See below for a description of the various activities that will be occuring at Stake Young Men's Camp. Young men are in the process of being assigned to biking, hiking, and camp workshop activities, and a communication will be sent out soon that informs young men of these assignments. Note that all young men are eligible to participate in the whitewater rafting. We will make sure that those young men who are not interested in whitewater rafting receive transportation back to Massachusetts on Thursday.
Young men will be able to participate in at least one hiking activity. The potential options are listed below, and assignments will be sent out shortly. Note that all hiking plans are subject to change based on weather and other day-of considerations.
Hermit Lake Day Hike: Young men will leave the Pinkham Notch Visitors Center via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail and ascend a tractor road past the Crystal Cascade waterfall and up to Hermit Lake and the floor of Tuckerman Ravine. The Hermit Lake Shelters can be found at this destination, with a caretaker on duty at the cabin year-round, mornings and evenings, to assist hikers and educate them about the unique alpine environment of Mt Washington and Pinkham Notch. On a clear day, hikers will also be treated to majestic views of the Tuckerman Ravine bowl. The round-trip hike is about 5 miles long and requires about 1800 feet of elevation gain, and should take between 4-6 hours. You can read more about the Hermit Lake area here, and you can find a map of the route here.
Carter Ponds Day Hike: Young men will embark from the 19-Mile Brook Trailhead and trek up to Carter Notch. The Notch is a beautiful, high mountain pass surrounded by striking cliff and boulder scenery. The Carter Ponds in the Notch are small glacial ponds, offering adventurous hikers a fun place to relax and cool off. Also at this destination is the Carter Notch Hut, maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club and staffed by a team known as a "croo". The hut is a common space for day visitors, and a place to refill water or purchase snacks. The round-trip hike is about 8 miles long and requires about 2000 feet of elevation gain, and should take between 5-8 hours. You can read more about the Carter Notch area here, and you can find a map of the route here.
Mount Washington Day Hike: This day hike starts at the Pinkham Notch Visitors Center and follows the Tuckerman Ravine Trail all the way to the summit of Mount Washington, and Lion Head Trail back to the Visitors Center. This is the highest peak in the northeastern United States and the most topologically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River. On a clear day, views from the summit can extend as far as 130 miles to Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Quebec, and the Atlantic Ocean. The round-trip hike is about 8 miles long and about 4200 fet of elevation gain, and should take between 6-9 hours. You can read more about Mount Washington here, and you can find a route of the map here.
Mount Madison Overnight Backpacking: This trip that begins at Barnes Field Campground, climbs to the Presidential Ridge, summits Mount Madison, and descends to Osgood Tentsite. Coming down from the summit, young men will have the opportunity to also visit the Madison Spring Hut. On the second day, the young men will break down their campsite and continue to descend back to Barnes Field where they will complete their trip. Young men will carry their own gear and food on this challenging trek. The round-trip hike is about 11 miles long and about 4300 feet of elevation gain. You can read more about the Mount Madison area here, and you can find a map of the route here.
Young men will be able to participate in at least one biking activity. The potential options are listed below, and assignments will be sent out shortly. Note that all biking plans are subject to change based on weather and other day-of considerations.
Castle Rail Trail Biking: This trip will start at the Castle Trailhead and proceed down the Presidential Rail Trail for 9 miles to the trail terminus in Gorham. The Rail Trail is a scenic (and mostly level) route that skirts the base of the Northern Presidential Range. The trail alternates between gravel, grass, and dirt, and is rough in some places (mountain bikes or robust hybrid bikes will be sufficient). The stake will coordinate with young men and their families and with adult leaders to ensure we have an adequate fleet of bicycles to make this activity possible. You can read more about the Presidential Rail Trail here, and you can find a map of the route here.
Pondicherry Rail Trail Biking: This trip will start at the Pondicherry Wildlife Sanctuary and proceed down the Presidential Rail Trail for 19 miles to the trail terminus in Gorham. (The final 9 miles will be the same route as the previously mentioned Castle Rail Trail biking route.) There are typically excellent opportunities on the trail for a variety of wildlife observation, and spectacular panoramas of the Presidential Range. You can read more about the Presidential Rail Trail here, and you can find a map of the route here.
Young men will have the opportunity to participate in campsite-based workshops on one or more days while we are in New Hampshire. These classes will cover a variety of outdoor skills (e.g., wilderness survival, first aid) as well as life skills (e.g., cooking). More information will be posted on these classes over time, including specific assignments.
On Friday, we will be doing whitewater rafting on the Kennebec River in Maine. We will be working with Northern Outdoors, an outdoor recreation company, that will supply the water craft, life jackets, helmets and paddles. Each raft will also be manned and led by a professional registered rafting guide. We will experience class 3-4 rapids in the morning, followed by a riverside cookout for lunch, followed by a scenic float down lower Kennebec with time for swimming and floating. You can read more about the Kennebec rafting trip directly on the Northern Outdoors website. You can also find common FAQs here. Note that our general packing list for Stake YM Camp also includes several items that will be important for the whitewater rafting.
If any young men are not interested in participating in the whitewater rafting portion of the trip, that is of course all right. In those cases, we can work with adult leaders and families to make sure that transportation is provided from New Hampshire on Thursday evening back to Massachusetts. If you have any questions or concerns about the whitewater rafting activity, please don't hesitate to contact Jason Walther at jwalther@gmail.com