Hiking the Pemi Loop – 3 Day Backpacking Trip
Come along for 3 Days of Hammock Camping, Hiking, and Backpacking on a classic Pemi Loop in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. GPS data at
The Pemi Loop, made popular by it’s distinction as one of “America’s Hardest Day Hikes” in a May, 2005 Backpacker Magaizine article, is not actually an “official” trail, but rather a series of AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) trails joined to create a 31.5 mile tear drop shaped loop in New Hampshire’s Franconia Wilderness Area.
For this hike, I’ll be solo hammock camping with my Hennessy Hammock and the larger 12′ x 10′ Deluxe Hex Tarp, due to the threat of cold and wet late summer weather. In the White Mountains, weather can turn on a dime even with the brightest of forecasts, so when the weather report actually says things are going to be iffy, you’d better take it seriously. For this trip we’ll experience a wide range of conditions – from hazy summer heat, to gusty bursts of hail and chilling nighttime lows.
Gear List Highlights:
Hennessy Expedition Asym Hammock
Hennessy Deluxe Hex Tarp equipped with
Zing-it guy lines & Dutchware Wasps for quick, knot-free setup
Hammock Gear Incubator 40 underquilt
Hammock Gear Burrow 40 Topquilt
Osprey Hornet 46 Backpack
Fenix HL21 Headlamp
DIY Cookpot w/ DIY cat can alcohol stove
Ribz Front Pack for Carrying Camera Gear
Samsung H300 HD Camera (3 spare batteries), GoPro Hero 3 Black, RAVpower 10,400mAh USB battery pack, Garmin 650t GPS
Pemi Loop Direction:
Clockwise
Parking and Start Point:
Lincoln Woods Visitor Center N44° 03.820′ W71° 35.300′
Trails Used, Day 1:
Lincoln Woods Trail
Osseo Trail
Franconia Ridge Trail
Garfield Ridge Trail
Setup Stealth Camp
Summits: Mt Flume, Mt Liberty, Little Haystack Mountain, Mt Lincoln, Mt Lafayette
Mileage: 11.5 Miles
Gross Elevation Gain: 5,787′
Trails Used, Day 2:
Garfield Ridge Trail
Twinway Trail
Bondcliff Trail
West Bond Spur Trail
Bondcliff Trail
Lincoln Woods Trail
Setup Stealth Camp
Summits: Mt Garfield, South Twin Mountain, Mt Guyot, West Bond Mountain, Mt Bond, Bondcliff
Mileage: 17 Miles
Gross Elevation Gain: 4,659′
Trails Used, Day 3:
Lincoln Woods Trail
Return to Car
Mileage: 4.5 Miles
Gross Elevation Gain: 62′
3 Day Pemi Loop Trip Totals:
Mileage: 32.5 Miles
Gross Elevation Gain: 10,508′
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My girl and I watch your vids all the time and we constant hike in the whites.
What map were you using?
Dang Dude. It's Sunday morning here. I just woke up after falling asleep with this on. Gotta watch the whole thing again. Hope all is well mate. Big up.
My son is hiking the Pemi Loop now. Thanks and take care.
Thanks . Just did the pemi over the weekend. I used your gpx file from your web page and camped at your spot. It definitely helped! Take care!
How do people trail run that!?
I think the trails going to Mount Rogers @ Grayson Highlands were rough and tough, but those White Mountain trails look like energy zappers! Great video Sintax !!
Taking advantage of that water source!!
hiya! What do you guys drink on the trail for cocktails???
Niceman love the pemi
What map set did you use on this trip?
Hello my outdoors friend, This afternoon I came across your video from Sept. 2014. You are a man of great energy. I had to take a seat in my recliner because I was near exhausted watching you out on the trail. Good thing that you were wearing a pack and had camera equipment otherwise you would have been blown away by the wind. Always be safe out there.
🤗
This is probably the 3rd time I've watched this trip and it got me thinking about your cold alcohol issue. What if you heated the cat stove itself with the candle then pour in the alcohol? Maybe the hot cat stove would heat the alcohol enough to light it?
You should do the Great Range Traverse in the Adirondacks next year!
Hey Sintax, figured id actually comment for once! This video was the first I watched on your channel, and since then I’ve been hooked! Love that you are always up in the Whites, as I live only 2 or so hours from there and am frequently up hiking. Anyways, just dropping in and showing this OG video some love and say that your channel was my main inspiration to to start filming my own hiking trips. Keep doing what you do man!
Where did you get your paper copy map for this Loop?
Hey where did you get the trail map !?
Thought I'd watched this one but hadn't – kinda brutal hike maybe?
what was the coldest temp you got on this hike? I'm taking on the pemi loop in 2 weeks with 2 friends. Trying take off ounces where I can but still dont want to freeze to death. thanks for the gps data.
I have heard those jets every time I'm in that notch. fighter jets.
I just realised that I get pains in my knees after watching your videos.
What do you do when you meet a sow black bear with cubs around a corner on the trail?
You killed that trail, and thanks for being so frank about the hike! Love your channel and watch every one of your videos that I can find. Thinking about creating my own channel for some hiking videos here in Romania, while I am working here.
Hey Syntax77, do you take any bear or critter precautions in the white mountains? I was there last summer and I though a black bear was trying to get into my sealed freeze dried foods I had in my bag under my tent awning… turns out it was a rodent, but in the middle of the night it's hard to tell!
One of my favorite videos.
thanks for another great video. where did you go for that burger? if you havent tried it yet the black mountain burger company is excellent. and you ca sit on a leather couch to enjoy your burger
if you like
Just watched this again…WOW what a hike…it would have taken me 5 days. Yikes!
Always enjoy your videos Sintax thank you!
The Pemi loop was my first (and so far only) backpacking trip. As one hiker said "you picked a hell of a hike for your first one" and he wasn't lying. We went counterclockwise and i'll never forget climbing UP the waterfall that you went down just after Garfield campground.. with 40 pounds on my back. But it sure was worth it. Awesome experience!
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Was wondering if you still use your ribz front pack hiking,havent noticed in your later vids if you do or not????
Wow..that sky from Garfield…the sun and clouds…amazing! Thanks for taking us along…I will look for your patreon page…
What would be a good cheap hammock setup? I've been thinking about one of the 50 dollar eno hammocks, and some cheap rain tarp cover thing. I already have some thin sleeping bag like things I could use for sleeping in in the hammock. Is this a good setup? I don't have a lot of money, and wanted your opinion. Thanks!
Hi Sintax, really enjoy your videos, what camera gear are you using?
Hey sintax I'm looking into getting a hammock and was wondering what is your hammock and tarp setup
It has been 2 years since the last time that I watched this video from start to finish. We are already thinking about our main trip for next year. The Pemi Loop looks good! The Red River Gorge and maybe Colorado is another one that we've been talking about. I sure hope that everything is ok with your area from Hermine. We were thinking and about you and Sara.
Does your mind play tricks on you when your solo night hiking? Be honest.
Love this video!
Getting ready to head out in the morning to do the Pemi Loop – 22 hour drive from FL. Watch your video a few time in preparation. Thanks
Day 1 and Day 2 were like two totally different hikes with the weather and how he was feeling
I bet you are reconsidering your alcohol setup… I would drop that like a hot rock. No hot dinner = a hangry gunguy…
I've enjoyed several of your videos and you, sire, are no slouch. I knew when you mentioned 9am start something would make up for that lol. Great views, keep em coming.
ATB -Curt
Really enjoyed this video. I've skied at Loon Mountain several years back. Making me miss the White's!
Hey Sintax,
Great and informative video!! Quick question: what information was available to determine that you couldn't camp on the Bondcliff Trail? I'm looking at the AMC topo map and can't see any markings that would determine if you can or can't camp in an area….be good to know prior to going out where these protected areas are.
Thanks for all the journeys!!
Hello, I have but a few questions/comments:
1) Were there any water crossing on the west side of the loop that requires gaiters?
2) Do you reckon that maybe if you woke up :30 mins before dawn and started hiking at dawn until or about sunset that you could have finished this trail in 2 full days / 1 night in the Summer Weather?
3) This trail/loop is probably the worst marked trail I've ever been to, and I've section-hiked parts of the lower AT and the RMNP. Any tips on how to make sure you stay on the trail, whether rocks at or near the top and disappearing trails down near the bottom?
This March I hiked, counterclockwise, the Eastern Side of the Trail up until Twin Brook Trail and down Franconia Trail. There was a lot of ice in the higher elevations. I had to cut the trip short since the forecast had changed just before I got started, to a coming Winter Storm with under 0 F temps and about 70 mph winds in the next 36 hours from start (My down bag is rated for about 21 degrees, ouch!). Spent the night at Guyout Shelter with a couple of college kids that knew their way around and that I had caught with them at Bondcliff Trail, split with them at Twin Brook the next day, got lost at Twin Brook probably near 13 falls campground (the trail sort of disappeared with all the snow), used the compass, map and the sounds and direction (South) of the Franconia Brook an did a lot of water crossings down the Franconia Trail , but did not care since I was on my way to the car and finished right at sunset when the storm was just moving in. I wanted to allocate 3 days/2 night max in this wintry weather, but well…… I am about to try the hike again now in April with temps, as per mountain-forecast, from the low 20s to the low 30s and clear with winds between 5 and 10, as per the Mount Lafayette forecast at the peak, which is the extreme and what was recommended by the Rangers. I will try and start right at dawn, which is around 5ish AM, after driving from Nashua, where I am staying with Family (I am from Florida!).
enjoyed your hike immensely…felt like i did it with you…you are inspiring me to get out there….thank you!!!
hey syntax, good job on the videos gettn better all the time. hey next time you head up to the whites let me know im in londonderry nh you prob know my back yard better than me by now… -Will
Hey Sintax are you ever gonna camp in ohio?