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[Steve Douville]

Hi all,

Three friends + I will be attempting for the third time
the Pres Traverse from North to South... Next Fri-Mon ( 2/15-2/18).  We have a 4 day window put aside, we should be able to do in 3 days but have a bonus ( bad weather ) day.  I have read all the scoop on the Chavin site, and talked to quite a few people about this thru the years..  I have  also spent two previous nights,.  ( the last two attempts 1999 + 2000 ).  Above tree line in my VE-25.  Equipment is not a issue, as the two previous trips/nights were a total success. We just had to bail because of storms. One trip it got too warm with rain in the forecast, the other trip a nasty storm rolled in, and my partner was not feeling 100% ( stomach ) so we rolled back off the Mtn.

I'm just looking for a little more beta on potential sites to set up the tents ( 2 )..  I have spent a night near Star Lake, and a night sorta near the hut, in Madison Col. on the previous trips.. Hey any extra info can't hurt....

Night # 1 :We plan to try and get Madison + Adams Sat and
get somewhere between Adams and Jefferson for the first night..  #1- Madison Col. -  I have done before so that's always a possibility, but not the plan , #2  (My plan ) would be about half way between Thunderstorm Jct + Edmonds Col. on the south side of Sam Adams / Peabody spring area,  I have scoped out some potential sites this past summer,  #3 would be in and or around Edmonds Col. + #4 would be to also get  the Jefferson Summit and stay at the Sphinx Col.
I know a great spot near the top of the trail into the Great gulf....

Night #2 : Back side of Monroe or the Camel humps area .  Getting over Eisenhower would be the Goal, and find a flat spot somewhere.......  Any Beta in this area would be good.  Again I scoped out some places last winter hiking with a Busted Collarbone in and around here....

My plan is to pre - hike the Valley Way trail ( and Summit
Madison+ Adams ) this Sat. ( day hike )  as I have done on previous attempts as a warm up.

Thanks,

Steve Douville

[Ian B]

The times I have done it, from North to South, I've always camped near the Madison Hut the first night, and then on one of the plateaus near Lakes of the Clouds.  This makes for a nice, short three-day, two-night ordeal.  Hope this helps!

[Russian Alpinist]

I did the traverse last April, not the whole thing but up the King Ravine trail from the appalachia parking lot on rte. 2 to rte. 16 via the Six Husbands and Great Gulf trails, which btw i DON'T reccomend at all...Six Husbands is definitely NOT a winter route and was one hell of a bushwhack. In any case, we actually spent the first night in the woods down in King Ravine at about 3,500 ft. and the second right in Edmands Col. If there is good snow coverage which I think there is right now, you can find some very decently sheltered spots on the south side of the col, right at the foot of Mt. Jefferson's summit cone. It's kind of a long trip for a single day from Route 2, but you can probably do it if you start early and have a strong team. You might actually want to consider taking the Air Line rather than that Valley Way...it's a more direct route to T-storm Jct. Defintely dont go thru King Ravine though unless you want to camp there - that's a slog, plus getting up the headwall, which is about three times as high as Tuckerman's, takes quite a bit of time.

Good luck

[Andrew Brosnan]

I'ts pretty reasonable to camp at Peabody Spring (a bit south of Thunderstorm Jct.) although I've always dug a snow cave there. Even in lean snow years I've been able to dig a cave...the wind dumps a lot of snow there.

This is a convenient way to hit Madison and Adams on day one (assend via Valley Way) and be in good position for day two. Be advised that this is a fairly commiting place to camp. Just be prepared.

Head to Lakes (or beyond) the next night.

Good luck.

[Steve Douville]

Thanks Andrew,

Peabody springs area is one plan,  ( and yes we are going up the Valley Way trail ) .  I would like to get near Jefferson somewhere set up camp and if  enough energy left knock off Jefferson on day one also.... That would put us well past Lakes + Monroe for Sat..

PS : we did a training day hike sat on V way trail,  Sat. was a great day .  Glad we were not up overnite for Sunday, that day looked UGLY....

Steve