Whites vs. Adirondacks

[rup]

Clearly, the ADKS have much longer access hikes. You may be walking for 'days' (poetic lic) just to get to the base of the peak in the ADKs, but the Whites, on avg, are a blast up, and back, from the car.

 

[mirabela]

I think a lot depends on what time of year you're talking about. I have hiked 43 of the ADK 46 (and MacNaughton!) and about 30 of the NH 48, including summer, autumn, and winter ascents in both ranges. In general, I think there are more peaks in the ADK's that will really tire you out in normal summer conditions. On the other hand, weather is likely to be a limiting factor on a larger number of the White mountain peaks in winter. Trail quality is generally better in the Whites, which matters more in summer than in winter.

I consider myself blessed to live where I have reasonable access (2-3 hours) to both.

 

[Steve-o]

I enjoy them both.
I don't find one more difficult than the other.
Depends on too many things.

I don't want to categorize but, if you lump everything together,
I would say, they are about the same.

So, get out there and enjoy !

 

[PA Ridgerunner]

I consider myself blessed to live where I have reasonable access (2-3 hours) to both.

Yes, you certainly are!

 

[BlackSpruce]

As a 46-R correspondent I can report that climbers who have completed the Whites before adventuring in the Adirondacks expect, because of their past accomplishment, the ADK pursuit to be easier but in general find the trails (and trailheads) not as well maintained (or with as many facilities and signage) and overall muddier and conclude that the overall difficulty is quite similar.

 

[Neil]

This discussion is not original in any way, and has been beaten into the ground numerous times. There is no point in doing all this again, just read the link to last year's thread.

Yeah, but who cares what people were saying last year. This is the internet. We want to know what everyone else thinks right now, not even a week ago. Last year is like prior to the last ice age in internet attention spans.

The main difference between the 2 as far as I care is that it takes me an hour more to drive to the Whites.

 

[prino]

Yeah, but who cares what people were saying last year. This is the internet. We want to know what everyone else thinks right now, not even a week ago. Last year is like prior to the last ice age in internet attention spans.

The main difference between the 2 as far as I care is that it takes me an hour more to drive to the Whites.

So what's changed since last year?....

Neil 06/08

The Whites have way more above tree line hiking. Bar none.

The Dacks have more wild hiking (sauvage, en français).

The Whites have more people.

The Dacks have the 8 inch snowshoe law.

The Dacks have Pin-Pin.

The Whites are in New Hampshire, the Dacks are in New York. just thought I'd mention that.

The Whites have the Presi Traverse.

The Dacks are harder than the Whites.

The Whites are easier than the Dacks.

The Dacks are great.

The Whites are great.

Both the Whites and the Dacks share the fir wave pnenomenon with ...Japan.

and it still takes an hour longer to drive to the whites!

 

[Neil]

So what's changed since last year?....

The Whites are much different now that I've done a Presi traverse.

 

[king tut]

I think there are two differences.

Beer and blood-letting trees and scrub.

The Dak's have more "trail-less" peaks than the Whites. They also have the Saranac Brewery, I believe, right on Lake Placid and they distribute Yuengling beer in New York also. Two reasons why I love to go to New York. After I am done hiking a "trail-less" peak, i love to go drink beer. I find that losing mass quantities of blood on the "trail", makes the beer taste better and the buzz kick in sooner.

I have to say though that I do like the Dak's a little better since they have awesome looking slides on the mountains, and it is a pretty generally chill scene over there. The only down side is the threat of being eaten by a bear. Hence, i skip the overnight backpacking.

 

[DougPaul]

I have to say though that I do like the Dak's a little better since they have awesome looking slides on the mountains, and it is a pretty generally chill scene over there. The only down side is the threat of being eaten by a bear. Hence, i skip the overnight backpacking.

There are also (black) bears in the Whites. They just don't seem to be as skilled and aggressive as the Dak bears at getting camper's food.

Doug

 

[eddie]

The ADKs are great and so are the Whites. Enjoy them both, they have similarities but are also unique in their own ways.