Hiking Though the Whites in Late October?

[Driver8]

It's your life and your hike, but I would consider the SOBO from Gorham, with the following internal flip-flop: start in Hanover, which gives you an easily reached start town and some relatively easy trail to warm up on the first few days, addressing your concern about a cold start, then continue on to Gorham. Hitch a ride of some sort back to Hanover - there's lots of resources available for such a ride, just look around here. Work south from there - after the Whites, the rest will be cake. I'd suggest that, one you get to Glencliff, slacking from Kinsman Notch back to Hikers Welcome hostel might make sense rather than descending Beaver Brook Trail, but that's your call. (Lots of thrus do that, so you could probably share that ride with some late-season thrus and split the cost.)

Chet's Place is a friendly and helpful hostel in Lincoln - I recommend from many stays there.

Anyhow, do what you like, just understand that an October traverse of the A.T. in the Whites is a big one to bite off and try to chew. The Whites are HARD. Hard in mid-summer. Much harder than most all of the trail south of them, though there are spots which briefly approximate some elements of the difficulty they present, though few that capture them all, from everything I read and and hear and from my somewhat limited experience - I haven't hit much of New York yet, nothing south of it on the A.T. But I trust when a lot of smart and experienced hikers here tell me and I read their accounts that the trail south of New England is much smoother than what you see in New Hampshire and much of Maine. All that glacial scouring over rock. Vermont Long Trail north of the A.T. split at Route 4 will present similar challenges and issues to the Whites, by the way, from everything I hear and, so that's not an "easy" alternative.

Again, your life, your hike, your money, etc., but in your shoes, I'd be strongly inclined to spend a day or two of travel and a couple hundred bucks to ensure a much more agreeable, enjoyable hike, most likely - there are few if any guarantees backpacking in the White Mountains.

[Driver8]

PS: "The rest will be cake" is somewhat of an overstatement. I hear that Hanover to the Inn at Long Trail is a roller-coaster and a pretty good workout. But after completing the Presi's, the Kinsmen, the Garfield Ridge Trail, the Wildcat-Carter-Moriah traverse, you will be amply well broken in for VT and points south.

[Tron-Life]

I guess there are no easy answers for this one but knowing what to expect (within a reasonable range of course) is more than half the battle. I wish I could leave now but that's not an option. The LT is looking like a more attractive option but the conditions up there can be pretty hairy that time of year too. The last session of camp ends on 8/21 so I might have enough time if I plan for 15 miles a day rather than my intended 10. I'll see.

I'm still interested in hearing peoples experiences in the Whites after mid October, so please share!

[Tron-Life]

It's your life and your hike, but I would consider the SOBO from Gorham, with the following internal flip-flop: start in Hanover, which gives you an easily reached start town and some relatively easy trail to warm up on the first few days, addressing your concern about a cold start, then continue on to Gorham. Hitch a ride of some sort back to Hanover - there's lots of resources available for such a ride, just look around here. Work south from there - after the Whites, the rest will be cake. I'd suggest that, one you get to Glencliff, slacking from Kinsman Notch back to Hikers Welcome hostel might make sense rather than descending Beaver Brook Trail, but that's your call. (Lots of thrus do that, so you could probably share that ride with some late-season thrus and split the cost.)


Chet's Place is a friendly and helpful hostel in Lincoln - I recommend from many stays there.

Anyhow, do what you like, just understand that an October traverse of the A.T. in the Whites is a big one to bite off and try to chew. The Whites are HARD. Hard in mid-summer. Much harder than most all of the trail south of them, though there are spots which briefly approximate some elements of the difficulty they present, though few that capture them all, from everything I read and and hear and from my somewhat limited experience - I haven't hit much of New York yet, nothing south of it on the A.T. But I trust when a lot of smart and experienced hikers here tell me and I read their accounts that the trail south of New England is much smoother than what you see in New Hampshire and much of Maine. All that glacial scouring over rock. Vermont Long Trail north of the A.T. split at Route 4 will present similar challenges and issues to the Whites, by the way, from everything I hear and, so that's not an "easy" alternative.

Again, your life, your hike, your money, etc., but in your shoes, I'd be strongly inclined to spend a day or two of travel and a couple hundred bucks to ensure a much more agreeable, enjoyable hike, most likely - there are few if any guarantees backpacking in the White Mountains.

Excellent advice; you give me alot to think about.

[Another Kevin]

If you have the Adirondack experience you claim, you know what real mountains in the Northeast are like. In the Whites, you spend a lot more time above timberline. Even Marcy has just that little field at the summit, while the Presidential Range has miles of the stuff. That's a special hazard, since you can't always get to the safety of vegetation to give you a windbreak.

For the most part, people don't plan a traverse of the ADK Great Range after mid - October either, so now I'm a little surprised at the question.

[maptester]

From a shelter journal south of the Whites: Photo-0206.jpg

[Tron-Life]

If you have the Adirondack experience you claim, you know what real mountains in the Northeast are like. In the Whites, you spend a lot more time above timberline. Even Marcy has just that little field at the summit, while the Presidential Range has miles of the stuff. That's a special hazard, since you can't always get to the safety of vegetation to give you a windbreak.

For the most part, people don't plan a traverse of the ADK Great Range after mid - October either, so now I'm a little surprised at the question.

Yeah, I'm just grasping at straws here desperately trying to get my plan to work but it doesn't look like it will. I just need to accept that

I like Drivers advice of starting in Hanover and go through the Whites early September and then head back and SOBO to Delwater Gap. Aside from being initially harder, the difference between NOBO and SOBO is mainly psychological in that Mt Washington is a much more compelling goal then Delwater Gap. It's like seeing the ending of a movie first then watching it from the beginning knowing what will happen the whole time. I'm being overly dramatic but goals matter. In the end though, every day on the trail is a good day and a blessing, so I'm sure my love of being out there will overshadow any other considerations. It just would have been such an awesome trip! the Jersey section is a PERFECT place to start hiking and build up difficultly gradually, but it's that or hold off and do a long hike or thru another year, but I see myself being more busy in the future, not less.

[Driver8]

Yeah, I'm just grasping at straws here desperately trying to get my plan to work but it doesn't look like it will. I just need to accept that

I like Drivers advice of starting in Hanover and go through the Whites early September and then head back and SOBO to Delwater Gap. Aside from being initially harder, the difference between NOBO and SOBO is mainly psychological in that Mt Washington is a much more compelling goal then Delwater Gap. It's like seeing the ending of a movie first then watching it from the beginning knowing what will happen the whole time. I'm being overly dramatic but goals matter. In the end though, every day on the trail is a good day and a blessing, so I'm sure my love of being out there will overshadow any other considerations. It just would have been such an awesome trip! the Jersey section is a PERFECT place to start hiking and build up difficultly gradually, but it's that or hold off and do a long hike or thru another year, but I see myself being more busy in the future, not less.

Another way to look at it is that you're doing the Whites, which are awesome. And VT, what I've seen of it, is beautiful. Greylock's great, as are the southern Taconic straddling the CT/MA border, as is the Housy valley. And you'll be hiking into fall. You're setting out to hike about 500 miles of the AT. Awesome venture in my book.

Personally, I'm very motivated by big mountains and big views. You'll note, from my signature, I've summitted over 30% of the White 4Ks and have completed only 4% of the A.T., even though a good 400 miles of the A.T. is closer to me than the Whites and even though, for the most part, that part of the A.T. is, so I gather, quite a bit easier. I get your dilemma. But, for me at least, the green tunnel is gorgeous, too - love deep green moss and ferns and other flora, running brooks, the sounds of bird calls and other animals. I dunno, but seems to me like you're undertaking an awesome adventure. A lot to get excited about.

Plus, when you're out busting your hump on trail, each town you come into will be cause for rejoicing, I'd imagine. That will be a boost, as well. Maybe these thoughts will be useful to you. Hope so.

[Driver8]

PS, you'll be hiking home. I bet you a nickel that, after a while out on trail, fun as it will be, getting to home will become a big motivator.

[Tron-Life]

Another way to look at it is that you're doing the Whites, which are awesome. And VT, what I've seen of it, is beautiful. Greylock's great, as are the southern Taconic straddling the CT/MA border, as is the Housy valley. And you'll be hiking into fall. You're setting out to hike about 500 miles of the AT. Awesome venture in my book.

Personally, I'm very motivated by big mountains and big views. You'll note, from my signature, I've summitted over 30% of the White 4Ks and have completed only 4% of the A.T., even though a good 400 miles of the A.T. is closer to me than the Whites and even though, for the most part, that part of the A.T. is, so I gather, quite a bit easier. I get your dilemma. But, for me at least, the green tunnel is gorgeous, too - love deep green moss and ferns and other flora, running brooks, the sounds of bird calls and other animals. I dunno, but seems to me like you're undertaking an awesome adventure. A lot to get excited about.

Plus, when you're out busting your hump on trail, each town you come into will be cause for rejoicing, I'd imagine. That will be a boost, as well. Maybe these thoughts will be useful to you. Hope so.

Your advice and comments have been very useful and inspirational. I'm actually alot more relaxed because I don't have that feeling of dread and uncertainty over making it to NH on time. I mean I could conceivably hike it though in October, but it would probably be so agonizing and difficult that it wouldn't be fun. I was reading trip reports and NH and the Whites are probably going to be really challenging weather wise even at the end of September so it's all for the best. This change of plans will however require me to be really fit by the time I get there which will be difficult because I'm resting my foot and not walking or biking. I need to start swimming, but round here that's difficult to do.

Anyway, thanks all for the good advice,
See you on the trail!

[Driver8]

Your advice and comments have been very useful and inspirational. I'm actually alot more relaxed because I don't have that feeling of dread and uncertainty over making it to NH on time. I mean I could conceivably hike it though in October, but it would probably be so agonizing and difficult that it wouldn't be fun. I was reading trip reports and NH and the Whites are probably going to be really challenging weather wise even at the end of September so it's all for the best. This change of plans will however require me to be really fit by the time I get there which will be difficult because I'm resting my foot and not walking or biking. I need to start swimming, but round here that's difficult to do.

Anyway, thanks all for the good advice,
See you on the trail!

Happy that you find my input useful, Tron. Of course there's no need to rush through the Whites. Your pace likely will be much greater heading south through VT and beyond. If NH wants to take you a day or two longer, probably a good idea to let it. I've learned from my time in the Whites to listen to what the mountains are telling you.

July 4th weekend I was all fired up to bag two 4Ks (Kinsmen) or three (Willey Range) in a day. Hurricane Arthur turned further west, and had a much bigger impact on the weather. Ended up doing Zealand, one peak only, but it was an awesome post-rain storm hike with waterfalls, streams, ponds and wetlands galore. The mountains knew better, I listened, and it worked out great. One of many things I've learned out in trail.

[md1486]

What about a 1 or 2 days hike in the Whites in the weekend of october 10-11-12 ? Should it be attempted if I have no specific winter gears (except clothing) ? I could check the weather before hiking, but I have more than 4h30 of driving to go in the Whites, so I cannot really assess the weather right in the morning before hiking.

[peakbagger]

Folks do hike in the whites in mid October but shorter days and longer nights mean that your nights will be cold. Generally weather forecasting is pretty good a couple of days out so as long as you are willing to decide the night before that the forecast is not good enough to go that you have a chance. The nice thing with the whites is that there is always a bail out point to a road within 3 hours. Just be careful about AMC huts, some will be closed. Its a heck of a lot better time of year to day hike. The only possible piece of specialized gear would be microspikes but most folks wouldn't be carrying them this early