mt Washington, Mt Mansfield, Whiteface Mt
 

Is it reasonable to plan a morning ride to summit these three mountains?

No.

[QUOTE=raven]Is it reasonable to plan a morning ride to summit these three mountains?[/QUOTE]


Mt. Washington can be iffy, even in the summer. I have climbed the road in wanter and skied it but never in a cage. It would not be unprecedented to find snow or ice in July, the average temp for the peak is 29 degrees. It is a gravel road in some sections and not for the faint of heart. I can't remember if they charge a toll to use it.

I don't think you could catch all three in a single morning but it would definitley be a nice day trip from the rally. I havren't looked at this on map so I am not sure of the distances invoilved.

Isn't there some forum etiquette rule that you log in if you want to post snotty remarks?

I kust looked at your profile, you are a LOT closer than I am, plan the trip and post the route. I'll ride it. :bikes

Did not know Mansfield has an auto road. I've been to the top of Washington and Whiteface but never by auto road. I think just the two with time to travel between and hitting both during the day would be a challenge but doable. There are so many great roads to ride in northern NE/NY I would skip the auto roads. Just my opinion.

Morning ride from Burlington? No.

All day ride, leaving pretty doggone early and getting in in the early evening? Yeah.

Greetings,

It would be approximately 410 miles to cover the three mountains so it would be tough to do as a "morning" ride.

There is a mountain road on Mt. Mansfield but it is closed to bikes. The last time it was open to bikes was the 2004 Minuteman 1000 under a special use arrangement.

Best,

Raven, I am wondering why you want to do it.

I am a Flat Lander and when I come to mountains I look for passes. I have climber friends and understand, or at least appreciate, why they collect summits.
Curiosity has taken the Roadster and me on roads that lead to the top of things. I never thought of an intersection of collecting summits and motorcycling.

So I am wondering what the idea behind it is. I pose the question, to those who have responded, what is your take on it.

This is like seeing a new use for a favorite tool. Interesting

[QUOTE=M1ka]So I am wondering what the idea behind it is. I pose the question, to those who have responded, what is your take on it. [/QUOTE]

Being at the top and looking around is a big thrill for me. But, only if I hiked to the top. I look for roads to ride based on the thrill factor. But, to each there own.

Mike,

A good mountain road can provide some incredible views along with some very challenging riding.

For example Mt. Evans in Colorado is the highest paved access in North America. At something like 14,000' it takes a while to ride up, the road is narrow and there are times when you have a sheer rock wall with a multi thousand foot drop, a no guard rails or even center line. Mt. Washington is similar.

Mt. Mansfield is the highest point in VT. The Appalachian Mountain Trail crosses over the top so there is a good trail to some great spots. The road is a bit rougher but does not have the drama of Mt. Washington or Evans. I am working on seeing if we can get this opened for motorcycles during the rally.

Here is a photo of Doug Morrison, GS Ride Chair at Mt. Mansfield.
[IMG]http://RPB.smugmug.com/photos/11691561-M.jpg[/IMG]

Mt. Equinox is in southern Vermont. While not as high or spectacular as either Mt. Washington or Mansfield the road to the top is in very good condition. Get there early and it can be a great ride.

There are many "peaks" in Vermont accessible by road, or at least a graded fire road. Everywhere there is a ski area there is a way to the top and many are open to the public. Some of these roads are nice enough (Okemo, Ascutney) that some car clubs have competitive hill climbs.

Here is one of my best summit photos, taken two years ago at Cinnamon Pass in Colorado:
[IMG]http://RPB.smugmug.com/photos/11687261-M.jpg[/IMG]


Best,

What is the big deal about the Mt. Washington road?

I'll admit that the peak is wild and wooly, even when it's warm up there. But the road is no challenge at all except to see how slowly you can ride behind the caravan going up. My driveway is steeper and has more blind turns.

And you better believe there's a toll. I don't recall what it was, but I do recall thinking it was a rip after riding up and down a few years ago. Something like $7, I think.

[img]http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2001/new%20england%20trip/P6190022crop.jpg[/img]

washington is a fine road, and if you're more interested in the the ride than the scenery, i'd pick a cloudy day, because its a very BUSY road. i've been up there twice this year, it was about 55 in june and about 27 in mid september. it was weird though, cause it was worse weather (misty) and way colder but WAY busier in september, there were points where me and my buddy just sat in the road holding up traffic to create a gap cause we were bogging out and burning up the clutches, traffic was just that slow. (now i sound like i'm trying to deter you) just want to give you an idea of what its like, beautiful ride, very scenic, sometimes you can get above the cloud cover and feel like you're in an airplane. and if you like hiking, it would be very reasonable to get up there by 10 or 11 and do a few hours hike, down to lake in the clouds or hermit lake AMC hut, both of which are nice hikes.........................


anway, STEEP in some spots, hahah...............

[img]http://www.retr0.com/dkhirons/Washington2.JPG[/img]

[QUOTE=BubbaZanetti] and if you like hiking, it would be very reasonable to get up there by 10 or 11 and do a few hours hike, down to lake in the clouds or hermit lake AMC hut, both of which are nice hikes.........................


anway, STEEP in some spots, hahah...............

[img]http://www.retr0.com/dkhirons/Washington2.JPG[/img][/QUOTE]

Tell us more about the hike to the top. I think my wife and I are more interested in the hike than the ride. Do people hike both ways, or is it common or even possible to hike to the top and then take the cog RR or a van ride back down? How long does it take to hike to the top? (Assume a moderate pace.) Thanks, Bubba.

Hiking Mount Washington & Mt. Washington Valley
 

I lived in the Mount Washington Valley for 5 years until 2001 and know the area very well. I'm psyched about the ralley being in Vermont so I can go back and visit my old haunts and see friends, etc. There is a great web site at [url]www.mountwashington.org[/url] for the weather observatory at the summit which has tons of great information about the mountain with photos, etc. The hike to the summit from the AMC Hut in Pinkham Notch is nothing to be scoffed at. The first strech up to the base of Tuckerman Ravine is a well traveled relatively easy strech, but from there to the summit is a little more technical. Even in July the weather conditions can turn bad quickly, so you want to be prepared with the appropriate gear. Many a hiker has met their maker due to lack of preparation for the trail. Thunderstorms/Lightning can be as deadly as the cold, rain and wind off the summer. Temperature differential from the base to the summit can be extreme so layering is important. The cog railway approaches the summit from the western side of the mountain (Bretton Woods off Route 302) and the auto road is from the east side off Rt. 16 in Pinkham Notch. If you were to climb and then ride down it would be more likely to do so from Pinkham Notch and then ride down in one of the Auto Road "Stagecoach's". This is fairly common, but I'm not sure what it costs. The Cog railway is kind of neat, but we used to laugh about the people having to suck soot for 2 hours riding that thing up and down the mountain.
There are some great watering holes in that area and beautiful places to stay/camp. North Conway is more on the touristy side than Gorham and Berlin which is to the north of the mountain. I highly recommend the Shannon Door Pub in Jackson, NH which is right on Rt. 16 heading south from Pinkham Notch. It is one of the best irish themed bars I've ever been to and the place has good atmosphere. Tommy Mulkern is the proprieter. You will want to have the Tuckerman Pale Ale on tap (a brewery I helped start with some good friends) which is an awesome beer. Also the Eagle Mountain House is a really cool old historic hotel in Jackson (where my wife used to work) if you want to spend a night in that area. My buddy Greg is the front desk manager and he'll take good care of you!
I would highly recommend the following as a day trip from Burlington:
Rt 2 east through Monteplier to Barre, get on Rt. 302 into New Hampshire, then just into NH, Rt. 112 to Woodstock/Lincoln (Kancamaugus) continue through Lincoln on 112 (Kanc). Just past the "Jigger Johnson" campground turn left on Bear Notch Road which takes you north to Bartlett. In Bartlett turn east on 302 to Glen then Rt. 16 North. This will cut the traffic stops through N. Conway unless you want to do some outlet shopping in "tax free" New Hampshire. Rt. 16 north through Pinkham Notch (Mt. Washington) continue on 16 north through Gorham, Berlin to Errol, NH. In Errol stop at the LL Cote store (can't miss it) head back west through Dixville Notch on Rt 26 to Vermont. Basically anywhere you ride up in the north country is just awesome with breathtaking scenery. Watch for Moose crossing the road and watch for (even worse) idiot tourists if they see a moose. They will stop dead in the middle of the road on a state route on a blind corner if they see a moose just to get a picture. You all are going to love this part of the country, try to take advantage of it time wise, you won't regret it!

Wow, that's a bunch of great info. My wife and I are not great hikers, but we really enjoy a good hard hike. We did some pretty good hikes at altitude out in Aspen a few years ago. The weather on Mt. Washington will probably be more severe, but the hiking itself should be a good challenge. Anyway, I printed off your post to put in the "Vermont-2006" folder. There will lots to see and do! Thanks!