Winter 5 day hike in Whites or Daks

[Jacko]

I would like to plan a 5 day hut to hut or similar this March with skiis or snowshoes but am having a hard time finding a suitable route. The only open huts I know in the Whites appear to be too far distant and the Daks would require carrying tents. Any ideas?


Jacko

 

[Kevin Rooney]

The Randolph Mountain Club has a couple of cabins on the shoulder of Mt Adams, and the AMC has a couple of self service huts at Lonesome Lake and Carter Notch (mostly the AMC huts don't open for a few more months). None of these would lend themselves to a hut-to-hut adventure in March however, unless you're an incredibly fast skiier. And the pickins' are even slimmer in the ADKs.

Good luck - unless tents are in your future you may have a tough time pulling this one off in March.

 

[UNFROZENCAVEMAN]

How strong are ya? I mean, how many miles/how much vertical would you be looking to cover in a day? Kevin is right, 5 day hut to hut would be virtually impossible, if you slap in a hostel or two and maybe a lodge you might be able to pull it off. This would also be assuming that you don't have to do a round trip.

 

[David Metsky]

Hut-to-hut skiing in the Whites doesn't really happen. There simply isn't a hut or trail network that supports that type of trip. Probably the best type of trip would be a base camp at Zealand Falls Hut where you could do some daytrips out to parts of the Pemi.

Snowshoeing gives you a few more options, but there still isn't really a network of huts or winterized cabins that would support this type of trip. No matter what, you'd probably want to carry some sort of tent/tarp/bivy for emergency use if you enountered bad weather, difficult conditions, or equipment failure.

The RMC huts (Gray Knob and Crag Camp), the AMC huts (Carter, Zealand, and Lonesome), and the two USFS cabins (Black Mountain and Doublehead), plus Jim Libery Cabin are the only enclosed places I can think of. You might be able to string something together for a few nights.

-dave-

 

[Chip]

If you haven't done the Adirondaks a classic is to schlep a huge pack into the Marcy Dam lean-to's and use them as a base for the surrounding peaks.

 

[skiguy]

If you haven't done the Adirondaks a classic is to schlep a huge pack into the Marcy Dam lean-to's and use them as a base for the surrounding peaks.

This is a great trip with many possibilities. The Daks IMO are much more suited for ski touring for multiday efforts within a given region. The Whites have many great tours but it is much harder to string multiple days together;especially five. As Chip has mentioned Marcy Dam serves as a great BaseCamp and will also free you up of a heavy pack so you can enjoy all the awesome skiing that eminates from that area. March is a great time to be there too for slippin' and slidin'.Marcy Dam is also easy to get to with a huge pack and a sled therfore you can be quite decadent with your gear and food

 

[DougPaul]

The RMC huts (Gray Knob and Crag Camp), the AMC huts (Carter, Zealand, and Lonesome), and the two USFS cabins (Black Mountain and Doublehead), plus Jim Libery Cabin are the only enclosed places I can think of. You might be able to string something together for a few nights.

Add the cabin on Cabot to the list. However, its not a good location for a basecamp.

Doug

 

[roadtripper]

catamount trail

You mentioned "skiing" as an option, so this may be of interest to you if you haven't already considered it...

http://www.catamounttrail.org/

I don't know much about this 300-mile long trail, but I know that people often ski inn-to-inn along some of the sections. There may be huts along this route as well, but I'm not sure.

- Greg

 

[percious]

I would suggest basing your trip in the Dix Range Area for a couple of reasons.

First off, the ski in from Elk Lodge (clear pond) is both long and relatively flat.

Dix range offers the ability to make a fire, thus giving you the ability to dry out clothing.

Dix range is less-oft visited, so if you are seeking some seclusion this is a better bet then say, Marcy Dam.

Lastly, 5 peaks in a relatively small area. Do you like to bushwhack a bit? Slide climbs?

Possible Itinerary:
Day1: Ski In to Slide Brook Leanto.
Day2: Macomb +South/East Dix, return over Macomb Ski the slide?
Day3: Rest, Eat, Be Merry. ski elk lake? possibly move camp to Dix pond.
Day4: Dix/Hough, possibly Ski the slides on Dix.
Day5: Ski Out

Other Options: Do you have two cars? Spot a car at Upper Works, and ski from the Loj over to UW passing through Avalanche pass. Leantos abound in the area and you should not need a tent. (A tarp may be handy) Hit peaks Phelps->Marshall on the way.

Enjoy!

If I had five days, I'd be heading up to Baxter, just my $.02.

-percious

 

[Jacko]

Thanks for all your great ideas. you have all confirmed that it is a dodgy proposition to plan such a venture in the Whites - if you start to need a lot of heavy emergency gear over long routes you need plenty of time in reserve.

I like the Dix and Marcy Dam ideas allthough I have pretty much done all the routes before but I can see a week doing Trap Dyke, Wright slide and other classics - and one can get plenty of gear to the lean to - even dash out for supplies.

I also have not done the Dix slides and I wonder if they are a feasible ski? Pondering this I though of a stay at Orebed with trips up Marcy, Saddleback and even Gothics N.Face a heavy hike in but hmmm!

Unfortunately this is all not quite the idea of a hut to hut so I will check out the Northern part of the Catamount trail too.

Once again thanks for the valuable input I am now back on the scent.

 

[Billy V]

Jacko,

You might try looking into the Northville-Lake Placid trail in the Adirondacks. I have hiked some of it and there are leanto's along the way but no lodges. It is a very interesting trail that is 133 miles long. It traverses many roads so you can pick up the trail in quite a few places. The ADK has a book devoted just to this trail.

Good luck on your trip.

Billy V