America's Hardest Dayhikes

It is interesting that the two hikes with the highest mileage are both on the East Coast! As far as the Pemi-Loop goes, Backpacker Mag is totally correct! It's not the mileage or the elevations gain/loss that hurts you in NH; it's the rocks! They don't call it the Granite State for nothing...

My experience was that Mt Whitney was a doddle. Did that a couple years ago, and was back by 13:30. Grand Canyon I did this year, and it was much, much harder due mainly to the heat/dehydration.

I'm from the UK, and I'm considering, for 2012: A US road trip that begins with the Cactus to Clouds, follow that up with a Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim then the Timberline Trail and finish with the Enchantment Lakes traverse. Is there a time of year when I could realistically do all of these within three weeks?

Mahoosuc Range Traverse from Gorham NH to Old Speck Mt ME, about the same mileage as Pemi Loop, but more elevation gain and more rugged terrain, including AT's "toughest mile" at Mahoosuc Notch.

Here's another good one: Hut to hut White Mountains traverse, 50 miles, 17k elevation gain (34k elevation change). Usually the goal for this one is under 24h.

"Bob Marshall's big hike" traverse in ADK, about 32 miles, 13500 elevation gain (27000 elevation change). It's basically Great Range on steroids.

How were the scores calculated?

HJ

Cactus to Clouds is best done in late fall before the snow starts to hit, or early spring after it has melted. You want a clear trail without ice, and the ability to get up high enough in the morning without the desert heat killing you. We started at 4 am last October, made it to the tram station at 10:30 and relaxed for a half an hour before pushing to the top in about another 1.5 hours. Getting to the tram station is the hard part, the few miles up to the top is well maintained and relatively easy.

What time of year is optimal for hiking the Cactus to Clouds Trail
Mt., San Jacinto from Palm Springs, CA trail?

What time of year is optimal for hiking the Cactus to Clouds Trail
Mt., San Jacinto from Palm Springs, CA trail?

The Timberline Trail still (as of 2010) has a section closed after flooding in 2006 washed out a section on the north side and destabilized steep slopes. Too bad because it's a super hike.

Another hike in Oregon of similar mileage, but less vertical would be around the Three Sisters (Bend).

Cheers.

#11
Telescope Peak from Shorty's Well, Death Valley, CA. Score: 110. Miles: 30. Elevation change: 12,000. X-Factor: Skull frying heat in the middle of nowhere.

@Chenendez asked, "Why not Rim to rim to rim? Well why not Rim to rim to rim to rim?"
A: Because r2r2r is done in a day, many times per year, and r2r2r2r is not.

Then @Chenendez asked, "What happens once you reach the top of San Jacinto? Do you radio in the copter to airlift you out? How do you possibly make it back in the same day?"
a: This guy did it in 10.5 hours. http://sites.google.com/site/jeffstrailroutes/Home/mt--san-jacinto and I'm sure well-trained people will typically do it under 18-20 hours.

They didn't call this "hardest dayhikes" because they're easy, you know. But they're definitely possible.

What happened to the Devil's Path in New York?
It's 25.5 miles and has 18K feet of elev. change!

Why not Rim to rim to rim? Well why not Rim to rim to rim to rim? Isn't that harder? What can possibly beat that? I know. Rim to rim to rim to rim to rim. This article just shows some people have nothing to write. I got a real hard day hike for you. Go from Santa Monica pier to Mt Baldy. So this is suppose to be a day hike list. What happens once you reach the top of San Jacinto? Do you radio in the copter to airlift you out? How do you possibly make it back in the same day? You can't camp, because that would be a backpack trip, and wouldn't be in the same day. Hmmmmm.....

Mt. Whitney is tougher than suggested here. 6000 ft of elevation is nothing to sneeze at, and the fact that it happens, for the most part, above the tree line adds another dimension of difficulty. How many people have I seen balk at about 11,000 feet because of the effects of altitude sickness. And bring sunglasses because the sun is surreally bright at that elevation, as well.

Recently did The Great Range in reverse as a backpacking trip that included Dix and Noonmark. Missing in the description of the GR above is Basin Mountain, which is between Saddleback and Lower Haystack. Also missing is the class 3-4 climb at the top of Saddleback. We did this in reverse, going from Marcy back to St. Huberts, abandoning ship after Gothics (which sports new cables up the southern ascent) because of some pretty raucous thunderstorms. The escape route featured the pretty cool Pyramid Peak, however.

Granted, this is outdated, but I have seen the latest top hikes recently, somewhere. I have hiked several of these hikes and they are awesome.
Question..... why isn't the Rim to rim to rim in the Grand Canyon on the top list? I sure is up there in miles and elevation. It kick most of the hikes in a heart beat.