.February 25, 2007I had planned a small hike for myself today, but my plans quickly changed. I've been looking for people to hike with, so a few weeks ago I sent out a couple emails. Last night around 10:00 I just happened to check my email. I got an email from Rick W. stating that he and a group would be hiking Mount Monroe the next morning. They would be meeting at 7:30. It would be nearly a two hour drive for me, so I quickly packed and went to bed.
The next morning, I met Rick and the group. The weather was so beautiful, there was talk of climbing to the summit of Washington as well. That would be great!! Our group of 9 left just before 8:00 as we headed up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The trail was well packed and easy to follow, making the blue blazes unnecessary.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A warning that there was no shelter at the top. We had blue sky, but we knew it would be windy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's Rick who invited me along.
Rick does a great Russian accent. He almost had me convinced he was Russian.
He reminded me of Sean Connery in 'The Hunt for Red October'. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The trail started to get steeper, so we all put on our crampons for extra traction. Shortly after, we reached the Gem Pool. It's a gorgeous spot in the summer, but not much to see in the winter. The next section of trail, really got steep.
Dave in the foreground. Peter, his son, is in the background.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We're starting to get up there.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As great as this view was, we knew it would only get better.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Jeff (foreground) and Larry (background)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We continued through the winter wonderland.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Mount Washington was still far away, but getting closer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jeff (left) and Peter (right)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Larry (front) and Mark (behind)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I'm not quite sure who is in the picture below, but I think that's Comrade Rick in the front.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The trees were getting a lot shorter as we prepared to be above treeline.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We came up behind Lakes of the Clouds Hut. Check out the cool snow on this sign.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We were now on Crawford Path.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We regrouped at the hut, added another layer, and put on face protection since the wind was picking up and would only get worse. I spent the night at this hut last June. (see June 16, 2006 and June 17, 2006)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
We decided to hit Washington after all. Although Rick was a little leary of spending the next few hours in the wind.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Below, the sign warns that Mount Washington has the worst weather in America. Roger is in the background.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking back at the hut.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
We reached the junction with Tuckermans Crossover.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Rick decided he would bag Washington another time, but he encouraged us to continue. Our group was large enough that we were able to split the group. Rick, Jeff, and Mark headed back to the hut. They would then go up to Monroe and descend the same route that we took up. The 6 remaining hikers in the group pressed on to Washington. Here's a look back at the southern Presidentials.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Frozen weather equipment on the top of Washington
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ This was my first time above treeline in the winter. It was truly awesome.
God's creation is beautiful all year around.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The summit of Washington at 6288 feet. Part of the observatory is in the background.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here I am on the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It's my 3rd winter 4000 footer in the Whites. I had no idea I would bag Washington so early on my winter list. Although this was my first time in winter, this was my 6th climb of Washington.
Here's a few pictures of the top of the mountain, starting with the Tip Top House which is the oldest structure on the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Note the large chains in the photo below to hold the roof on.
A record wind speed of 231 mph was recorded here.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ There's more than one way to get to the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking down at Wildcat Mountain.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Heading back down to the hut
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Now it's time to tackle Mount Monroe
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Larry decided to wait at the hut. From the hut, it is only .3 miles to the top of Monroe so most of us left our packs with Larry and enjoyed some freedom hiking. We came to the junction with the Mount Monroe Loop Trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ If you are wondering what the AT is after Crawford Path. The section we had hiked between the hut and Mount Washington was also the Appalachian Trail. I'm currently half done with the Appalachian Trail. I've done this section several time before. I can't wait until the end of April and early May when I hit some new sections of the trail down south.
Looking back to the hut
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A few minutes later, we reached the summit of Monroe at 5372', my 4th winter 4000 footer in the Whites. Here's Peter on the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fred on Monroe with Washington partially visible through the clouds.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
We were in and out of the clouds on Monroe, but still managed to get some great views.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Fred said that he didn't have any more 'up' left in him, so it was time to head back. We made our way back to the hut where Larry was waiting and then headed down. There were a few really steep sections to come down. We took off our crampons, and I learned the fine art of 'butt sliding'. It was fun and quite the time saver. About a mile from the end Dave, Peter, and I ran the rest of the way. We were making great time until I post holed about a hundred yards from the finish and got a face full of snow.
What a beautiful day this was! Thanks everyone for having me along and special thanks to Rick for taking the time to email me last night. I did my best to include everyone in at least one photo. I had a lot of new faces to learn today, so if I forgot someone or misspelled someone's name, please let me know. I hope I get to hike with everyone again.
Take care,
| 
