3 days, 4 peaks, which order ???

[rdl]

Driving up Sunday night through Wednesday to Upper Works. Plans are to do Grey, Cliff, Allen and Santanoni. Looking for suggestions on what may be the most economical way to do these four peaks in the time allowed.

One thought was to hike in to Flowed Lands Sunday night and setup base camp. Day hike Grey and Cliff on Monday, day hike Allen on Tuesday, hike out either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning and then day hike Santanoni.

Another option was to hike in and setup camp Sunday night near Lake Jimmy or Sally, climb Allen on Monday and then continue on past Hanging Spear Falls to Flowed Lands Monday night. Hike Grey and Cliff on Tuesday then out Wednesday AM to climb Santanoni.

Or the same as option number two but in the opposite direction.

Or maybe I'm over analyzing this whole thing and I should just decide when I get to the trailhead and see where my feet take me.

I'll be there with my son and we're both pretty fast hikers.

Thoughts ???

[Antlerpeak]

Originally Posted by rdl

One thought was to hike in to Flowed Lands Sunday night and setup base camp. Day hike Grey and Cliff on Monday, day hike Allen on Tuesday, hike out either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning and then day hike Santanoni.

Another option was to hike in and setup camp Sunday night near Lake Jimmy or Sally, climb Allen on Monday and then continue on past Hanging Spear Falls to Flowed Lands Monday night. Hike Grey and Cliff on Tuesday then out Wednesday AM to climb Santanoni.
Thoughts ???

Option one appears more economical, a few thoughts.
Day hiking Allen requires a 5 & 1/2 mile one way from the parking lot to the site of the old Twin Brook Lean-to. which is distance you would cover if you camped at Lake Jimmy or Sally. The distance from the Flowed Lands Dam to Twin Brook is only 2 & 1/2making option one appear a better bet. There is also a very nice lean-to on Livingston Point along a side trail from the Dam to the flow. It would be a good spot to base.

The Livingston Point L-T is on the Cliff Mt side of the flow and it is possible to follow the stream to the oppalescent trail at Lake colden above the lake avoiding that up and down muddy route from Calamity to Colden. Check the HP map you can see the route fairly clearly though there is no official trail from Livingston to the east side of Lake Colden. That may save time and effort when doing Cliff and Gray.

Staying at Livingston the night before Allen and the second night before your climb of Cliff-Gray saves a lot of lugging. You might consider on Tuesday after whichever hill you tackle moving camp down the Calamity trail. You may not want to drop in the parking lot but you should be able to find a decent campsite on the Calamity route. That five mile hike out with full pack before doing Santanoni sounds ugly.

Allen may be best for Tuesday. It is about .75 miles from the L-t to the dam and 2.5 from there to Twin Brook so another three to four from there to Allen. It makes Allen shorter over and back than a day hike from the road. Of course you could brake camp and stash your stuff near Twin Brook and head out via Jimmy/Sally But again that 5.5 miles with a full pack and the vehicle at Upper Works makes the over and back sound like a better bet.

It sounds like quite a challenge, good luck hope the weather is on your side.

[rdl]

The Livingston Point L-T is on the Cliff Mt side of the flow and it is possible to follow the stream to the oppalescent trail at Lake colden above the lake avoiding that up and down muddy route from Calamity to Colden. Check the HP map you can see the route fairly clearly though there is no official trail from Livingston to the east side of Lake Colden. That may save time and effort when doing Cliff and Gray.

Thanks for the advice, that was something I hadn't considered...