2014 AT Section Hike | Trip 1 of 10 | 2 days, 17 miles, NH

This will be a short little early season 17 mile weekend section starting with an afternoon hike on Saturday (6.5 miles) and a steep morning hike on Sunday (8 miles) in New Hampshire.

My vehicle can transport up to 2 additional section-hikers (for this particular trip). The trailhead is about 4 hours from NYC near Glencliff, New Hampshire (South of the White Mountains in NH). I'm planning to leave from Woodlawn in the Bronx, NY early Saturday morning at 7AM. Join me at the local Metro North station if you live in the NYC, or along the way in CT, MA or VT. We have two vehicles already planned for this trip which is all we need, so feel free to carpool. We will stage one vehicle at the exit point of the hike and then enter with the second vehicle to the south, picking it up again after each day is over.

Day 1 - SATURDAY

Starting Point: NH 25C, Ore Hill Brook

Entry Point GPS Coordinates: 43.95016156378066, -71.93909883499146

Parking Area: On the side of the road next to the trailhead.

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/1/6/a/600_295361322.jpeg

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/1/4/2/600_295361282.jpeg

Saturday Distance: 6.5 miles

Terrain: Relatively level hiking with just 500 foot elevation gains and losses with the occasional jagged climb.

Landmarks: Mt. Mist, Webster Slide Mountain Trail, Wachipauka Pond, HN 25, Glencliff, and Jeffers Brook Shelter Side Trail,

Exit Point: Long Pond Road/USFS 19 High Street

Exit Point GPS Coordinates: 43.99809379721677, -71.88230037689209

Parking Area: Pass the AT on High Street and look for a parking area further up the road.

With temperatures in the 20's at night I'm electing for a local hotel stay on Saturday night. I haven't researched this yet, but intend to this week before we depart so that we are all ready to go.

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/d/2/6/600_345087942.jpeg

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/f/0/6/600_345088422.jpeg

DAY 2 - SUNDAY

Sunday will be a flip-flop. We will drive ahead and stage a vehicle at the Northern most point of this trip (thus increasing downhill) and walk back to where we finished day 1.

Entry Point: NH 112, Kinsman Notch, Beaver Brook Trail

Entry point GPS Coordinates: 44.04004903910148, -71.79187774658203

Parking Area: There is a small loop of a parking area right where the AT meets the 112.

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/8/e/8/2/600_345096482.jpeg

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/8/f/c/2/600_345096802.jpeg

Exit Point: Long Pond Road/USFS 19 High Street

Exit Point GPS Coordinates: 43.99809379721677, -71.88230037689209

Parking Area: Pass the AT on High Street and look for a parking area further up the road.

Saturday Distance: 7.5 miles

Terrain: Steep. 2800 foot climb followed by 3500 foot descent

Landmarks: Beaver Brook Shelter and Cascades, Mt. Blue, Mt. Moosilauke, Glencliff Trail.

This is an early season trip. There is likely to be a lot of snow (possibly very wet snow) or ice. I'm planning to bring snowshoes, crampons and an ice axe just in case and I recommend for everyone who joins this trip to do the same.

As always, please have a backpack and gear that will keep you warm in the mountains (cotton is not an option so don't bring it). Since we are not planning to spend the night out, you can leave your stove and tent behind, but please plan to bring food and a sleeping bag to keep you warm just in case of an emergency. Finally, please only join this trip if you can sustain 6 hours or more a day of hiking with your pack for two consecutive days (for this trip 3-4 hours per day per day is probably all that it will take, but you never know). This group hikes at 1.5 to 2 miles per hour on average. Mobile phone reception (particularly Verizon) is non-existent from my experience last November in this area so don't plan on having coverage.

After we are finished with our hike on Sunday we will probably have a meal together before our trip home.

If you want to sign up and don't have paypal, please send me an email and I can accommodate your sign-up.

Finally, I'll be planning up to nine more multi-day hikes this year, so stay tuned...