my New Hampshire Death marches for 2012

“Last year I got hooked on doing some butt kicking day hikes. Call it a midlife crisis, perhaps. Las year I built up to and finished with the Pemi Loop which Backpacker Magazine calls the second hardest day hike in America (it's not, but I like the hype). This year I want to finish with something harder, so I'm building up. If anyone wants to join me on one of the hikes in the future, please say so here or shoot me an email.

Here's what I've done or scheduled so far (I'm doing other hikes, but these are the butt kickers):

May 12: Wapack trail northbound with large group 21.4 mile about 5K elevation gain. Time: 12 hours

May 25: Wapack trail southbound with small group. Time 8 hours.

June 4 (if the weather forecast doesn't get any worse): Full Northbound Presidential Traverse (with longer start and finish trails), 24 miles, 10K elevation gain.

June 23: Southbound Pres traverse (Exact route not determined, but could be closer to 20 miles and 9K.

June 30: Pemi Loop - Backpacker magazine version (but counter clockwise) 31.5 miles 9K elevation gain.

July: Pemi Loop + side trips to nearby summits 36 miles 10.5K elevation gain.

"Dolly Copp Loop" - circuit including Northern Presidentials and the Carter/Wildcat Ridge: 34.5 miles, 14.5K elevation gain.

Here's the info on the trails:

Wapack: http://www.wapack.org/
Presi Traverse: http://home.earthlink.net/~ellozy/presidential-traverse.html
Pemi Loop: http://www.davidalbeck.com/hiking/pemiloop.html
http://www.backpacker.com/may_2005_feature_hardest_dayhikes/destinations/8485

"Dolly Copp Loop" - not done often but here is a report from someone who did it less time than we anticipate:
http://home.earthlink.net/~ellozy/presidentiahttp://dailey7779.blogspot.com/2011/07/mmd-2011.html”

“Cool. You should do some of these as overnighters.”

“I've done backpacking trips from 3 days to 13 days that included all the routes hikes I've listed for June and July. I've only done day hikes on the Wapack which has one private rental shelter, but no other overnight accommodations and no legal camping that I know of.

Actually, the Dolly Copp loop is an overnighter - its just stay one night - get up early and hike looping around and ending up back at the camp site.

Anyone who wants to backpack in the area, let me know. I will probably do a 3 day hike of the Grafton notch loop in July.”

“When are you doing the second pemi loop? (the peak bagging one).. Im scheduled to do that in August, but was hoping to do it some other time so I could schedule a NY-NJ-PA AT section hike in mid august...

You doing that in one day? The one in August in an overnighter at the Gailhead Hut.. I really would rater spend the money on something else...
'32oz”

“32oz: Right now that Pemi with the extra peaks is planned for one very long day - July 11. We might postpone it depending on the weather. Last year when we did the regular Pemi Loop we started out a little after 3AM. Galehead hut costs - but it is hard to find good spots midway.

For a multi-day loop there are some cheaper alternatives to Garfield Hut. Guyot shelter and Garfield Ridge campsites are both within a few tenths of a mile of the loop and charge a caretaker fee (8$ I think). When I did the NH AT, I found some great "stealth" sites on the opposite side of the trail from Garfield Pond. Pond was an unappealing source of water - water right on the trail at the junction with the spur trail to Garfield camp sites is much more appealing. For a two night loop, Liberty Springs would be another option with the smaller caretaker fee.”

“Please Keep me.posted... if you are doing it midweek I would love to.join you if you don't mind.... weekends are getting booked solid...”

“Are you doing to be in Baxter State park at all. I have a trip line up to bag 10 of the 14 Maine 4000fters and was hoping to get the 3 there as well...”

“As for Baxter -I don't thinks so - but plans for bigger trips are up in the air. I definitely want to get back to Baxter - and to the Maine Canada border. I'm about 12 away from finishing the New England 100 highest. Last summer on the trip you couldn't make, I hit all 11 Maine 4K peaks outside of Baxter.

I'll stay in touch. I'm totally uncertain about bigger trips because my mother is very ill and I'm the only kid who stayed local.”

“Sorry to hear about your mother. If e erything improves and you can get out let me know... I will be up in PA a lot this summer and can get up.there easily.”

“Things are going fairly much as planned, one Presi Traverse was cancelled but so far the big hikes have been:

May 12: Wapack trail northbound with large group 21.4 mile about 5K elevation gain. Time: 12 hours

May 25: Wapack trail southbound with just two other hikers. Time 8 hours.

June 4 Northbound Presi Traverse cancelled - bad weather.

June 11 - Owls head with my dog 18 miles.

June 17 - semi pemi loop up Gale River trail out over South Twin and the Bonds - 20 miles

June 24 - Full Presidential traverse - Valley through Webster Cliff Trail - 24 miles 10K+ elevation gain (8 official 4K peaks, + Clay, Franklin and Webster). Big hike, split into groups.

June 30: Pemi Loop - Backpacker magazine version (but counter clockwise) 31.5 miles 9K elevation gain. Great hike yesterday - feeling good, walked 3 miles with the dog today.

Still to do (open to additional hikers):

July 11: Pemi Loop + side trips to nearby summits 36.5 miles 10.5K elevation gain.

Late July - "Dolly Copp Loop" - circuit including Northern Presidentials and the Carter/Wildcat Ridge: 34.5 miles, 14.5K elevation gain.”

“Another hikers pics from the Presi Traverse 6/24:

http://albums.phanfare.com/slideshow.aspx?i=1&pw=TCMmaaqc&db=1&a_id=5643489&s_id=6418318&q=http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/TCMmaaqc/1/5643489”

“Thanks. Great pictures!

Wow! Eighteen miles in a day. And to think that I used to have some pity for you.”

“I Will be attempting the prezi traverse july 14... should be interesting...”

“Are you going southbound 32oz? Coming out Webster Cliff or another trail?

One thing to remember are that you have opportuities to get water and calories at 3 huts + the Observatory - so you can lighten your load a bit if you want. There is a full cafeteria at the Observatory (chili dogs seem to be a tradition for some traversers) and baked goods (cookies, cake) as well as hot chocolate, coffee, lemon drink and candy and energy bars are on sale at the huts.”

“Hey, good luck 32oz, you'll make it fine!”

“Great slideshow pedxing, very nice weather”