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View Full Version : Seek the Peak 2012 for the Mount Washington Observatory



Driver8
07-19-2012, 00:28
Anyone else doing this? I met my fundraising goal on Wednesday and will be there. Jazzed for it. May decide to hike to the northern Presidentials instead of Mt. Washington, we'll see. Looking forward to a nice long weekend in the Whites.

peakbagger
07-19-2012, 07:31
It a popular fundraiser for the Obs. It tends to put a lot of folks on the trails and a small percentage of them are not very well equipped. I have encountered "seek the peak" folks in past years with a xeroxed "map" showing trail names and distances with no indication of terrain carrying minimal gear are marginal amounts of water. One year I encoutered a couple of groups that wanted to know where Huntingtons Ravine trail was as their "map" showed it to be the shortest way down. AMC doesnt recomend it for downhill as there are numerous points where a slip will lead to a serious fall. I have also encoutered folks on Lions Head trail in mid afternoon suffering from dehydration asking how close the next water was. These things happen all summer and fall but they seem to be bit more prevalent on Seak the Peak days.

You are smart to head to the northern presis. If you havent done Adams from the Great gulf trail side, I can highly recomend Madison Gulf trial to Star Lake trail up to Admas and then down Airline and then the Osgood trail back donw to the gulf. A long day with some fun scrambling but you will not meet many folks until Star Lake.

DavidNH
07-19-2012, 08:46
if you don't want to hike in a zoo.. avoid Mount Washington during the Peak. The event brings about 500 people to climb the mountain. It's crazy. I've done it twice but I think I'm done with the event. I'd suggest you go for Mount Adams instead!

Driver8
07-19-2012, 10:34
I think I'm gonna do Jefferson via Caps Ridge, then go over to Adams. If I'm making good time and the legs are happy, I will then head over to Madison. I might also go to the hut, cuz I like the huts and will want warm wood and its amenities, then turn around, leaving Madison for another day. All contingent on time and stamina. Just have to give myself enough time to get to the after-party. I'm psyched to get the day pack, as I very much need one, a new tee will be nice, plus a couple small hiker feeds.

What "goodies" can I expect them to stuff the day pack with? Cliff bars? Water? They don't specify, and of course I'm curious.

Driver8
07-19-2012, 10:35
Correction - I guess the Sat hiker feed is a big deal, Friday less so.

MamaBear
07-22-2012, 14:38
Hope you had a great time! The weather's been really nice, I was up on the Presidentials Friday, and had completely forgot about STP, until someone mentioned it.

Driver8
07-23-2012, 04:29
I did have fun. Didn't get to do a big hike Saturday, since a friend I was shuttling from Pinkham to Lincoln came first, and I ended up getting done with that too late to do Washington or another big peak. Hiked Mt. Pemigewasset in Franconia Notch - 1250 foot gain over 1.8 miles with very nice views of Moosilauke and South Kinsman from one spot in the summit area, other views to the Osceolas and neighbors nearby, and around the bend with decent Franconia Ridge views. Not bad for a little short number in the pinch of time.

At STP dinner, I had fun, met a few online friends, and won free Superfeet inserts in a prize drawing. Not too shabby! :)

Sunday I hiked Washington up Tuckerman's which is such an amazing and beautiful trail and down Lion Head, which I found unpleasantly difficult, tricky and poorly maintained in many places. I had such fun on the ascent and so loved Tuck's that I'm keeping my focus on that. I reckon Lion Head would be more enjoyable going up than down, since upward scrambles would be less daunting than some of the hairy passes on descent. Maybe sometime I'll climb that way to go take in the Alpine Garden Trail. We'll see.

rocketsocks
07-23-2012, 04:41
I did have fun. Didn't get to do a big hike Saturday, since a friend I was shuttling from Pinkham to Lincoln came first, and I ended up getting done with that too late to do Washington or another big peak. Hiked Mt. Pemigewasset in Franconia Notch - 1250 foot gain over 1.8 miles with very nice views of Moosilauke and South Kinsman from one spot in the summit area, other views to the Osceolas and neighbors nearby, and around the bend with decent Franconia Ridge views. Not bad for a little short number in the pinch of time.

At STP dinner, I had fun, met a few online friends, and won free Superfeet inserts in a prize drawing. Not too shabby! :)

Sunday I hiked Washington up Tuckerman's which is such an amazing and beautiful trail and down Lion Head, which I found unpleasantly difficult, tricky and poorly maintained in many places. I had such fun on the ascent and so loved Tuck's that I'm keeping my focus on that. I reckon Lion Head would be more enjoyable going up than down, since upward scrambles would be less daunting than some of the hairy passes on descent. Maybe sometime I'll climb that way to go take in the Alpine Garden Trail. We'll see.Sounds like a wonderful time, any pics you'll up load from this trip. Was it real hot up there at 6,288', seems like the oppressive heat has broken a bit down jersey way. Have you ever taking a tour of the weather station up there, or slept over night, I understand that one can become a friend of the Observatory, and volunteer the cook for the meteorologist, and in exchange they get to hang around and help out the crew, is this So?

rocketsocks
07-23-2012, 04:50
I think I'm gonna do Jefferson via Caps Ridge, then go over to Adams. If I'm making good time and the legs are happy, I will then head over to Madison. I might also go to the hut, cuz I like the huts and will want warm wood and its amenities, then turn around, leaving Madison for another day. All contingent on time and stamina. Just have to give myself enough time to get to the after-party. I'm psyched to get the day pack, as I very much need one, a new tee will be nice, plus a couple small hiker feeds.

What "goodies" can I expect them to stuff the day pack with? Cliff bars? Water? They don't specify, and of course I'm curious.So what did the day pack contain?

MamaBear
07-23-2012, 09:53
Driver8 - Sounds like you had a great weekend - hiking in two different locations, plus the bonus of some new Superfeet!

rocketsocks - Yes, if you're a member/friend of the MWOBS, then you can sign up to become a summit volunteer. The job is usually a week long shift to live on the summit and cook for the OBS crew, help out with whatever other tasks need to be done (cleaning, fixing stuff, etc.), and then there's free time to explore/hike, too. From what I understand, once you've done a week in the summer, then there's a chance you'll get a week in the winter.;) Once my son is old enough (needs to be 16), we're going to see if we can volunteer for a week. Should be a fun experience!

Driver8
07-23-2012, 10:21
So what did the day pack contain?

Pack had some gift certs and coupons, cookies, goldfish crackers, a Vitamin Water, sun screen of the lotion variety, a pack sewing and repair kit, and a mt. washington trail map, which I used, as I had hidden my AMC Presi's map - in the smaller pocket of the same day pack, chuckle. :) Also contained a Seek the Peak wicking tee shirt.

Mt. Washington's all-time record high temperature is 72 F. The temp has exceeded 70 about a dozen times ever during the eight decade life of the Observatory. The high temp I saw yest while up there was 57, with 30 mph sustained winds and 41 mph gusts. Average summer day on the summit. 85 F 5000+ feet below in the flat parts of the river valleys.