View Full Version : Anyone been up Mount Washington?
PecosBackpacker
01-09-2005, 22:27
Hi all
My tentative trek has me attempting to summit Mount Washington, NH this summer. My references tell me that it has notoriously bad weather at all times of the year. For those MW veterans, can you tell me what type of preparation I need? Thank you in advance.
Lone Wolf
01-09-2005, 22:36
You can drive up, take the train up or shuttle van up. It ain't like Everest.
Not much preparation needed. Definately can be bad weather year round, but you should be fine in winter. A rain jacket would be a good idea, as well as a pack cover for your day pack or rucksack. Doesn't hurt to have a map and water and food as well.
There is a little city up there. Gift shop, bathrooms, snack bar, a weather station. As Wolf says, obviously if you ran into some bad weather there is no need to panic as there are tons of folks up there everyday.
Enjoy
dgodwin7
01-09-2005, 22:54
The hike before and after Washington is what makes it nice. I climbed it going sobo this summer (July). The crowds at the top of the mtn and all those "tourons" who drove up there were a bit surreal. Not to bash anyone who's driven up there (that's the only way I've been up Brasstown Bald), it's just a weird and sometimes frustrating experience for a section / thru hiker.
Anyways, the visibility was really bad when I was up there. I have no idea what it looks like between the summit and Mitzpah Hut. I stayed the night at Lakes Hut in a complete fog bank.
Make sure you have rain and cold weather gear for your traverse of the Whites. If you already have your backpacking gear with you, you should be fine. I wore my wool hat, gloves, rainjacket, fleece, thermals and one of two times that I ever wore my rainpants. It wasn't snowing, but it was dang cold headed out of Lakes. It couldn't hurt to carry an emergency blanket with you. I've been in two situations in the backcountry before where we had hikers get hypothermic. Both of those were times where no one in our group had an emergency blanket and having one could have potentially made the hiker's recovery much faster. It weighs only a few ounces and I carry one as part of my mini first aid kit everywhere I go.
As a sobo in Maine, I heard horror stores about the Whites for hundreds of miles before I ever got there. The reality - it wasn't horrible at all. The Whites were my favorite part of my four month hike. They're not easy, but you're spending so much time enjoying the view that it doesn't seem like work at all.
Hope this helps.
btw - (603)-356-0300 is the Weatherline number for Mt. Washington. I got it out of an LL Bean Catalog at Christmas. It's kind of neat to call and get a summit forecast...boy is it cold up there in the winter time!
dje97001
01-09-2005, 22:55
Mt. Washington is a blast to summit--finally.. a place up north that I can comment on!--but I've only done it a few times. I've been up it in august (twice) and in july (once). I spent July 2-4 up hiking the whites. We had gorgeous weather. 60 mph wind gusts, but only 20 or so steady I think... my 90 lb 13 yr old cousin was with us and he didn't have any problems. The sun was out most of the time, we just wore light fleece gloves, a winter hat and some windbreakers. Mostly during july and early august you will have the best chance for good weather--there is a graphic showing average high temps and those months have the highest on Mt. Washington's website.
If you go, not that you haven't heard this already, but you should seriously take Tuckerman's Ravine trail... the view is absolutely amazing and it is just difficult enough to give you respect for the mountain without really worrying too much about needing much skill. Then, I like to go down by way of crawford path in the south... a long slow descent, but nice trips over southern presidentials.
The hike up should take 3-5 hrs. or so... then if you have to come down, you can either hike or buy a one-way rail ticket. Or, if I could suggest, you should stay at Lake of the Clouds AMC Hut for the night (about 30-40 min south of the summit) and then hike the 7 miles (or so) down crawford path, taking 5-7 hrs or so for us depending on pack weight and/or experience.
Awesome trip... I can't wait to do it again.
i was up there this past september. i forgot which trail we took up (it wasn't the most direct, but we reached treeline faster). we returned on the tuckerman ravine trail. it was a warmish, sunny day. i was hiking in a skirt and tank top, and just before we reached the summit it started to sleet. i loved it. it reminded me of all the bizarre weather stories i'd read about in _without peril, 150 years of misadventure in the white mountains_ (i think that's the book title). it reminded me of the stories where some man or woman is hiking in their 'afternoon tea' outfits, and the wind shifts, and the coulds move in, and someone's hat or bonnet gets carried away in the wind ...... and then they lose their gloves .... we carried daypacks with layers, hats, gloves, raingear, headlamps, food, water, etc. oh! they have this great rolling mill up top --- the kind where you put in 51 cents and it rolls out a penny for you. mine read, "i summited mt. washington". have fun!
Flash Hand
01-10-2005, 06:03
There is a little city up there. Gift shop, bathrooms, snack bar, a weather station. As Wolf says, obviously if you ran into some bad weather there is no need to panic as there are tons of folks up there everyday.
Enjoy
Just wondering if Gift Shop sells kites on the top of Mt. Washington? Would be nice to relax and watch kites flying during my nero day there.
Flash Hand :jump
Been to the top twice, both via Tuckerman's. The second time was 21 months after I had a total replacement of my right knee. Conclusion: not a lot of
physical conditioning is required.
The greater challenge is unpredictable weather. Appropriate clothing, an eye on the sky and cool head in times of crisis help. Also mandatory: the ability to put off the hike if there's any question about it!
If you are hell-bent on climbing Washington, by all means go for it. Just be prepared for a circus of tourists and a summit which is chockablock with buildings, a parking lot and loads of hoopla.
Mt. Adams, just to the north, is a much better mountain if you are seeking a more natural experience. It is nearly as high as Washington, is devoid of summit hoohaa, and a great climb (I recommend the Airline Trail, which quickly gets you above treeline enjoying spectacular views nearly the whole way). You can stop at Madison Hut for coffee and a snack, then summit Mt. Madison on the return leg. You can even go for a dip on the way down.
Moose2001
01-10-2005, 10:48
I'll second that opinion on Adams. What a difference from being on Big George. If you want a really "kick a**" trip, come in via King Ravine and then up to Adams. Down via Valley Way or Airline and it's a great day trip. Just don't go in via King Ravine in the rain!!!
Sleepy the Arab
01-10-2005, 20:27
Aaarrrr! Quit giving away the secret about Mt. Adams!
Hike Washington, have fun. Tuckerman Ravine Trail will give you the most bang for your buck (great views, short mileage). If you combine this path with the Nelson Crag Trail and Old Jackson Rd (aka the ol' AT) you can make a very nice loop. Bring a camera and a rain jacket as nothing makes me point and laugh more than a goofer in a Hefty bag.
Moose2001
01-10-2005, 20:37
OK Sleepy, got ya. OK all you Washington Hikers...if you want some real fun on Big George, try the Huntington Ravine Trail. Not your "standard" way up. Just make sure you try it on a dry day.
For those of you looking for some good info on the Whites, trails, peaks, huts, etc, try this out.
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/whites/
I think really about the best preparation for climbing above treeline, especially in the Presidential Range is to check the weather forecast for the day before you start up and plan accordingly.
Weather can be gorgous to down right deadly. As the sign says, turn back if conditions warrant.
One weekend trip (in the summer) had the summit of Mt Washington all to myself.
Easy to do if you stay at Lake of The Clouds.
Staying at the Perch would be a great follow up.
Rick B
The Old Fhart
01-10-2005, 21:32
To answer the question, I've climbed Mt. Washington 72 times, about 10 of those trips were Jan. 1st. Figuring all the elevation gained and lossed on all those trips, that equals about 280,000 feet! I've been in the footrace to the summit up the auto road 5 or six times and worked for the weather observatory on the summit for 4 winters.
I've stood on the summit in Feb. when there was no clouds or wind and it was 40 degrees; and I've turned back in July because of snow. Check the weather report from the summit by calling the number listed in post #4 or checking the Mt. Washington Observatory (http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/today.html) after 6AM the day of your climb. Be realistic and don't take chances and you won't have your name added to the list of fatalities posted on the summit.
I've also climbed Mt. Adams with Sleepy's father 40+ years ago, for what that's worth. Mt. Adams is a nice peak and The Hog's recommended Airline route has fantastic views.
I figured I'd wake this thread up again as Chatter and I climbed Washington via the Nelson Crag Trail. Another friend tells me that the Huntington Ravine Trail is tougher, but I doubt that it could be so tough for such a distance. Almost from the place where it diverges from the Old Jackson Road the trail is steep and rocky. The lower stretch which is in the woods has some pretty slick rocks due to moss, lichen, and general damp slime. Above the treeline it gets steeper still. Above its first junction with the auto road there are a few places where basic rock climbing skills would be nice, though not necessary, especially for the stronger and younger among us.
My friend decided to take the auto road below the summit and around the crag as we would have run out of daylight before reaching camp lower on the mountain. I was pretty much out of steam myself and, since I'd climbed this mountain at least 7 times already, I agreed to skip the Nelson Crag itself, which looked quite steep.
It took us nearly 6 hrs. from Pinkham Notch Camp. Book time, if I remember correctly, is somewhere around 4 - 4 1/2 hours including the 1.7 miles on the Old Jackson Road.
I would not consider this trail in snow and/or ice. The distance to the first crossing of the Auto road would not make an early bailout possible.
Bags4266
10-03-2009, 10:12
As others have said, you spend hours hiking up to the summit cursing or expecting any type of weather that might hit you. Then just as you summit, you hear car doors slamming kids screaming. Just takes away from the conquer
Tipi Walter
10-03-2009, 10:35
You can drive up, take the train up or shuttle van up. It ain't like Everest.
Not much preparation needed. Definately can be bad weather year round, but you should be fine in winter. A rain jacket would be a good idea, as well as a pack cover for your day pack or rucksack. Doesn't hurt to have a map and water and food as well.
There is a little city up there. Gift shop, bathrooms, snack bar, a weather station. As Wolf says, obviously if you ran into some bad weather there is no need to panic as there are tons of folks up there everyday.
Enjoy
Well, why even go if after all your work you arrive at a place where tourists can drive up or take the cog railway? I always thought the joy of climbing a mountain is to getting further and further away from "syphilization". Hey, I know, you could come down here to Tennessee and hike into Gatlinburg and avoid any climbing at all.
I figured I'd wake this thread up again as Chatter and I climbed Washington via the Nelson Crag Trail.
I wonder if this has good views looking south? From the south it looks like a worthy trail. From the north, iffy.
Well, why even go
Because it is an interesting pile of rocks. Yes, the peaks a bit away have considerable charm, but I am glad I found out for myself. The water spigot was handy, the nasty coffee was hot, and the state employees pleasant to talk with. I went at it two ways, so I probably only have fifteen more to get out of my system.
I found a wonderful flat rock, out of the wind. Bonus.
I once would not hike Cadillac Mt., here in Acadia, because of the road up it.
Now, well I walk the road itself several times during Winter. The trails and the road are there. I enjoy all of them.
Well, why even go if after all your work you arrive at a place where tourists can drive up or take the cog railway? I always thought the joy of climbing a mountain is to getting further and further away from "syphilization". Hey, I know, you could come down here to Tennessee and hike into Gatlinburg and avoid any climbing at all.
"Because it's there" is one reason - also, it's the highest peak in the Northeast (not on the east coast as many wrongly assume).
Plain 'ol exercise is a good reason.
You can choose how long you stay at or near the summit. Other than that, most trails give you no hint that you are hiking a tourist mountain until you're in sight of the top.
The views from Nelson Crag are mostly to the east, toward Wildcat Mt. though once above treeline views can be had to the north and south as well.
One noteworthy comment: The Cog ("Smog") railway is now running diesel locomotives (one coal fired one is still on line for the "romantic" or "nostalgic" crowd) - much less obtrusive, though they still sound the whistle which gives their presence away to those on the trails below.
Another reason to hike it is because you can. Getting to the top and seeing all the typically overweight (by their own doing - lack of exercise and too much food) tourists you often hear comments like, "They walked all the way up here???" makes me thankful I still CAN, and I hope it may inspire some of them to try a walk on the wilder side of life.
atraildreamer
10-04-2009, 19:02
Just wondering if Gift Shop sells kites on the top of Mt. Washington? Would be nice to relax and watch kites flying during my nero day there.Flash Hand :jump
Read about a young girl years ago who brought a bunch of balsa wood toy gliders to the summit. She wrote her name and address and date on the wings and launched them from the top. 3 days later, and 88 miles away, one of them landed on the lawn of a man in Maine! :eek:
Blissful
10-04-2009, 19:45
Many years back we did the circuit day hike via Ammonoosuc Ravine trail and back down via the Jewell Trail. Had a blast. Since then have been up two more times backpacking. Still a blast. Incredible views all times but did get caught in a storm heading off on one trip and son got hypothermic.
I mean you know the summit is populated and there's an auto road and cog railway, so the idea one is bummed hearing car doors and poeple talking, well, you should be expecting it. If you want something else, go do the rest of the Presidentials. :)