What better challenge for the august (even if we're in November) members of this board than to . . . certify "The Ten United States Day Hikes You Must Do". (Otherwise known as TTUSDHYMD -- I don't read "What In The World Happened Here" without picking SOMETHING up.)
Rules for the selection:
1. Only Whitney Zone posters may nominate.
2. The nomination must be sufficiently descriptive that a prudent man would not be left with an ambiguous idea of what and where the hike is.
3. A rationale -- however brief -- must be given for it's nomination. In lieu of brevity, nominators may opt to give impassioned and persuasive speech supporting their nominations.
4. A "day hike" shall be defined as placement of one foot in front of the other in a continuing process culminating in a physical presence of the person with the feet in a location either different from the starting location or, if finishing at the starting location, having at least traversed some land beyond the starting/finishing location, with such time having elapsed in the continuing process between starting and finishing location being within a calendar day.
5. No whining allowed.
6. There is no limit on the number of nominations any one poster may make.
7. There is no limit on the number of times any one poster may make nominations, so long as they are new nominations.
8. All nominations will be posted to this "FUN NEW GAME!" thread.
9. The nominating period will commence upon posting of this initial post and end on January 31, 2013.
10. Whitney Fan will keep a record of all nominated day hikes.
11. An alphabetical list of all nominated day hikes will be posted in a new thread following the end of the nominating period.
12. Upon posting of all nominated day hikes, a voting period will extend from time of the posting until midnight, Friday, March 15, 2013. (Midnight between Friday and Saturday.)
13. Only Whitney Zone posters may vote.
14. Only one vote will be allowed for each poster.
15. Up to ten (10) hikes may be included in the one vote by each poster. Your criteria should be, "Which of these nominated hikes do I feel worthy enough to be one of the "TTUSDHYMD"?
16. The votes will be transmitted by PM ("private message") to Whitney Fan. Whitney Fan will tabulate all votes.
17. Tabulation will entail recording the number of votes from all voters for each of the nominated day hikes. That will result in a list of all nominated day hikes ranked in sequential order keyed to the number of votes each hike has received.
18. The results of that tabulation will be posted. The posting will include, of course, the "TTUSDHYMD". The total number of votes for each of those hikes will be revealed. It is envisioned -- although not guaranteed -- that hikes finishing out of the "Top Ten" will also be revealed, along with the number of votes for each.
Who will be the first Whitney Zone participant who can claim he or she has done all of the "TTUSDHYMD"? We will find out -- presuming good voter turnout! -- what those "must do" hikes are as a result of the informed folks here. And if anyone has done them all. Or will it be we find out that more than one person has done them all? I hope this will be a fun diversion over the winter months for us.
I have a number of hikes to nominate. But the honor of first nomination from me, and the honor of being first nominated in the contest goes to, of course, you guessed it:
The Mount Whitney Main Trail, from trailhead to summit and back to trailhead.
[b]Haleakala Crater, Maui[/b]. From the Haleakala Visitor Center (NP), descend by the Sliding Sands Trail (see "Pants Pass") 2500 feet into the crater, traverse the crater floor, pick up the Halemau' u trail and climb 1400 feet out to the Halaemauu TH at 8,000 ft elevation. 11-13 miles depending what you read, what side trails you find and the SilverSword loop. 6 mile shuttle back to the start.
Rationale: Passes through all kinds of habitat, where else can you get alpine snow, desert heat, tropical rainforest in one hike. Strenuous (especially if you do it in reverse) but not ridiculous, not overrun with tourons or pricey guided trips, and getting there is half the fun: hello, its Maui.
Crow Pass is a one way trip through the Alaskan Chugach Mountains from Girdwood to Eagle River following the historic Iditarod supply route. The route is 21 miles with the 2,100 ft. of elevation gain coming entirely in the first few miles. Perhaps most importantly, there is a significant river crossing of Eagle River about 13 miles into the hike. The river is a glacial river and will be extremely cold---estimated 33 degrees. Depth varies from knees to waist. Most hikers will carry an extra set of shoes for this portion of the trip. Day-Hikers will not have the advantage of crossing the river at the preferable early morning hours before the glacial melt swells the river later in the day. As you would expect, warm days will cause the river crossing to be deeper.
The hike will include traversing small snowy sections of glaciers and moose, caribou, dall sheep, and of course bears are prevalent. Bear spray is almost mandatory on this hike. We took 11 hours to complete the hike. An annual race is held where the winners finish in less than 3 hours. The trailhead is a 40 minute drive from Anchorage and the finishing trailhead is about 30 minutes from Downtown Anchorage.
Anyone remember the scene in Jurassic Park where the group is travelling across a big open meadow with very tall grass and the velociraptors start picking them off one by one? Our group of five recalled that scene as we intermittently cried out, "Hey Bear!"
Never dreamed I would be able to swim during a Crow Pass Hike. The weather was wonderful! (and this water was cold!)
The day after our hike a bear killed a moose on the trail. They closed the trail for two weeks due to the bear setting up his food cache right off trail.
Oooh!! I get to nominate the mist trail! But I would like to actually nominate the variation of taking the JMT either up or down; my favorite is up. So, as the Joker said, Here we go:
Description:
Leaving Happy Isles in Yosemite, shuttle stop 16, head up the paved road on river right. This becomes steep as you ascend a tight granit canyon above the Merced river, until you cross the footbridge, which provides your first glimpse of Vernal falls.
Just beyond here there is a fork in the trail. To the left is the traditional mist trail, to the right is the start of the John Muir trail. A 210.4 mile trail that finishes a the summit of Mount Whitney. Follow this trail to get "birds eye" views of Vernal and Nevada falls from the South side of the canyon. At the next(maybe second) trail junction go left (northish) and follow the signs for Nevada falls and Half Dome. When you are at the top of Nevada falls, enjoy the overlook and the powerful water running below your feet as you cross the bridge at the top.
Descend via the traditional mist trail passing nearly below the water falls that during heavy flow, there is no choice but be be enveloped by the mist of the falls.
On that note let's nominate Half Dome while were here. The difference is at the top of Nevada Falls keep going while following the signs to Half Dome, if I remember correctly all left turns. Take the Via Ferretta cables to the top for an unprecedented view of the Yosemite Valley.
Tenaya Lake to Clouds Rest to Half Dome to Yosemite Valley--22 miles one way
This is also a one way hike and works best if your family will drop you off on the way to Yosemite Valley so you can race them to the valley. Expect to spend 12-14 hours as you will not want to rush through the beauty. A permit is required to summit Half Dome.
Tenaya Lake to Clouds Rest: Roughly 7 miles and the hardest climbing of the day. But don't fool yourself by thinking, "It is downhill from here." I'll include a video of the "scary" knife edge ridge below that leads to the final Clouds Rest summit.
Clouds Rest to Half Dome: Roughly 7 miles and you can follow the trail or take a "shortcut" off trail over the Quarter Domes. On this long hike the crowds will already have thinned out by the time you reach the cables. I was there at the busiest time of the year in August on a beautiful day and I was the ONLY person on the cables at about 3:00 pm.
Half Dome to Yosemite Valley: The final 7 miles. This will include Nevada and Vernal Falls and finish with the Mist Trail. Hard to imagine that the Falls and the Mist Trail seem like an afterthought to this amazing day hike!
wagga -- I distinctly do NOT see a "2.a" in my original post. Fraud is not encouraged in this game. I interpret your post to be a violation of Rule # 5!
Second nomination is also good. It will be called Tenaya Lake/Clouds Rest/Half Dome/Yosemite Valley, California (see description by Chicagowright at: (same URL as previous) )
AJF -- if I follow your description, I'll call your nomination Mist Trail, Yosemite NP, California (see description of variation from standard hike by AJF at: (same URL as previous) )
Also -- Half Dome (presumably the standard hike) is a good nomination. I was planning on throwing that in, even though I've not hiked it yet. We'll call that, simply, Half Dome, Yosemite NP, California.
These are all undoubtedly great hikes. But do they pass the test of being classic and iconic? Hikes that will have instant recognition by others as either something they've also done or as being something on their "to do" list? ONLY 10 will make the cut! I'm just speculating -- my guess, for example, is that of these hikes only the classic Half Dome hike might draw enough interest to rate in the "TTUSDHYMD".
As another example -- actually, examples -- I hereby nominate these additional hikes:
Grand Canyon rim to rim, Arizona (either north to south or south to north, with south trail either Bright Angel Trail or South Kaibab Trail)
Mt. Rainier, Washington (any route -- up to summit and back)
"Angels Landing is one of the world's great hikes - perhaps the best short adventure hike in any US national park. It provides amazing views of Zion Canyon. Physically, this hike isn't that challenging. Virtually anyone in average physical condition can make the trek. But it is mentally challenging because the final leg is very steep, with sheer drop-offs. Chains have been bolted to the cliff to provide secure handholds. People seriously afraid of heights should not attempt the final leg, but can still have a very enjoyable hike up to Scout Lookout."
Location: The Grotto - Zion Canyon Difficulty: Strenuous; steep with exposure to long drop-offs Length: 5 miles (round trip), 4-5 hours Elevation change: 1,488 feet
I want to nominate "The Narrows" in Zion National Park. I hiked it top-to-bottom ~1999, and really want to go back. The "T-2-B" hike starts with a 1 1/2 hour commercial shuttle to a cattle ranch. Hiking is dry for several miles, then you wade right in. At least a third of the hike is in shallow water, but sometimes knee-deep. The scenery is fantastic. If you go late, the upper canyon has some great fall colors.
Trail guides Utah.com - "The Zion Narrows route is the most popular hike in Zion Park, and one of the world's best canyon hikes. It is pure fun and can be tailored to suit any ability level."
Joe's Guide to Zion - "The North Fork of the Virgin River (aka "The Zion Narrows") is probably one of the most legendary canyons to hike in all of Zion National Park."
Zion national-park.com - "The Zion Narrows deserves its reputation as one of the best, if not the best, hike in the National Park System."
1. Tenaya Lake/Clouds Rest/Half Dome/Happy Isles This hike is familiar to almost any hiker. The key is grouping these segments into one epic dayhike qualified to be part of the TTUSDHYMD. Of course the Mist Trail has to be part of the list. Of course Half Dome has to be part of the list. And it would be a crying shame if Clouds Rest were left off the list. But I don't want to take 3 of the top 10 when these can be grouped together for ONE awesome day hike. I hope we don't resort to using an easily attainable list. So I can imagine many may vote to settle for just Half Dome---but how can you pass up that view of Half Dome from Clouds Rest???
2. Crow Pass, Alaska Well this one certainly is not easily attainable but perhaps a description of the full day may draw more votes. First imagine yourself having made your way to Anchorage. A beautiful city surrounded by the Chugach Mountains on one side and the Cook Inlet on the other. You are minutes away from multiple trailheads and only a gorgeous 40 minute drive to this iconic trailhead. So this is how your day will go: First you can start the hike just about anytime you want because the season for this hike will include 24 daylight. Let's assume a 7 am start.
7:00am You leave the city of Anchorage and as you exit the main part of the city you see moose on the side of the road.
7:05am You will pass Potter's Marsh on your left which has multitude species of birds, a bald eagle nest, and a spawning salmon area.
7:07am Just a few minutes away from downtown you will cross Bird Creek and easily spot Salmon in the waters. If you are lucky you will see bears, Grizzly or Black, fishing for those Salmon.
7:15am Soon you find yourself between the cliffs of the Chugach on your left and the Cook Inlet on the right. It is very likely you will soon see a Bald Eagle soaring over those cliffs. And no less likely you will come across herds of Dall Sheep high on the cliffs and sometimes they wander down to the road.
7:20am If you can tear your gaze away from the wildlife and views on your left you can see the beautiful Susitna mountain on your right and may even catch a glimpse of Denali (Mt. McKinley) in your rearview mirrow. Also on your right, across the Turnagain Arm, you will see luscious emerald green mountains partially covered with snow all the way down to sea level.
7:25am Again on your right you will pass by Beluga Point and again if you are lucky you will spot beluga whales out in the inlet
7:35am You are approaching Girdwood and your turn off the Seward Highway to the Crow Pass Trailhead. It is very likely you will see moose out in the swamp land just before the turn.
7:40am As you complete the drive, you will pass many old gold mining areas, some still active!
7:45am Well you have not even begun your hike yet! Time to Start!
7:55am You hit the trail. Be sure to sign the register! This is a big time hike and S&R will use this register if needed for clues to find you!
The concept of switchbacks has struggled to make its way to Alaska so you will find yourself climbing very quickly. The high point of the hike will come quickly. It doesn't take long for you to be surrounded by snow topped emerald green mountains. Be sure to make noise on the trail before climbing above the tree line to ensure you don't surprise any bears.
8:45am You will approach a waterfall surrounded by snow cover. Just next to this area is an old abandoned gold mine with equipment artifacts still scattered in areas.
9:55am Even with rest breaks and a sidetrip to the Falls, we made it to the top of Crow Pass within 2 hours. The 3,500 ft. Summit will be your highest elevation point. But standing at the sign, BELOW you, you see your 2nd glacier on the hike. Because you have already passed an alpine lake fed by the first glacier on your left. If you want to spend a little extra time, you can hike right down to this glacier. At this point you have only covered about 3 miles and have about 19 to go.
I won't break down the rest of the time spots because it can vary but it is likely your way down off the summit will include an ice bridge crossing, descending snow covered hills with easy glissading opportunities, and soon find yourself in meadows with 6 foot brush surrounding you on both sides. This is where I began to think about the Jurassic Park scene where Velociraptors began plucking the men from the trail. Our group of five hikers made sure to make plenty of noise to again scare off the bears. It is also wise to avoid the Devils Club!
The rest of the hike still has plenty of surprises! A gorge crossing, waterfalls, moose, bears, beavers, eagles, Emerald Green Mountains, Snow Covered Mountains, Glaciers, etc. And don't forget the Glacier Water river crossing. Pick your poison---if it a cold, cloudy day hike the river level will be lower. If it is a warmer day, the glacier melt will mean the water level will be higher. Either way, it is painfully cold and this crossing may be the most dangerous part of the hike.
As you finish this hike between 7-8pm the light will seem like mid-afternoon. You are only 30 minutes away from great Anchorage restaurants---seafood, pizza--take your pick! But try to get a window view. A moose may wander by as you eat!
1. Rise early and rough it by preparing breakfast in microwave oven
2. Don't bother to break camp as you will be back before nightfall
3. Hit the trail early to reach REI Open Space by 8 am before the crowds arrive, ala Half Dome Cables
4. Detour into deep grass to avoid the vicious dog by the green house and hope the old fence holds one more time
5. Carefully avoid traffic as the path narrows by the creek. You may have a wet crossing if it has rained alot lately
6. Act a little smug as you reach the REI Open Space noting that you are among the first to ascent the summit. Note your time is a new speed record for the hike and remember to post on WZ so others can applaud your fantastic hiking time
7. Get ticked off as you realize you forgot your REI Permit that entitles you to a 20% discount and head home
Certainly not the quality of: An Ascent of Rum Doodle (Harvey will have read that one)
CMC wrote: > 7. Get ticked off as you realize you forgot your REI Permit that entitles you to a 20% discount and head home
I prefer this as #7: 7. Smugly recite your REI member number to the checkout clerk, because it is so low it is easy to remember. Then brag to the clerk how you got that number long before he or she was born.
These are all undoubtedly great hikes. But do they pass the test of being classic and iconic? Hikes that will have instant recognition by others as either something they've also done or as being something on their "to do" list? ONLY 10 will make the cut! I'm just speculating -- my guess, for example, is that of these hikes only the classic Half Dome hike might draw enough interest to rate in the "TTUSDHYMD".
Wait, isn't this a rule 5 violation??? I don't see anything in the rules about "classic and iconic". Whats so great about hikes that a zillion people a year do? Do we want fifty people to win the "done' em all prize?" Sure, that's one strong recommendation, but avant garde and obscure has its appeal too. I thought the only substantive criterion was "must do". Case in Point, my next nomination:
THE LOST COAST!
Total Distance: 24 miles
Elevation at start: 0 (+-2)
Elevation at Finish: 0 (+-2)
Elevation gain/loss: 0/0
Recommended time: 3 days minimum, but come on, 24 miles with no elevation issue? Cakewalk! Right?
Day hike: theoretically possible but recommended to pick a segment from the map of the whole route.
Recommendations: Along the northern coast of California, civilization has left its mark on all but the most rugged or remote stretches of coastline known as The Lost Coast.
Untouched by major highways and towns, the name is well earned because it can only be accessed by a few back roads leading out of Shelter Cove in the south and Mattole in the north.
A part of the King Range Conservation Area managed by the BLM, the Lost Coast Trail is a 24 mile stretch of coast that leads north from Black Sands Beach to the Mattole River, along the wilderness beach. This is a rugged hike, not a simple walk on the beach, and is one of only a few coastal wilderness hiking experiences in the U.S. Hikers can view sea lions, tidepools and spectacular spring wildflowers. Not to mention sea otters, killer whales and bears, the latter highly skilled in the art of ursine nutritional larceny. Maybe the only beach in the country where you need a bear canister, and the only wilderness area where you need a tide chart.
Much of the trail is beach hiking with several stretches of boulders: rounded and wet, beach talus, so wear sturdy hiking boots. Stream crossings may be impassible during/after heavy winter rains (no bridges). The area near Punta Gorda from Sea Lion Gulch to Randall Creek; and from Miller Flat to Gitchell Creek may be impassible during high tide. Carry a tide table, and when in doubt, hike these stretches during an outgoing tide to avoid being trapped.
To obtain a backcountry permit, call the Bureau of Land Management, Arcata Field Office, at 707-825-2300. Or go to the website link above for more information.
Please Remember! Never turn your back on the ocean; large "sleeper" waves can occur at any time, sweeping unsuspecting hikers into the ocean.
Directions: Take the Honeydew exit from Hwy 101 (about 25 miles north of Garberville). Turn left on Bull Creek/Mattole Road and drive 22 miles. At Honeydew, turn west toward Petrolia and drive 13.5 miles. Before crossing the river, turn west on Lighthouse Road and drive five miles to the parking area.
OR: From Ferndale, take Petrolia Road 30 miles to Petrolia. Go 3/4 mile past Petrolia, cross the river and turn west onto Lighthouse Road, continue five miles to parking area.
-Note: be careful along the long drive from Hwy 101, often on narrow, winding, steep paved roads. The drive is not a recommended for motor homes or vehicles with long trailers.
If you need one specific day hike for this, call it Kinsey Ridge/Saddle Mt: The Lost Coast
RenoFrank -- Angel's Landing, Zion NP, Utah is an excellent nomination. (Not that I'm biased, having done it myself!) I had intended to nominate it, but you grabbed it first.
Steve -- I feel that The Narrows, Zion NP, Utah is also an excellent nomination. I haven't done that, but had thought I might nominate it -- the hiking in water certainly gives this hike a uniqueness beyond the scenery. (I have done the first two miles before you have to enter the water.)
And you've unwittingly become tasked with furnishing map links for all nominations!
Chicagowright -- the "rationales" were unnecessary, your nominations had been fine. But -- these new hike descriptions are excellent examples of "impassioned and persuasive speech" which may win ultimate votes for your nominations!
Also, I received a call from the Alaska Chamber of Commerce asking for contact information for you! Seriously, your descriptiion helps me -- because I am tentatively planning my first trip ever to Alaska next year.
CMC2 -- I hereby adopt Rule # 19 -- humor is both allowed and encouraged!
saltydog -- no rule that nominations have to be "classic and iconic". The "test" I suggested was more in the spirit of -- and it's just my opinion -- that this will likely be in the minds of all voters. If only 10 hikes are selected from among scores, my guess is that familiarity (either by experience or reading) will contribute heavily to decision making. Even though a hike may be to die for (not literally!), if voters are first hearing about it via a nomination, and yet have had repeated exposure one way or another to other nominated hikes, my guess is that votes will go to those other hikes. Not that it's necessarily a good choice -- it's just what people, at large, do. For better or worse, popular vote and sentiment is sort of what defines "classic and iconic".
(I guess this is all good reason to put emphasis on that "impassioned and persuasive" pitch in for one's nominations, especially if they are relatively unknown.)
Chicagowright -- the "rationales" were unnecessary, your nominations had been fine. But -- these new hike descriptions are excellent examples of "impassioned and persuasive speech" which may win ultimate votes for your nominations!
Also, I received a call from the Alaska Chamber of Commerce asking for contact information for you! Seriously, your descriptiion helps me -- because I am tentatively planning my first trip ever to Alaska next year.
We could easily have a TTYDHYMD substituting Yosemite for US. Nobody has yet nominated Panorama, 4 mile Trail or Yosemite Falls Trails. I guess I have beaten that rationale to death.
But as far as Alaska I've only been here 9 months and still can't believe I have these world class trailheads minutes from my home. And I've only hiked in the Anchorage area and Alaska has so much to offer. It is hard to decide which way to go! I had not heard about Crow Pass until 10 months ago. And my description above is no exaggeration or marketing spin!
Let me know which direction you are heading and I may be able to help point you in the right direction for questions or services. I'm learning so much myself so I will be interested in your plans.
Funny you should mention those 3 Yosemite hikes. Last September I visited Yosemite for my first time and hiked Half Dome. My group has already booked accommodations for the end of next May and we intend to hike Yosemite Falls, Four Mile Hike, and the Panorama trail.
I'm always searching for "classic and iconic" day hikes a reasonable distance from Reno. Therefore I'm anxiously awaiting further nominations.It doesn't bother me if a zillion people have hiked there. I try to pick a time and/or day to encounter less traffic. A friend of mine from Canada has recommended this hike that I also nominate - Grouse Grind: It is a steep trail that climbs 853 m (2,800 ft) over a distance of 2.9 km (1.8 mi), with an average grade of 17 degrees and short sections of up to 30 degrees. The trail, nicknamed "Mother Nature's Stairmaster", is notoriously grueling due to its steepness and mountainous terrain. Hikers, who often time themselves on the trail, reach the top in approximately 90 minutes on average although some who are very fit can finish in under 30 minutes."
Steve I knew someone would mention that you can give your REI # or name and the check out clerk would qualify you getting the discount. BUT I had to get home somehow.
By the way my REI number from 1961 is 202766, an easy one to remember, AND I got it well before most of the clerks were born.
