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asdf
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PostSun Jul 19, 2020 6:54 pm 
We may be moving to New Hampshire. It is mostly a family thing and kind of unavoidable. I've been hiking in New England and I'll just be blunt, I've always thought it inferior. Lots of long forested approaches for a peek-a-boo- view you're lucky. Whereas here I can be out walking ridgelines for miles. I'm stressing out about this. Anyone got any thoughts? I guess worst comes to worst I can build a vacation to the PNW into the budget.

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Randito
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PostSun Jul 19, 2020 7:24 pm 
I lived in NYC for two years and was able to get out to the nearby mountains occationally and hiked a section of the AT in NYS using the Metro North/Taxi and New Jersey Transit to reach/return from trailheads. It's different -- but if you are willing to accept it as it is -- the mountains are still beautiful. Especially if you are able to think creatively there is lots of opportunity for enjoying solitude. E.g. on the little section of the AT I hiked one of the sheltlers had signs warning of recent bear activity and other hiker I passed on the trail had reported that a bear had come into the shelter the prior night and made of with a food bag. In the shelter after hearing about this, one of the other hikers was super excited about having his bear canister "put to the test" -- I decided that this was not my idea of fun and hiked another mile of so along the AT and then hiked a 1/4 mile off the trail through the open forest and setup my hammock just on the other side of a little hummock so I was not visible from the trail. I enjoyed a peaceful night -- even though technically such dispersed camping isn' allowed in Harriman State Park.

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Cyclopath
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PostSun Jul 19, 2020 9:10 pm 
New England really can't compete with the PNW, it's not a fair fight. It's still pretty there. Become a lake bagger. Take up Nordic skiing. Enjoy the fall color.

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Anne Elk
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PostSun Jul 19, 2020 9:22 pm 
I agree w/Cyclopath. You'll have to re-set your outdoor aesthetic. To riff on his suggestions, I'd add waterfall bagging, gorge exploring, and there's always Acadia NP in Maine. I've seen some great photos of the coast of Nova Scotia, if you care to venture that far. You might check in with member GaliWalker to see if he's ever ventured up that way. The photos he posts here from his wanderings in PA, VA, and elsewhere, are fabulous; especially the waterfalls.

"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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JPH
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PostMon Jul 20, 2020 8:18 am 
The Baldface Circle Trail was my favorite hike back east and a dip in the Emerald Pool near the end is awesome.

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coldrain108
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PostMon Jul 20, 2020 9:07 am 
Hot and sweaty if you hike in the summer. Humidity was a crusher. Bugs were at a whole 'nother level of madness compared to the PNW. I did a lot of hiking in the Adirondacks in the 80's. Nowhere near the same solitude opportunities. Not easy to do cross country travel in thick woods. Now fall hiking is as glorious as anywhere in the world. Weather is nice and comfortable and the colors are astounding and the crowds were lower and the miniature buzzards (black flies) were gone. We used canoes for some access. High Peaks region was my favorite. Colden Lake had many cool camp sites. I haven't hiked back there since 1990. Hiked to the top of Marcy and Algonquin for my honeymoon.

Since I have no expectations of forgiveness, I don't do it in the first place. That loop hole needs to be closed to everyone.
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Washakie
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PostMon Jul 20, 2020 12:03 pm 
Hot, sweaty, buggy, viewless woods are better than no woods.

"What is the color when black is burned?" - Neil Young "We're all normal when we want our freedom" - Arthur Lee "The internet can make almost anyone seem intelligent" - Washakie
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Washakie
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PostMon Jul 20, 2020 3:59 pm 
....and the native people won't dump your tea in Puget Sound.

"What is the color when black is burned?" - Neil Young "We're all normal when we want our freedom" - Arthur Lee "The internet can make almost anyone seem intelligent" - Washakie
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GaliWalker
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PostMon Jul 20, 2020 6:11 pm 
I haven’t hiked extensively there but New Hampshire isn’t bad at all. Obviously, the views can’t really compare to the northwest and the opportunities are more limited. Having said that, the waterfalls are a lot more photogenic, although maybe not quite as impressive in person. I found the ‘trails’ to be tougher, mainly because the surface can be extremely rugged. (Obviously, I’m not comparing them to off trail travel.) I like the Adirondacks more than New Hampshire’s White Mountains.

'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker bobbi: "...don't you ever forget your camera!" Photography: flickr.com/photos/shahiddurrani
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Eric Hansen
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PostTue Jul 21, 2020 8:32 pm 
Not so good to focus on what a place isn't rather than being curious about what is there, what is outstanding about that landscape. Northern Maine is nearby, and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (a canoe or kayak trip). If you are a backcountry skier the Chic-Choc Mountains on Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula gets rave reviews, and a chapter in Steve Barnett's book, Best Ski Touring in North America. I'd consider getting a pack raft, looking for routes that combine water travel with hiking or mountain biking. Curious, I hit google and came up with these two https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/blogs/ultralight/floating-the-east-branch-of-the-penobscot https://www.outdoors.org/articles/amc-outdoors/get-pumped-for-packrafting

Off trail rambler
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Malachai Constant
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PostWed Jul 22, 2020 3:28 pm 
We lived for two years in Ottawa and hiked a lot in New England particularly upstate NY, NH, VT, and Maine. The Adirondacks can be challenging As they have some good verticals and trails mostly go up the fall line often on slabs they call slides. Do not expect solitude. Mount Marcy and a few others have small alpine areas. Backside of Mansfield has some fun trails. Fall colors put the northwest to shame but “leafer” crowds will drive you nuts. We spent a lot of time canoeing and biking. Some ice climbing and rock climbing mostly short pitches. Ontario and Quebec is canoe country.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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Slugman
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PostWed Jul 22, 2020 5:51 pm 
One thing to remember: eastern black bears can be more predatory than ours here in WA. Attacks are still rare, but not as rare as here, and they are more likely to actually eat a person.

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Malachai Constant
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PostWed Jul 22, 2020 8:07 pm 
Sluggish right when we were there a black bear drug a guy out of an outhouse in Ontario Cottage Country. A friend grabbed a rifle and shot the bear saving his friends life. FYI Canadians own guns a lot of them.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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Brucester
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PostFri Jul 24, 2020 11:40 am 
How do I quote everyone here? smile.gif

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Jumble Jowls
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PostFri Jul 24, 2020 5:11 pm 
Don't expect any altitude. The highest point in the entire eastern US is 6,000 feet. In Tennessee. But you can hike the AT, the Long Trail and other areas, and it's nice. I'd avoid summer. But as mentioned, in the fall, glorious.

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