Using free standing tent in the Whites

[scrabbler]

First world problems. Good luck.

[garlic08]

First world problems. Good luck.

Hah! That pretty much describes every question on this forum.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Hah! That pretty much describes every question on this forum.

Given that we live in the first world, I don't see the issue.

[egilbe]

Also Osgood tentsite

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[garlic08]

Given that we live in the first world, I don't see the issue.

I will be using that line. Good comeback.

[Bansko]

Many places in the Whites do not allow stealth camping and it's actual a violation of 16 USC 551.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5363715.pdf

A violation of 16 USC 551, you don't say? I suppose I should retroactively make a citiizen's arrest of myself. Multiple counts.

[Slo-go'en]

A violation of 16 USC 551, you don't say? I suppose I should retroactively make a citiizen's arrest of myself. Multiple counts.

I take it your okay with tourists visiting your island who feel that local regulations and rules don't apply to them either?

[rickb]

A violation of 16 USC 551, you don't say? I suppose I should retroactively make a citiizen's arrest of myself. Multiple counts.

Are you sure you were camping illegally all those times?

[Bansko]

I take it your okay with tourists visiting your island who feel that local regulations and rules don't apply to them either?

I'm just here for a few years, but I can assure you that I obey the local laws far better than the locals do.

[Bansko]

I may have once or twice, but I always tried to keep things subtle and far off trail, even if I had to keep hiking with my headlamp on for hours on end.

[williamgymnst]

As there is pretty clearly some debate on the issue of stealth camping in the Whites, does anyone have any good suggestions of sites, established or stealth, between Adams and Eisenhower? Preferably around either Jefferson or Monroe. The huts are also a little pricey for me, so trying to avoid a night in Lake of the Clouds

[Slo-go'en]

As there is pretty clearly some debate on the issue of stealth camping in the Whites, does anyone have any good suggestions of sites, established or stealth, between Adams and Eisenhower? Preferably around either Jefferson or Monroe. The huts are also a little pricey for me, so trying to avoid a night in Lake of the Clouds

Sorry no, that is all above tree line and strictly forbidden. Going off trail onto the tundra to camp compresses the very thin soil and kills the rare and endangered plants that struggle to live up there. PLEASE follow the law and DO NOT ILLEGALLY CAMP ABOVE TREE LINE!!!!!!! There is also an issue with exposure. Should a thunderstorm like we had last night hit you while up there, you would likely die.

If you can afford to travel to NH to hike the Whites, you can afford to spend a night a lake of the clouds. There is no other option other then to hike the whole ridge line at least to one of the RMC camps (which also cost money, but a lot less expensive then the AMC huts).

Someone will likely say you can drop a couple 1000 feet off the side the mountain and camp along one of the side trails, but that really is not a practical option.

[Deacon]

Not sure this will help, but I noticed during my recent section, that there are many good stealth spots just below treeline. I don't remember on which Mountains, but they're there.

There's no water near them though, so you would need water.

[williamgymnst]

Thanks for the insight. I wasn't planning on camping above the treeline. I do appreciate your thoughts on the hut. I'm still in the mode of collecting options. Even options 1000ish feet down-ridge. I've heard of possibilities off of Six Husbands, Sphinx, or on the high side of Great Gulf. Does anyone have any experience in this area. Is it worth it to loss the elevation?

[peakbagger]

As there is pretty clearly some debate on the issue of stealth camping in the Whites, does anyone have any good suggestions of sites, established or stealth, between Adams and Eisenhower? Preferably around either Jefferson or Monroe. The huts are also a little pricey for me, so trying to avoid a night in Lake of the Clouds

Standard legal sites (they aren't stealth as they are legal) are pretty limited to the Jewell Trail site (not on any map) which is about 1000 feet down off the trail and one mile walking. It has one wide spot off the trail and a lot of sort of flat spots under the softwood canopy. Not very good for hammocking as the trees aren't tall enough. In bad weather it is in very exposed location despite tree cover, I would not want to be there on a stormy night with lightning. Its a popular spot for dayhikers to use for a toilet so watch your step! There is usually water crossing the trail before treeline or if you are worried there is a spring on the Gulfside trail (the AT) just south of the north end of the Mt Clay loop. This is the normal legal alternative to LOC. The other legal site is on Edmunds Path just north of Eisenhower. It too is about 1000 feet elevation and 1 mile off the AT. It too is not marked on a map Look for a small rock wall crossing the trail and look into the woods on your left. There are no readily accessible legal stealth campsites. There no legal stealth sites that I am aware of on the east side of the ridge from Mt Clinton to where you head back below treeline on the Osgood trail. There is space for two small tents at best just below treeline on the Osgood trail. This spot is completely dry and the closest water is way back at Madison Hut. Many folks do stealth on the Sphinx trail. There are several spots but they are all above treeline. Once below tree line there is nothing legal When bad weather comes through this spot can be ground zero. The Ammonusuc Ravine trail has no good spots unless you way down almost to the base of the mountain and its a no camping area anyhow. There is nothing safe or legal near Jefferson. In all cases you loose a lot of elevation. The RMC Perch campsite is off the side of Adams, its $10 a night.

Every thruhiker is different but many Northbounders campout in the woods between the summit of Clinton and Eisenhower. The woods are thick but there are open ledge sections that may be hard but somewhat flat and there is water source near where the trail heads up out of the woods (treat it as it has a lot of hiker traffic). They then go north to the Jewell Trail site or stretch to RMC perch. Next day head over and down to Osgood tentsite

[Slo-go'en]

Keep in mind that the sites Peakbagger mentions are not very big and there is a good chance someone else will beat you to the site during the busy season (June through October) and if you get there and there is no more room, your basically screwed.

[Slo-go'en]

There is a another way to break up the Presidential traverse by using the Auto Road hiker shuttle. For $20 at 9 AM, you can get a ride to the top of Mt Washington. From there you can hike north over to one of the RMC camps for one night, then down to the Osgood tent site or back to Pinkham notch. Then take the shuttle back up to Washington and hike south out to Crawford Notch, then take the AMC shuttle back to Pinkham.

[peakbagger]

I have checked out the Jewel and Edmunds locations, they will hold quite lot of folks but not particularly comfortably, they are just somewhat flat areas under tree canopy without a lot of understory. The one on the Osgood below treeline is at best 12 by 12 with no room to expand. The Perch caretaker always seems to deal with the "no room at the inn" issue (I have no idea how). The good spots between Eisenhower and Pierce seem to fill up quick and then folks squeeze in where they can, or just wait until late and camp up above the official treeline on the ledges. As long as its below treeline a hiker can legally camp literally in the middle of the trail unless it specifically prohibited.

[Slo-go'en]

The Perch caretaker always seems to deal with the "no room at the inn" issue (I have no idea how).

There are a couple of options. They can hike over to Gray Knob which is last to fill up, or they can go over to the Log Cabin. Both are about 1.5 miles away, but Gray Knob is better, as your still near tree line. It's a long, steep climb back to the AT from the Log Cabin.

BTW, the tent platforms at the Perch will be out of commission for a few days to a week sometime in Sept while we rebuild them. I'm on the crew doing the work.

[saltysack]

There are a couple of options. They can hike over to Gray Knob which is last to fill up, or they can go over to the Log Cabin. Both are about 1.5 miles away, but Gray Knob is better, as your still near tree line. It's a long, steep climb back to the AT from the Log Cabin.

BTW, the tent platforms at the Perch will be out of commission for a few days to a week sometime in Sept while we rebuild them. I'm on the crew doing the work.

Have y'all thought about installing attachment points so folks don't screw there own it platforms? Maybe a few small ones bolted down so they don't grow legs? Just a thought...


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