[fatlazyless]

On the other hand for a lot less than $59., you can hike up and stay overnight in the refugee room underneath Lakes in the Clouds Hut. It's either free or ten dollars if you have it.

The shortest hikng trail to the summit is the Ammonoosic Ravine trail and that starts right next to the Cog's base area gift shop & museum. It's a fast three hour hike which easily makes it the quickest and easiest way up the big mountain. Coming back down, one can always hitchhike a ride down along the auto road. Someone from New Jersey or somewhere will pick you up and say, 'did you actually hike up here carrying that pack on your back, no thanks?', and you'll get to ride down the eight miles to the bottom on the other side.

For a super steep, gruelingly straight-down trail, once I made the big mistake of coming down the nearby Sphinx trail. Why is it called the Sphinx trail? Because, by the time you get down, you feel like you have been dead for 3000 years!