Backpacking to Mount Madison via Valley Way Tentsite

[@nancyrichardson4621]

Great video! I learned so much!

[@RachelWhelton]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lancerproductions57]

Congratulations Rachel on finally bagging Madison! I did it on August 12th. It was also a great day weather wise and thought of your attempt earlier this year as I passed the tent site sign. Whenever I start out on a trail in the Whites I wonder if that’s day I’ll be fortunate enough to finally meet you. Maybe someday our paths will cross. 🙂 Unfortunately, it was a sad day at the hut the day I did it as the day before a young person died of a medical emergency on their way up to Madison. I saw three helicopters the morning of my hike evacuating the deceased, rescue personnel and hiking friends of the young man as I was getting to the hut. Very, very sad. Certainly put a damper on the whole day.

[@RachelWhelton]

Wow, that is terrible. I did not hear of that. Sorry that happened. We all worry about things like this when we hike. Seems like it never happens until it does. Sorry for their family.

[@lancerproductions57]

@@RachelWhelton Yeah. It was a young kid in his twenties from Pennsylvania. Sounded like he just collapsed on his way up to the top and they got him down to the hut and called for help but the weather wasn’t good enough to allow a helicopter airlift so they sent first responders up Valley Way trail. I met some of them coming down the next morning and thanked them for all that they do. Great bunch of people.

[@AdventuresWinnieandBabyO]

Glad to see you got around to Madison! Good luck on the remaining ones!

[@RachelWhelton]

Thanks!

[@ajcoelho]

So nice to meet you Rachel. Your video's are nicely done! Good luck finishing the 48. 73 (ham radio talk for best regards)

[@RachelWhelton]

Thanks! Nice to meet you too. I hope to see the radio in action on a summit someday.

[@barrygraber9776]

Another great one. I commend you on your early morning plunge in the frigid stream. Probably very therapeutic I woulld think

[@RachelWhelton]

Yes, I will miss those water dunks when the summer ends.

[@MikeRyder-ml2mb]

Congrats on making it up to Mt Madison and tagging number 37! You’re so close to finishing. I went up to Madison/Adams about a month ago and stayed at the hut. Recall passing the sign to the tent site sign and thinking about your winter attempt (brave of you going up in the winter). No shame in turning back in bad weather. I’ve got a few second attempts to my name too. Lots of AT through hikers were at/passing by the hut when I was there. I believe that unofficial looking camp site you saw (closer to the hut) was where the AMC Croo sends AT through hikers when they run out of “work for stay” spots. The AT through hikers that get a work for stay spot get to sleep on the floor in the eating room at night. A tip I learned from the AT through hikers there was to take the Gulf side trail (lots of flat rocks) to a giant cairn/intersection (it has a name, can’t recall it though) then on Lowe’s Path for a short way up to Adams. This was a less intense when compared to the straight up Adams way after Star Lake. Thanks for the great video. Glad you got good weather to catch the views.

[@RachelWhelton]

Wow great info thanks for sharing. I love learning all the details about these areas!

[@MikeRyder-ml2mb]

Me too... lots to learn from those that pass us on the trail and stay at the huts as well. Especially like the huts for all that info sharing from Croo and all sorts of hikers (in the AT through hikers). @@RachelWhelton

[@maradito]

Amazing video. Im planning to do a 2 day end to end trip starting at Valley Way trial (camp at valley way campsite), then follow Gulfside Trail all the way to Mt. Washington, and descent it by train. I’ve been studying the trails but been struggling to find a online map to print it. Do you use your phone or is there a paper map, hikers can get online or at the start of the trail ? Some state parks can provide you, a map with all the trais; but Im not from new england, so I don’t know how things are done there.

[@RachelWhelton]

I use Gaia GPS on my phone. Seems everybody around here has the same paper map, which you will find at local shops when you pass through, like REI, local hiking shops, bookshops, the info station/ranger station, or any AMC location. Or you could buy it online. It's an AMC map I believe. It is definitely good to check as much as you can right before you go, even after you did all the planning earlier. Like that Cog Railway sometimes says not to rely on one way down tickets, but they seem to sell them some of the time. And you probably already are looking at New England Trail Conditions, which can keep you alert to Gulfside, which I am not familiar with. Valley Way is pretty much a highway always in use so I think you got that part for sure. Good luck with this adventure!

[@boblaferte1283]

Was this Tuesday?...I was there starting a presidential traverse about 8am

[@RachelWhelton]

Yep! I didn't get started on trail until about 10 am though so you must have been ahead.

[@boblaferte1283]

We were down from the summit and leaving the hut by 10...it was an awsome day compared to the rainy weather we've been having