The Loj, Algonquin, Avalanche Pass Loop

[adkdremn]

I'm hoping to make it up for a weekend in early March, the 10-12. I was thinking a loop hike that would encompass starting at the Loj and iclude Wright, Algonquin and Iroquois. Then head down the trail to Lake Colden and head out Avalanche Pass and back to the Loj.
Anyone else do this in winter? I'm thinking it's about 15 miles, whereas if I backtracked it would be around 13 miles.
Just trying to get some feedback to see if this is doable. Thanks.

[Boreal Chickadee]

The trail down to Colden is very steep. Depending on the snow and ice conditons this could be a great trip or just make your life miserable for a few miles. Just aheads up to think about that section in your plans. I would think you'd have to make your final decsion whether to loop or backtrack jsut before the hike. Never know what March will be like.

[rejean]

I done that loop on January 3, 2006 and it was not to hard, in the
snow. I hike up and down with the crampons and not to hard. The
diffulties could be near Avalanche lake and Avalanche pass.

[shaggy]

once I was in that area in april and the lakes were slushy and I did not trust them for crossing, so we actually had to break trail over the bouldering / mitilda sections, and that added some unexpected time, so just be careful and prepared.

shaggy

[adkdremn]

I done that loop on January 3, 2006 and it was not to hard, in the
snow.

What kind of time frame am I looking at do you think? Can it be done with only snowshoes?

[oldsmores]

What kind of time frame am I looking at do you think? Can it be done with only snowshoes?

Hard to say - so much depends on the weather.
A friend and I did the same loop in mid-March a couple of years ago, though we skipped Iroquois. We had a perfect day, and as I recall we left the loj about 8 or 8:30 and we were back in daylight. We weren't rushing, probably spent an hour on the summit of Algonquin and another hour loafing in the sun at Avalanche Lake. We had MSR snowshoes and never felt the need to put on crampons. YMMV...

[Kevin]

...so we actually had to break trail over the bouldering / mitilda sections, and that added some unexpected time, so just be careful and prepared.

That's always my biggest fear with doing loops/not-coming-back-the-way-we-came in the winter - you have no idea what the conditions of the trail ahead will be, and if it's after doing much of the climb, you could face exhaustion in the most extreme cases. Looking for recent trip reports may help planning in that respect.

[adkdremn]

Good advice from all, I knew I could count on you guys!
As is the case with winter hiking, it's always pretty much a crap shoot, and moreso this winter with all the crazy, changing conditions! This would be my first winter peaks attempt, although I was there for the crazy late October dumping. I'll be keeping my eyes on weather, trip reports and all that other stuff just so I can be aware of things as much as possible beforehand. I won't be biting off more than I can chew, will keep the hike to my abilities and the others I'm with.

[Rookie]

I'd do the low lands first to the DEC Outpost, then climb the trail up to the col between Algonquin and Boundary. Then decide how much gusto you have left.
I've been up this trail twice and down it once and that was in warmer weather with no snow or ice. It's steep,rocky and relentless. There were a lot of scraping marks from crampons on this trail so I reckon they'd be adviseable...but I tend to be a cautious guy.