (who you know doesn't hike much) that came up tucks and he was bragging and such - which is ok - but he starting "small" talk with a couple of (how do I say this without getting trouble??) "very good looking woman" and was like - I climbed this - did you guys drive up??? and then one women says - no we came up huntington ravine - its too bad he hadn't a clue what that meant - But it was funny to me anyway.
Took the Great Gulf trail down and this is basically loose rock and scree and its not hard, but its steep and slow going. Good trail to go up I would think.
The trail bottoms out at the base of the gulf - and its a long (but nice) walk back to the Bluff passing the lake and a fair amount of tentsites. Its about 2:30 pm when we hit spaulding lake - now and scott and I are really looking forward to the 12 pack of beer I hauled up the prior night.
We get back, cook some food and chill out had a few beers and then crashed out about 7pm. Woke at 6am - packed up - hit the trail and was eating at pinkham notch by 8am. Saw 2 people the entire time after washington.
Great trip, perfect weather. Not many people in the great gulf this weekend at all though. Highly recommened loop.
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