Toughest Mountain Range

[1ADAM12]

In your opinion what range did you find tougher? Sewards, Dixes, or Santas.

I found the SANTAS to be tougher I hurt my knee pretty bad descending Couch and was unable to get Sant. It doesn't hurt my feeling any though because I had no views the day I was there. I am looking forward to seeing the great views from Sant that I have been hearing so much about

Adam

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Peakbagr

Sawtooths.

That's an unlevel playing field. Imagine if there were horde trails in the Sawtooths. (or Sentinels).

[AlpineSummit]

I voted Dixes, only cuz they're 5 of 'em.
The Santa's only have one difficult peak and that is Couchee.
The Seward's have only one also - Seward itself - altho Emmons is no gimme.

Hands down - the Dixes.

[timmus]

The Dixes have many trails and Slides going up, it can be done in various ways, and with several day-hikes. The views ease the pain.

The Santanoni's ? I did it in winter, and it was charming (trails were broken).

The Sewards I found the toughest, because the herd paths are very eroded, there's crazy mud holes, and the walk on the truck road is a killer when you are coming back from Seymour.

I can't wait to do them in winter, with broken trails. Dec 21st, anyone ??

[arm]

the Gasherbrum Range can be a tough solo day hike

http://www.summitpost.org/object_lis...e_1=Gasherbrum

are you including Seymour with the Sewards ?

[Boreal Chickadee]

Well I'm not the best judge because I've only done Seymour out of the Sewards and i'm still misssing couchie. Let's all do the hurricane dance so Ernesto stays off the coast so I can change that this weekend.

So for what it's worth.

I thought Seymour was pretty easy (darn I must be sick or just getting used to scrambling in mud over boulders).

I've made three trips to the Dixes with some duplication of peaks. I found the climb up Dix long and steep. I found the rest of the Dix range a lot of fun, thoroughly enjoyable. For me no matter whether you add in Dix by climibng it first or climbing it last, either way you have to deal with a very steep hard on the knees up or down. Without having to make that final climb over to Dix, the range is awesome because then you can return via the slide.

The Santas just have that horribly long road slog back to the car and the stream going up seems to be endless. Once on top it's a lot of fun.

So until I finish them off, I can't vote.

[AlpineSummit]

Ok I changed my mind.
It's the Gasherbrums - hands down.

[Dick]

I guess it really depends upon when you hike them and what condition you're in, and how many you do at once. Trying to be objective about it, I guess I'd vote for the Sewards.

[mike1889]

I think the Sewards are slightly harder than the Santas, with the Dixes quite a bit easier than both. I guess it depends on the conditions and how I felt on the days I did the peaks.

[ADKatie]

I vote Dixes because they broke me. Literally. Physically.

I was going to vote based on how many tears I shed in the range, but then realized I shed more in the Dix's due to the fact that I got broken, so that was an unfair comparison.

I did flip Emmons the bird and DETESTED that traverse all the way back to Seward and down, but I can't say it was hard, just long and dull. Maybe Seymour was what saved the range for me?

Dixes. Up and down and up and down and up up up and down and up and down down straight DOWN, are you kidding me with this? Oh, thanks for the busted hand, just when I thought I was free and clear and on the home stretch.

[randomscooter]

I've done all these ranges in eleven months of the year, and I keep putting off doing the twelfth. I guess that means I find them all challenging. The best measure I can come up with is the "pre-hike jitters" scale. On that basis hands down its the Sewards.

[Eric]

It is tough to really pick just 1 range as the toughest, since it depends on the time of the year. The Dix range is decent to follow with the herd paths and the maintained trail from Elk to Dix . Dix range in the winter time is tough but feels more managable as the range seems to be more defined with the trails to Dix.
For me personally it would be the Seward Range.
The Sewards are very difficult in the winter time if there is no packed trail, the long road in and out certainly adds much more milage.

[Mark Schaefer]

I have only hiked all three ranges on ideal summer days so none of them were particularly difficult. Once up on the ridge by either the Great Grace or Macomb slide the rest of the Dix hike is just clockwork on the herd paths with a trail descent. I did the Santas and the Sewards late summer to avoid the mud and bugs so neither was bad. I did all three ranges with an at elevation bivouac (when it was legal) to split the hikes over two days, so none of them seemed like a slog.

My vote is Sewards (including Seymour) because of the two 2K climbs (I never did the pass whack). When I did both Sewards and Santas in the early 1990s the herd path descriptions in the McMartin book were tack on. Whenever there was a doubt, the book had the right answer every time - it was almost too easy. If Seymour is not in the definition then it is a toss-up.

[MattC]

Another vote for the Sewards. The only one of out the three ranges I overnighted (so far) and the only one I made two trips to (also so far-I intend to hike all the High Peaks again over the years, probably several times).

I agree with Mark's point about the two large climbs for the Sewards-this is assuming we're counting Seymour as one of that range. The other ranges in question have only one major climb, then many ups and downs. I didn't find the Dix Range all that difficult, although the climb up Dix from the Hough and the schlog back to Elk Lake weren't exactly easy either.

I do agree that a lot is subjective, and condition-dependent. I'd be curious to see if anyone has the objective numbers for the three ranges-elevation gain, mileage, etc.

Matt

[masshysteria]

A vote for the Sewards here, especially if you can do all 4 at once (yours truly did NOT). Plus I utilized the Caulkins Brook route, which I felt made the day much easier.
Of the 3, I would say the Dixes were the easiest. But I can certainly feel For Katie voting them as the hardest. Remind me Katie, how far did you have to walk back with a broken hand? I remember Dix Pond being mentioned.

[AlpineSummit]

Tom,
The little whiner only broke her pinky.........

[ADKatie]

Originally Posted by masshysteria

Remind me Katie, how far did you have to walk back with a broken hand? I remember Dix Pond being mentioned.

You've got it right, Dix Pond was where the "incident in question" occurred. Well, just a few feet before you get to the junction there. So what is that, about 3 or so miles to the Elk Lake Lodge parking lot?

In pain, in shock, in the dark, and unsure exactly how far I had yet to go, one of the hardest things I have ever done.

[Dick]

Originally Posted by ADKatie

You've got it right, Dix Pond was where the "incident in question" occurred. Well, just a few feet before you get to the junction there. So what is that, about 3 or so miles to the Elk Lake Lodge parking lot?

In pain, in shock, in the dark, and unsure exactly how far I had yet to go, one of the hardest things I have ever done.

Been there, done that...sort of.. On Noonmark trail. Difference was I broke my wrist. Of course, it was daylight, and I was only a mile from the car.

[Mavs00]

Originally Posted by AlpineSummit

Tom,
The little whiner only broke her pinky.........

Argh, ye are never to be splitting ure tongue at me fine lass no more you son of a Biscuit Eater.

Ummmm, that's mean "please be nice to the pretty lady" in pirate




Oh yeah, my vote. The south "V" of the western Fishing Brook Range (the one that contains #3, #4, #5 and #6). OTOH, we didn't get to see all that much of it before turning tail and running.

[LionRoar]

The three aformentioned ranges are among my favorites. I lead hikes to each range, each summer or fall and rather enjoy each outing. Often I like to see how the area has been affected by the weather, i.e. blowdowns.

I don't understand why people -- not on this board per se -- continue to complain about how 'this trail was awful' and 'the balsams were in my eyes' or 'the nettles were too thick' and so forth. Isn't hiking supposed to be fun? Don't we go into the woods to be enjoy ourselves? Or is it about finding the lesser of all tortures: Nettles or work? (hint: jewelweed really works)

I hiked Emmons last week and it was a gorgeous day; I hiked Couchsachraga a month ago and it was a wonderful hike. And I will hike them again and again.

For the fun of it.