Most people go into the mountains to "get away from it all", only to be confronted with overflowing trailhead parking lots, crowded backcoutnry campsites, noisy or obnoxious people in the tent next door, huge groups clogging up a trail or route, and rangers with a long list of regulations. Some people don't mind this, since every weekend thousands endure these conditions and keep coming back, but for many others, findng solitude in the mountain backcountry is a primary goal.
Sadly, though, there is a definite, if rough, correlation between the "spectacularness" of an area and its fame and popularity. This means that the dilemma is often chosing between an awesome but crowded range, or an uninteresting but nicely deserted area. Also, sadly, most people have to work so they can earn money so they can then spend time in the mountains, so in many places usage is concentrated during the weekends.
Therefore, if solitude and escape from crowds is a primary goal, it is best to avoid spectacular and popular places or crowded weekends and holidays. Or, at least, just avoid popular places on crowded weekends. You might have to resign yourself to the crowds if you really want to visit certain famous places, but you can then take other trips to obscure corners of the mountains for balance.
Certain places are always crowded, except in winter: California's Mt. Whitney Trail, Colorado's famous fourteeners, the Presidentials in New Hampshire's White Mountains, and the Great Smokies. Others are never, ever crowded: most ranges of central Nevada, many of the lower and more remote ranges of the northern Rockies, or the trailless 3,000 foot summits of Maine. For most of the others, timing and luck are critical. For example, the author spent a nice September day, a few days after a snowfall, in the popular and scenic Wind River Range near Gannet Peak, highest in Wyoming, and he didn't see a soul all day. However, while hiking up almost toally unkown Baird Peak in Idaho in the rain, he saw throngs of hunters, hikers, and backpackers.
Despite this variablility, the following basic rules--ten for places, and five for times--can be put forward to help you escape the crowds and really get away from it all: Rules for Avoiding Crowds: Places
1. Avoid National Parks, especially famous ones like Yellowstone, Yosemite, Mt. Rainier, Glacier, or the Great Smokies.
2. Avoid well-known Wilderness Areas, such as the Bob Marshall, the Weinimuche, the Great Gulf, or the John Muir. Ironcially, sometimes, if you want a wilderness experience, you must avoid the designated Wildernesses.
3. Avoid mountains near large cities, such as the Front Range near Denver or the White Mountains near Boston.
4. Avoid the highest peak or peaks in an area, a range or (especially) a state.
5. Avoid peaks or ranges that you or a friend have heard of. For example, ask someone if they know about Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains. If they have, don't go. If they haven't, go. Even better, go to places that aren't even mentioned in a comprehensive guidebook or web site.
6. Avoid the normal route up a well-known peak; while often longer or harder, the less-used routes are often more scenic, a nice bonus.
7. Avoid hiking trails, especially famous ones--bushwhack or routefind instead.
8. Don't camp at campgrounds or designated campsites. When car-camping out west, find a deserted dirt road on public land and just pull over. When backpacking, bushwhack off the trail a ways to find a campsite, and avoid scenic or famous lakes and streams. (This is not always possible, depending on an area's regulations).
9. For car tourists: avoid paved roads in favor of dirt or gravel roads, if your car can handle them (and most can, four wheel drive rarely being necessary). Lack of pavement scares off 90% of vacation drivers.
10. At ski areas, stay in super-expert areas or super-beginner areas, and avoid interemediate crusing terrain. (This is frequently not possible). Rules for Avoiding Crowds: Times
1. Get up very early in the morning--maybe even before dawn--to beat the crowds to popular dayhikes or summits.
2. Avoid weekends, especially the Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day three-day weekends.
3. Avoid the summer; go before Memorial Day (less crowded) or after Labor Day (better weather and terrain conditions).
4. Go when there is snow, either falling or covering the ground, even if only lightly.
5. At ski areas, get up early in the morning, eat or rest mid-morning and mid-afternoon, and ski in the middle of the day.
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