Planning a week-long AT hike from Pinkham Notch to Franconia Notch

[4eyedbuzzard]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone!

We've decided we're going to hike NOBO (second option) but due to the driving logistics of getting to Pinkham Notch Visitor Center so early, we're going to play it safe and opt for the later shuttle that leaves @ 10:40AM and gets to Liberty Spring at Whitehouse Trailhead @ 2:55PM... kinda late start on the first day, but we shouldn't have a problem making the 2.7 miles to Liberty Spring Campsite before hiker midnight.

One additional question - If the AMC campsites are full, are there "overflow" areas or do hikers just walk down the trail a little ways and find a (legal) spot to throw down some tents?

Liberty Springs is not a big site - 7 single and 3 double tent platforms. It is built on the side of the mountain and the general terrain is quite steep, treed, and rocky, with very few places one could realistically pitch a tent. The good news is you're hiking in on a Sunday afternoon when the weekenders should be gone, but the bad news is getting there so late in the day with very few options. In my experience, the caretaker will double up smaller tents on the single platforms to fit people in, but even if they fit you in your group may get separated. I've seen evidence of a few "stealth" sites (obviously not all that stealthy) further up the trail near the ridge (see this thread as well http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-in-the-Whites ), but I wouldn't suggest nor rely on them as I haven't been up there since Oct. 2012 myself.

[peakbagger]

There is evidence of folks heading off into the woods just before the Restricted Use Area Sign on Liberty Springs trail. The ground is not level and the woods are somewhat dense but expect folks do it. The caretaker can not tell you to head back to the road, but he can tell you to head 1/4 of a mile away. Here are the rules http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5363715.pdf. Folks used to keep going up hill to the ridgeline to the Franconia Ridge Trail (stlll the AT) and camp next to the trail but those spots were signed for the last two years as no camping by the FS. Do note that the Franconia Ridge Trail is not on the list of the 200 foot rule so you can camp anywhere. Unfortunately the terrain and dense spruce/fir makes it difficult. If you go straight into the woods at the junction of Liberty Spring trail and the Franconia Ridge trail trail or bear right a bit into the woods there were flat spots but technically they may be within 1/4 of a mile of the campsite so I wouldn't count on them (although in the past the caretakers have occasionally managed this area as overflow).

If you are on Liberty Springs Trail, then you need to camp 200 feet off the trail and 1/4 of a mile away from the campsite. There is a sign on both sides of Liberty Springs campground on the trail so you are quite certain on the boundary. Personally In my opinion, there are some nice open hardwoods down lower on the trail between the Flume trail junction and the next major steam crossing. Just head to your right or left 200 feet and pick a spot under the hardwoods. The ground will be far softer and sleeping in the hardwoods is nice experience that you will not have for much of your trip. Once you cross the stream, the ground is steeper and the softwoods rapidly take over

[rickb]

Liberty Springs is not a big site - 7 single and 3 double tent platforms. It is built on the side of the mountain and the general terrain is quite steep, treed, and rocky, with very few places one could realistically pitch a tent. The good news is you're hiking in on a Sunday afternoon when the weekenders should be gone, but the bad news is getting there so late in the day with very few options. In my experience, the caretaker will double up smaller tents on the single platforms to fit people in, but even if they fit you in your group may get separated. I've seen evidence of a few "stealth" sites (obviously not all that stealthy) further up the trail near the ridge (see this thread as well http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-in-the-Whites ), but I wouldn't suggest nor rely on them as I haven't been up there since Oct. 2012 myself.

+1

The caretakers work very hard to find solutions. If the ones at Liberty Springs have ever sent late arriving NOBOs back down to the road, I'd sure like to here the details!

Peakbagger? IF anyone can tell us he can.

I was curious about how others "real life" experiences, and started a poll to learn more. I wasn't surprised, but wish more had participated. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between a caretaker telling a couple strong young guys that the site is full when they arrive at 1pm, and telling a couple that the overflow area is an urban myth when they arrive at sunset in the biting rain.

Anyway, here is a link to my poll:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...psite-was-full

[peakbagger]

I tend to do long day hikes and its been 20 plus years since I have stayed at an AMC campsite. I do go through and by them frequently and generally take note of unexpected potential camping areas and unexpected spots where the WMNF violates their own policies.

My observations over the years are the caretakers are paid to try to manage the impact on popular areas, they are given a lot of latitude to try to deal with the crowds. They are not deputized by the WMNF and unable to write a ticket. They do have a radio and if they ask for help from the WMNF to deal with rule breakers they most likely will get it. That said if someone goes in with a attitude they may get one back. When I first started hiking Liberty Spring was pretty well trashed for quite a distance from the current campsite. There were paths crisscrossing the woods and the trees were still stripped. When I walk by it these days, many of the paths have grown back in and the trees are somewhat grown back in.

[Scrum]

Slo-go'en's response is on the mark. I just add, to avoid confusion, that some of the camp sites do have areas that the caretakers refer to as "overflow". They are less favored spots on the ground rather than on a platform that can be used when all other options are used. The spots are still in the camp site area. I am thinking of a couple of spots I saw put to use at Kinsman Pund last summer. I don't recall such spots at Liberty Spring. The caretakers do an amazing job squeezing multiple tents onto the platforms and getting as many people in as possible. Still, if it were me, I would take a private shuttle from Pinkham to get on the trail a few hours earlier.

Let us us know how it goes.