I had the day off (Juneteenth) so wanted to make sure I did something active. The High Peaks in the Presidentials got snow over the last two days and I initially decided not to try a hike in those conditions. (After reading (in “Appalachia” and on the NH Fish & Game FB Page) lots of horror stories of hikes gone awry in the area, I didn’t want to be another cautionary tale...) This morning, though, the Mount Washington Observatory forecasted clear skies and warming temps (into the 40s) so I decided to take a chance and drive to the area to do some on-the-ground-Recce . After a gas fill-up at Irving in Hanover (0815), I used I-91, VT/NH-25, River Road, NH-10, NH-116, Wells Road, NH-141, US-3 and US-302 to reach the Cog Railway Base Camp. I arrived just after 1000 and my heart sank when I saw the powdery covering on the highest elevations. Better news: everything under 6K feet looked good. So I bought a one way ticket (1015) and rode the 1100 train to the summit. The car was completely full of people (a good sign) and I shared a seat with a young family from the Northeast Kingdom. The kids had LOTS of questions about my backpack and hiking poles… When we got off the train, I noticed that the wind was quite strong - and the temps were just over freezing because there was plenty of ice. Fortunately, I had lots of layers, a warm hat and a few pairs of gloves. After noting a ridiculously long line to get a photo near the summit sign, I decided to start my hike on the AT (AKA Crawford Path in the area). While headed SOBO, I got great views of the Lakes of the Clouds Hut below me. Initially, I descended through snow covered rocks and had to be very careful not to fall. Lots of other people were climbing up and I learned that most of the wintry weather was limited to the first half mile of my hike. However, the stiff wind continued all the way into the valley. As I walked, I remembered that the AT didn’t cross Mount Monroe (one of the 48 NH peaks over 4000 feet) so had to make a decision when I finally reached the Hut: continue on the AT or detour over Monroe. I chose the latter option and it was worth the effort! There seemed to be two peaks, actually, and I ended up hiking a good distance off the AT. This created another dilemma - could I follow through on my plan to exit the AT at the Edmands Path or should I backtrack to Lakes of the Clouds? Calculating that I’d probably end up walking a shorter distance, I decided to backtrack. The wind died down a bit and I was able to shed one layer (winter coat). My decision meant that I had to make a descent from the ridge (Mount Franklin) into a deep gap below Mount Eisenhower - and then I had to climb back up again. Not my favorite thing to do but I must admit that the trail was well marked and maintained so it wasn’t too bad. During this phase, the wind picked up again and I was worried I’d lose my hat. I also started passing Thru hikers at this point and I talked to a few about their progress from Georgia. A few had started in late February, just like the folks I hiked with in the Smokies this Spring. Maybe I’ll see a few people I know during the next weeks! The mood among the (mostly young) Thrus was a bit somber because they’d heard there was a death the day before (yikes - I’d not known about that). As a result, they were trying to hike the entire Presidential Range in one day to avoid more winter weather expected later in the week. My hat’s off to them… Back at the Hut, finally, I started down towards the Cog Railway parking area on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. Well, I know many of you have heard me complain about trails in the White Mountains and I thought I’d seen the worst already. But, in my opinion, this one is the worst I’ve hiked. The best way to describe it is to say that it was mostly like sliding on rocks (most of them wet) for over two miles. After all the walking and climbing I’d already done earlier, this sapped all my strength and I lost track of time and distance. Like I had noticed a few weeks ago, though, I realized that my hike had been basically bug-free for most of the day - gotta love the cool air’s affect on those pesky critters! After I finally got into the woods again, I also realized I’d been walking on a frying pan, in the bright sun, for a LONG time - I’m expecting a sun burn… Eventually (1800), I came out of the woods at the parking lot where I’d left my car. It was hard to determine exactly because of all the side trails and exploring I did in places but I believe I walked over 10 miles (pedometer said 12-13 but I think it was confused) in about six hours. It was slow going but I didn’t hurt myself or become a statistic. After getting cleaned up, I drove home via the same route as I'd used in the morning - there was very little traffic so I was able to get home by 2000. I’ve now got a good idea of what it will take to finish the Northern Presidentials now - hope I can get another day as good as this one! AT Today = 3.3 miles / Grand Total AT = 1955.6 miles / NH 4000 Footer #14 of 48
