Author Topic: Trail Comparisons  (Read 6609 times)

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FIGHT ON

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Trail Comparisons
« on: Aug 20, 11, 04:39:49 PM »
I'm trying to figure out which trail would use less energy up to Mt. Baden Powell.
map
Dawson Saddle (A) or Vincent Gap (B).
The Vincent Gap trail according to the Tom Harrison Map is 3.8 miles long, starts at around 6600 ft. and is about 2800 feet below Baden Powell (C). Baden Powell is about 9400 ft.
The trail from Dawson Saddle is 4.4 miles long, starts around 7900 ft. It does dip down about 300 feet between Throop Peak and Mt. Burnham and then again about 100 feet from there to Mt. Baden Powell, but that's still over a thousand feet less elevation gain than from Vincent Gap.
 ~1100 ft. vs .6 miles.
So which trail would you take to use less energy?

Offline The Boys Dad

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Re: Trail Comparisons
« Reply #1 on: Aug 20, 11, 04:48:17 PM »
I have done both before but even realizing Dawson is much longer seemed easier due to the vertical feet being less.  Go from Dawson!

snowave

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Re: Trail Comparisons
« Reply #2 on: Aug 20, 11, 05:09:17 PM »
Another couple things to maybe consider is on the Dawson Saddle trail, you are going to be hiking alot more of the time at a higher elevation... and, on an often exposed ridgeline...  vs the Vincent Gap trail, which is about 90% shaded.

Dave C

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Re: Trail Comparisons
« Reply #3 on: Aug 20, 11, 05:10:29 PM »
Neither trail is particularly difficult, but the ascent from Vincent Gap is probably more work, although you have to consider the short hike up to the saddle if you take the Dawson route. But my wife and I walked up from Vincent to the Boy Scout monument a couple weeks ago in about 1 hour 20 minutes, including breaks for the dogs to drink water. A slow walker might do it in about 2-3 hours, I suppose.