Hermit lake/Harvard cabin question

[cms829]

Hey guys heading up tonight wont get to N Conway till around midnight. Want to hike up to Either hermit lake shelters or harvard cabin and tent it. Two questions....How are we supposed to register at Pinkham notch that late or should I just pay on our way out saturday? And are there tent platforms at hardvard cabins?

[RR]

This is from Telemark's site, Hike the Whites: http://www.hikethewhites.com/harvard_cabin.html

http://www.hikethewhites.com/huntington/harvard2.jpg
Closed up in Summer
The AMC's Harvard Cabin is open December 1 to April 1 every year. Cost is $15/person/night to stay inside, with max occupancy of 16. You can camp outside for $7.50/person, groups of more than 7 are asked to camp outside. The cabin is insulated and heated with a woodstove, plus has permanent cooking stoves. A caretaker is present all the time, although he or she is often out during the days. The cabin is located below Huntington Ravine, and is frequently used by ice climbers as a base camp. Additional tenting space is available outside.

The cabin has propane laterns for light and gets water from a brook running nearby. The water is not treated so use iodine or filter if you desire. The caretaker has a radio to make emergency calls and gets the weather forecast in the morning. Guests must register for space in the book next to the winter hiker log at Pinkham, in order to prevent people hiking up only to find there is no space available.

[boardman]

I believe Harvard Cabin has been closed all this winter for repairs, but the tent sites were still open. Pinkham is open until 10pm. Not sure what you do after midnight.

[RR]

... Not sure what you do after midnight.Headlamps for the approach and what you do when you get there depends on whom you are with!

My late night arrivals at HL were no prob w/ the caretakers..settle up and it's all cool. HC tentsites may be similar

[cms829]

Lol....There will prob be some eating and then sleeping. Maybe some cards. Two guys....Unless we meet two girls who feel like hiking in the rain.....we will stick to the cards. lol

Yea I figure I'll just see whos around saturday morning or stop in Pinkham on the way out saturday.

[cms829]

called pinkham notch visitors center 3 times....no one could answer they would forward me to someone who never picked up. So at this point...Im guessing my only option would be to wait until the morning to hike up....or hike up tonight (I highly doubt the shelters will be full :) ) and stop in on the way out explain we hiked up the night before and pay then. anyone see a problem with this?

[boardman]

Poach a shelter, square up in the morning. With the forecast being what it is, I'd be really, really surprised if they were even close to full.

[RR]

Poach a shelter, square up in the morning. With the forecast being what it is, I'd be really, really surprised if they were even close to full.echo that!

[cms829]

roger that! do a nice TR when we get back. Gonna try for south gully in huntington. hopefully its got some white stuff

[tig]

at the Harvard Cabin is a disaster, dangerous, which is what I believe prompted the rangers to have it closed.

[Rider.Steve]

Poach a shelter, square up in the morning. With the forecast being what it is, I'd be really, really surprised if they were even close to full.

Like he said. Caretaker will prefer that you not disturb him with late night business, so settle in the morning.

If you have any anxiety to quench before you hike, you can call the Joe Dodge desk before they close to get a feeling for vacancies.

[cms829]

well got up to huntington by 10am-ish....Awesome Hike! Rather wet though. Visibilty was around 40 ft....headed up to the base of the gulleys...vis getting worse...got into what we thought was the left most chute....But wound up in pinnacle gulley....Backed down after witnessing some serious icefall...Vis went down to about 10-15 ft...and we called it a day. No sense in trying to find south gulley and summit in those conditions. Practiced some self arrest and anchors in the lower snow....and made the wet hike back down to pinkham. For those wondering...There is still snow in the gullies some spots 10ft+ deep. Upon further inspection pinnacle Is HEAVILY undermined, tons of running water, and Has VERY high icefall hazard. I cant speak specifically for the other gullies.

[RR]

...Visibilty was around 40 ft....headed up to the base of the gulleys...vis getting worse...got into what we thought was the left most chute....But wound up in pinnacle gulley........Odell's is tucked away and could easily be missed in the mist :D

Very sensible to bail and still find some fun with the SA and anchors practice.