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Pinkham Notch to Gorham - How did you hike the 21 miles?

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    • Pinkham Notch to Gorham - How did you hike the 21 miles?

      Not quite a poll but I'm curious how folks here have hiked the 21 miles between Pinkham Notch and Route 2 outside of Gorham. Not everyone likes to stay in an AMC Hut, and the official campsites / shelters are not spaced well through this section (IMHO).

      1. Did you start at Pinkham Notch / Route 2 or further south / north?
      2. How many nights in this section?
      3. Where did you camp?
      4. Thru or Section Hiker - how strong were your legs?
      5. Any weather issues?
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • I spent the night at Pinkham Notch (where the staff graciously let me and 1 other thru sleep in empty bunks for no charge) and hiked to Gorham in 2 days, 1 night. After nearly 1,900 miles I was in decent shape. :)

      I don't know what time I left, but it probably wasn't early as I enjoy the occasional night not in a tent and having breakfast that I don't have to cook. My journal notes that it was a hard hiking day and was cold but that I was comfortable wearing all my clothes. I hiked 10.1 miles and spent the night at a flat spot on Mt. Lethe (a couple miles S of Imp) finishing in the dark and I was tired. I don't remember if there was water there or not. The next day I hiked 9.9 miles and arrived at Gorham in the early afternoon where I got a hotel room for the night. Reviewing the topo confirms that the first day was hard and the second day was easy, which makes sense given my finishing times.

      If I were to attempt that hike today, given it's been more than a few years and I don't have thru hiker trail legs, it would take me longer. I'd probably pack 3 days of food (and since I believe In Murphys Law and always take 1 more days worth of food than I think I'll need that would be 4 days of food).

      I noticed that my hike was 20 miles. My slighly out of date Companion shows the distance to be 21.1 miles. There either has been a relo since my hike or I transcribed the mileage incorrectly. Probably the latter.

      Fun fact: The woman thru hiker who also slept at Pinkham was named Noel by her parents as she was born on Halloween and they wanted to ward off evil spirits.

      ETA: Dates 9/6 and 9/7
      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 3 times, last by max.patch ().

    • The majority of the NOBO thrus I have met in this section started at / near Pinkham Notch and wanted to get somewhere near Middle Carter to split the section roughly in half. The lure of Gorham was a strong motivator to make it to Route 2 before restaurants closed for the night. Zeta Pass is supposed to be posted as a regeneration area with no camping, but the sign on the Mt. Height side was missing along with any signage in the Pass. The sign heading north out of the Pass was there.

      Water availability is the tough factor. Other than the swamp puddles just north of Zeta Pass, the last water was a spring on the steep climb up Carter Dome. And we didn't see a sign. Maybe it's just this year, but all of the bog bridges were over dry soil. And there were a LOT of bog bridges.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • I did it in 2 days in 1998, with a day pack, sleeping bag, rain gear, the clothes on my back, and a half dozen MetrX bars for food. Stayed at Carter Notch Hut, which was self serve at the time, and ended up eating like a king, as everyone who cooked didn't want to pack out the leftovers. Hiked into Gorham the next day, got into town around 4pm. I was dehydrated and stopped at the gas station at rte 2 and 16 to get a cold soda, asked if there were any cheap places to stay overnight.A guy on line said "You can stay at my place across the street. Next to our B&B is the Barn, just go in, claim a bed. $15 for the night." Showered, headed into town for food,watched a bluegrass concert in the village square, and headed back to the Barn. Sat around on second hand furniture, smoking homegrown weed, watched "There's Something about Mary" on the VCR.
      That was the first time I had ever stayed in a hostel, and was also the first time I was introduced to hikerfunk.
      its all good
    • Attempt #1 After a Hut-to-Hut hike from Crawford Notch to Pinkham Notch (4 days), I planned on hiking to Carter Notch Hut on Day 5 and finishing the final 15 miles on Day 6. Headlamp was ready if required. Got news on the evening of Day 4 that my father-in-law was in the hospital and abandoned the hike. With trail-seasoned legs, Hut meals and a light pack, I have no doubt that I would have pulled it off in the two days.

      Attempt #2 Hiked up from Pinkham Notch with tent, sleeping bag, stove and dinner / breakfast. Took almost 7 hours to reach Carter Notch Hut. With a goal to reach Route 2 by the next evening, I evaluated my ability to hit that goal and decided to bail using the 19-Mile Brook Trail to return to Pinkham Notch. FAIL!

      Attempt #3 Hiked back up the 19-Mile Brook Trail to Carter Notch and headed NOBO over Carter Dome at noon in 80 - 100% humidity. Rehydrated, ate dinner and stealth-camped in Zeta Pass. Did the 12 miles from Zeta Pass to Route 2 on Day 2 over 13 hours in 80 - 100% humidity. 19-Mile Brook Trail was much easier than re-doing the Wildcats.

      Factors to consider:
      • Weather. Heat and humidity will take their toll over the Wildcat Ridge and Carter Dome climbs. Wet rocks make for challenging descents.
      • Water. Tank up at the Carter Notch Hut, pre-hydrate for the climb up Carter Dome, and check with SOBO hikers or the Hut Croo on water sources between the Hut and Imp Shelter. There is a spring on the climb to Carter Dome but it's only 0.6 miles from the Hut.
      • Daylight. The descent to Route 2 is wooded and the sunset is accelerated by the Moriah Range. Fortunately, the last three miles before Route 2 are pretty flat and the last two miles were made for headlamp hiking.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard