Click here to reserve your spot with a $150 deposit.

This trip begins with a one night stay at the Lakes of the Clouds Hut, the only AMC hut above tree line. The next day we will summit Mt. Washington and skirt around the Great Gulf Wilderness through the Northern Presidential Summits to the Madison Hut.

During the entire trip, you’ll be carrying your own backpack with the items you’ll need, and you’ll be staying in two full service huts, Lakes of the Clouds and Madison Spring. These are rustic in nature, with co-ed European hut style lodging. Breakfast and dinner will be prepared by the hut staff, lunches will be an assortment of cheeses, breads, fruit, salami and other snacks. Some of the huts have solar energy or electricity, clean toilets, drinking water, and mattresses.

Each group will have one of our professional guides and an assistant guide. Their jobs will be to help make the experience safe, fun and informative. Even if you’re a seasoned hiker, having a professional guide along adds to the experience by allowing you a worry free trip.

Itinerary

Day one: (L & D) We will meet at 8:30am in the lobby of the AMC Highland Center at Crawford Notch. We'll answer any questions and double check our gear before boarding the AMC shuttle at 9:00am to ride to the trailhead. We will make the moderate trek towards the summit of Mt. Washington, stopping at Lakes of the Clouds Hut for the night. 6.8 miles moderately steep terrain.

Day two: (B, L & D) Load up on a hearty breakfast, you'll need all the energy you can for our hike today. We'll head up the trail 1.5 miles to the Summit of Mt. Washington to start off the day. After a short summit celebration we'll continue on the Gulfside Trail to the Madison Hut. Sections of this trail are often steep and exposed to the elements, so preparation is key to staying comfortable and safe. Tonight we'll rest our weary muscles and replenish our energy with a home cooked AMC dinner. 6 miles moderately steep terrain.

Day three: (B, L & D) Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and prepare for our short hike out back to civilization. We will head out to summit our last peak, Mt. Madison and continue on down the trail to the trail head. From here we will catch the AMC Shuttle back to the Highland Center where we will part ways. 5.2 miles moderately steep terrain.

Gear List: HUT PACKING LIST

Since this is considered a light backpacking trip, you’ll need to pay attention to what you bring. Weight will be a key issue, for many of us that haven’t carried a backpack in a while. If you don’t own a packpack or sleeping bag these items can be rented through our EMS stores.

For the FEET

o Hiking Boots - One pair of medium weight hiking boots, well broken in, waterproofed and proven not to give your feet any blisters. Don’t bring old worn out boots that don’t have good soles, or broken shoelaces.

o Gaiters - Make sure your gaiters fit over your hiking boots and are full length and waterproof.

o Camp Footwear - One pair of sneakers or Teva-style sandals

o Socks – 5 pairs of socks made of synthetic materials or wool blend. Next to the skin, some people like thin polyester or polypropylene socks to transport perspiration from the foot to the outer socks.

For the BODY

o Underwear -3 pair, synthetic (no cotton blends)

o Bra/Sports bra - One, synthetic (no cotton blends)

o Shirts or Tops - Two short and one long sleeve shirts

o Fleece Pullover and Pants - 100 or 200 weight Polartec® or Powerstretch® tights and top

o Jacket - One warm jacket with Down, Hollofill or similar high loft insulation. This layer fits underneath your rain and wind parka.

o Hiking Pants – one or two pair. Some people like the kind that you can zip the legs off. These are good for warm afternoons. Please, no jeans.

o Shorts - One pair

o Gortex/Waterproof Rain Parka and Pants - This is considered the outer layer (rain gear). The parka should be waterproof with hood and pit zips. The pants will go over fleece pants or long underwear, and must be waterproof (side-zip style is optional).

For the HANDS

o Gloves - 1 pair of liners/1 pair of warm gloves

Make sure that your gloves liners can fit inside mittens or other heavier gloves.

For the HEAD

o Headgear, a.k.a. Hats - During the day you’ll need a hat with a brim to protect your face from intense sun, and at night a fleece or wool hat for warmth.

o Sunglasses - Two pair

o Headlamp - One / Bring extra batteries and bulbs. Headlamp must be bright enough to see at night or incase of emergency. Small flash light is useful.

SLEEPING EQUIPMENT

o Sleeping Bag - High quality with hood rated from 30-40 degrees F. If you don’t already own a sleeping bag we suggest purchasing a down bag because of weight.

o Foam pad - One full length closed cell foam pad. Optional if you want more comfort. Optional

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT

o Hydration Systems - Two wide mouth 32oz Nalgene brand waterbottles, or Camelback type hydration system.

o Bandanna - Two / since there isn’t a lot of toilet paper to go around we can use your Bandanna to blow your nose. Also is good to hear as a neck over for sunburn, and over mouth for dust.

o Sunscreen and Lip Protection - One tube of sunscreen and two chapsticks, both SPF 30 and not older than 6 months.

o Insect Repellent - One bottle of insect repellent cream in a tube/No spray cans. Yes you can expect bugs.

o Baby Wipes - Amount depends on time traveling. Make sure these are stored in a zip lock plastic bag, they sometimes leak.

o Camp Towel – One small /This will be for drying after cleaning up in a lake or facet. The brand I use is called "Pack Towel," and can be purchased at EMS. These must be washed before use, so check out the instructions.

o Hydration Mix - Plain water doesn’t replenish the electrolytes lost while sweating, working hard hiking, or during very hot weather. It can also get pretty boring to drink just water. You should purchase something like Gatorade, to put into your drinking water. Gatorade can be purchased in small one-day packets.

o Toiletries - Toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, dental floss, lotion, fingernail clippers, etc. Only organic brands that won’t hurt the environment. Women must remember to bring sanitary napkins or tampons. Your toiletries should all fit into a small kit. Don’t bring large bottles of shampoo or other items, you can purchase small size bottle specifically for travel use. If you’re traveling on this trip with a friend, it is then possible to share things like toothpaste and sunscreen.

o Toilet Paper – 1 roll keep in zip lock bag.

o Ear Plugs - 2 pair / Good for blocking out snoring.

o Trekking Poles - One pair telescopic poles with baskets at the bottom

o Waterless Hand Cleaner/Sanitizer - One small bottle

o Camera - If you’re thinking of purchasing a new camera, try to buy one that takes double A over the counter batteries, not rechargeable ones.

o Books, Tape Player, Journal, Cards, etc. - On all trips there will be time to read, listen to music, and reflect on your day. It is advised not to hike with a music device running. In the event of danger you won’t be able to understand instructions.

PACKS

o Day Pack w/rain cover - Your backpack should have some type of internal support to help carry the weight. The best size backpack for this trip is a 4000 to 5000 cu in. There should be places to strap on your trekking poles and for your water bottles. Your pack must fit you correctly and feel comfortable with a weight of 20 - 25 pounds. We suggest you go for a hike with some weight inside your pack to make sure it fits properly. If you don’t have a back that you think will work, visit your local EMS store for help with choosing a new pack. The experts at EMS can help you with purchasing a new pack. EMS also has “women” specific backs that fit a woman’s body.

o Compression stuff sacks - These help to maximize space. I usually use three stuff sacks: one for my hiking clothing, technical clothing and socks and underwear. In addition, this protects your clothing from getting that popped bottle of shampoo all over everything.

o Trash Bags - Four 32 oz. 3 ply garbage bags. These can come in handy to cover your daypack during a downpour or for dirty clothes. In addition, you can put your stuff sacks into a bag to keep things dry.

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For more information, or to book your very own Eastern Mountain Sports adventure, call our travel guru Becky Harrison at
888-755-8735 or e-mail us at becky@emstrek.com.

Travel along the Northern Presidential Range

Summit 5 mountains including Mt. Washington

Two nights in AMC backcountry Lodges

Great for all hikers new to back packing

Meals provided by the AMC lodge staff

EMS professionals for your safety

Great for hikers 18 and older

Total 3 days two nights

MEETING TIME & PLACE: AMC Highland Center at Crawford Notch

2008 DATES
August 30th – September 1st

COST: S510 per person

Click here to reserve your spot with a $150 deposit.

GROUP SIZE: 4-8 people

MEALS: Breakfast & dinner cooked by AMC hut staff. Lunches will be provided as a mixture of breads, cheeses, fruit and an assortment of items.

STYLE OF TRIP: This is considered a lightweight-backpacking trip. You will need to carry your own pack with all of your personal belongings, water and snacks, but no food for meals. Packs can be rented from EMS, along with sleeping bags. The huts do supply blankets and pillows, if you want to bring only a travel bed liner.

AGE GROUP: This trip is designed for ages 15+:

FITNESS RATING: Moderate/Strenuous
Great trip for hikers 15 years and older, new to light weight backpacking. Fitness and good health is key to enjoying this trip.

Included With Trip:

1 night stay at the Lakes of the Clouds AMC Hut

1 night stay at the Madison AMC Hut

Breakfast and dinner are prepared by the hut staff

Lunches will be an assortment of meats and cheeses, crackers, and fruits

EMS professional guides

Trekking poles upon request

Not Included:

AMC Shuttle fees

Transportation to destination

Snacks and bars between meals

Backpacks and sleeping bags may be rented from any EMS retail store.

 

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For more information, or to book your very own Eastern Mountain Sports adventure, call our travel guru Becky Harrison at
888-755-8735
or e-mail us at becky@emstrek.com.

Call 888-755-8735 / Contact Us