Presidential Traverse, White Mountains, NH
Ryan Welts set the FKT on Sept. 5, 2009, 5h7m44s.
Wikipedia
describes the Presidential Traverse as follows: "A Presidential Traverse, as
it is known to hikers in the Northeast, is a strenuous and sometimes dangerous
trek over the Presidential Range of New Hampshire's White Mountains. Contained
almost entirely in the 750,000-acre White Mountain National Forest, the
Presidential Range is a string of summits in excess of 4,000 feet. To complete
the traverse, one must begin at either the northern or southern terminus of the
Presidential Range and finish at the opposing end. As there are multiple definitions
for the Presidential Traverse, what happens in between is a question of debate..."
While many hikers have claimed that doing the traverse without tagging the summits
is valid, this seems counter to the definition of a range traverse. The minimum
traverse, from Madison to Pierce, is just under 20 miles, but of course the
trailhead-to-trailhead distance is farther. For most hikers, the northern trailhead
is near the town of Appalachia, and the southern trailhead is Crawford Notch.
A good topo map is here.
This page gives
distances, elevation gains and "typical" hiking times.
Ryan Welts ran the Presi (including Pierce) in 5h7m44s on Sept. 5, 2009, about
4 weeks after setting the FKT on the Pemigewasset Loop.
His report is here.
A photo of Welts on the route is here.
Prior to Welts, the fastest time I am aware of was from an unofficial "race" of one
version of the route (not really the "classic" route) on Sept. 13, 1988. Ian Torrence
and Steve Smith ran the race from Dolly Copp campground to Crawford Notch in 5h25m on
September 13, 1998, summitting Madison (via the Howker Ridge Trail), Adams, Jefferson,
Clay, Washington, Monroe and Eisenhower (but not Webster or Pierce) along the way.
The race provided no aid stations, but the runners refueled on top of Mt. Washington.
Torrence felt it likely that others had done the traverse faster, but knew
of no faster time.