Mount Washington....start time to minimize crowds...

[NC Hiker/Angler]

Long-time appreciator of the site but first time poster. Thanks in advance for any responses. I'm traveling to Bristol, Rhode Island for a family wedding this weekend. My brother and I have always wanted to hike Mount Washington. We are thinking about waking up early Sunday morning and making an absurdly long day-trip to hike it (I'm aware that it is 4.5 hours one-way drive time). We would ideally like to start before it's gets crazy crowded....any locals on-line that have a general sense of when we would want to arrive in order to be ahead of the crowds?

[JJMorse]

Unless you're hiking by 3-4am there's really nothing you can do - it's just a crowded summit basically 8am to 6pm. My advice is to get yourself in the right frame of mind for the hike, this will not be your typical mountaintop experience. If you're coming up the Cog side, make a side trip up Mt. Monroe and get your serene mountaintop experience there, it's great. Spend a lot of time enjoying Lake of the Clouds, and just in general enjoy the trail. The trails up Washington and the side attractions are beautiful, and are fantastic hikes. But I can't stand that summit. If you're after a great summit, there's about 100 in NH I would recommend over Washington.

[Driver8]

I agree with JJ on everything but his take on the summit. I love Mt. Washington, summit and all. There is such history there, it is such a big mountain by comparison to its neighbors and, on a good day, has such commanding views.

NC H/A, I highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with mountwashington.org, the Mount Washington Observatory's website, which gives detailed and extensive weather reporting and forecasting from the summit - higher summits forecast and current summit conditions are especially helpful.

Even in mid summer, the weather up there can be brutal even when it's benign in the valley. My first view of Mount Washington was from the valley below July 2011, evening of July 18, when the gentle rains of the day were wrapping up, while at the summit a fearsome thunderstorm was raging - lots of visible lightning on the summit cone. The obs is an indispensable resource.

[Slo-go'en]

Once the auto road opens and the cog starts running, there will always be a crowd on top of Washington. You'll also likely see a fair amount of people hiking up any one of the various trails up there.

That's why I like Mt Adams, it's a lot quieter and only 412 feet lower then Washington and a lot easier of a climb (depending on which way you go).

[rafe]

No way to avoid crowds on Mt. Washington in the summer. It's a major tourist attraction. Hiking is big in New England, and Mt. Washington is the big Daddy of the Whites. It's pretty spectacular so none of this is surprising.

The Franconia Ridge is a bit less crowded, but I have seen 250+ people on the ridge on a sunny summer Saturday. Saw a hippie wedding up there one time.

[rickb]

It's only going to be crowded on top. Just embraced hat reality and have fun with it.

Trails up will be great and that's how you will be spending most of your time anyway.

[NC Hiker/Angler]

Thanks for all the responses. I am aware of the websites which do have great info. Wish I was there today as it was 57 with visibility of 55 miles.

I'm prepared for (and okay with) the crowds on the summit. I didn't ask the question well but I was primarily interested in figuring out when a majority of the crowds arrive in order to limit trail traffic. As an example, at most of the southeastern popular trail heads if you arrive before 8 you are ahead of the crowd for the hike up. I suspect (or at least hope) it is not the case but I have this vision of the entire trail being similar to the lines on the Hilliary Step on Everest!

We are intending to take the Tuckerman Ravine trail but if there are other suggestions I'd love to hear them.

[Kingbee]

Last summer I was on Zealand during a beautiful day. In the distance was Mt. Washington with what looked like a downpour just on the summit.

[Driver8]

We are intending to take the Tuckerman Ravine trail but if there are other suggestions I'd love to hear them.

I've hiked Washington from the east and from the west. Both are awesome. I took the two most common routes, Tuckerman/Lion Head from Pinkham Notch on the east and Ammonoosuc Ravine and Jewell from the west. A bit about each:

Tuckerman Ravine is the most popular trail on the mountain, and for a reason - it's outstandingly beautiful. Especially the ascent of the lower and upper headwalls and then the summit cone, on a clear day, provide breathtaking views. I personally think it's even prettier than the Franconia Ridge Trail, which is saying a lot. If you depart anytime after about 8 am mid-summer, it will be very busy. If you do that route, from my own experience, I recommend branching off Tuckerman and ascending via Lion Head, then descending via Tuck, or, even better, ascend TRT and descend Boott Spur, accessing it via Davis Path. Lion Head is brutal on the knees and ankles on descent, while TRT is less rough, a cleaner trail. You can't go wrong, in terms of beauty, with either Lion Head or TRT on the climb, and Boott Spur is a gorgeous trail - I got just over halfway up it, above tree line, on my first attempt three years ago, before turning back, and it offers amazing views.

As for west side, the Ammo trail is awesome especially if there've been recent rains, because it has spectacular waterfalls. At its top, at the end of its third mile, which gains about 1560 feet, are the AMC Lakes of the Clouds hut and the lakes themselves. Worth a stop and a linger, and Mt. Monroe, as JJ mentioned, is a pretty peak and worth the side trip - also, on its south lawn, along the Crawford Path/A.T., there are a lot of very rare, beautiful and fragile alpine flowers.

Most people climb Ammo, because it is steep, ledgy, slippery and tricky for that mile right below the hut. From there, the Crawford Path/A.T. takes you to the summit, then a descent via Jewell is both very pretty, with about two and a half miles of continuous above-tree-line hiking, including the Gulfside Trail/A.T., and much more gradual and forgiving. Not easy, per se, but much mellower than Ammo, so better for ankles and knees for going down.

[rafe]

re: TRT. Can't go wrong, except with the weather. I've taken to calling it the Tuckermans Highway. It's a wide, broad, perfectly graded path through the woods for the first few miles out of Pinkham. Shortly before you get to the base of the ravine the trail opens up into scrub, and from that point onwards you're out of the woods and totally exposed to the elements. You still have 1800' or so of vertical to get to the summit. Looking across the valley you have perfect views of the Wildcat-Carter-Moriah range.

It can be brutally hot, or just plain brutal. Or it can be beautiful. If the weather is any good at all, you'll have lots of company. People hike this stuff year round. I spent Thanksgiving night 1989 at one of the Tuckermans Ravine shelters. There was plenty of snow and it went to -10F that night. Yeah, that's minus 10. Two pix from that hike here: http://terrapinphoto.com/Hiking0.html

[peakbagger]

This weekend is presi traverse weekend so there will be folks on the trails early. Realistically most folks hike to be on top for lunch. If you plan to arrive before 11 AM there are far fewer people on the trails. There is also a lot of traffic on Ammonosuc ravine trail in the morning as it is direct access to the hut. I generally start hiking around daylight which is around 4:45 AM and have most trails to myself.

The main advantage to stating early is the weather is generally much nicer in the AM in the summer. Clouds frequently form after noon.

[Hikemor]

I'll be the wet blanket: I don't like this plan at all. The idea is to attend a wedding on Sat., get up at 4 AM on Sun., drive to WMNF, day hike Washington, then drive back to RI(?)? I suggest getting to WMNF on Sun., spend the night and day hike Washington on Mon. (w/ early start) or satisfy your hiking jones on a closer peak/shorter hike like Mt. Monadnock in SW NH or Mt. Greylock in W MA (MA high point/on AT) on Sun.

[Tom Murphy]

I didn't ask the question well but I was primarily interested in figuring out when a majority of the crowds arrive in order to limit trail traffic. As an example, at most of the southeastern popular trail heads if you arrive before 8 you are ahead of the crowd for the hike up. I suspect (or at least hope) it is not the case but I have this vision of the entire trail being similar to the lines on the Hilliary Step on Everest! We are intending to take the Tuckerman Ravine trail but if there are other suggestions I'd love to hear them.

Definately avoid Tuckerman Ravine if you want some solitude on the trail.

Leave RI at 3am and arrive at Pinkham Notch at ~7am.

Old Jackson Road to Nelson Crag to summit. Return via Boot Spur for a nice loop.

You could also cut across from Nelson Crag to Boot Spur via Alpine Garden and avoid the summit entirely. Great views down into Huntington, Cutler, and Tuckerman ravines.

[NC Hiker/Angler]

I'll be the wet blanket: I don't like this plan at all. The idea is to attend a wedding on Sat., get up at 4 AM on Sun., drive to WMNF, day hike Washington, then drive back to RI(?)? I suggest getting to WMNF on Sun., spend the night and day hike Washington on Mon. (w/ early start) or satisfy your hiking jones on a closer peak/shorter hike like Mt. Monadnock in SW NH or Mt. Greylock in W MA (MA high point/on AT) on Sun.

I know. Sounds like the plans of an 18 year old when I'm actually in my 40s. I left a 4 day window for this trip (Sun to Wed) to account for weather and a better schedule but unfortunately my brother now has to travel for work on Monday afternoon so Sunday is the only option. 8-9 hours roundtrip in the car isn't ideal although I don't see my brother that much so it will be good quality time to catch up. We've had this hike on the agenda for a long time but work, family and other logistics always seem to interfere. Thanks for the other suggestions which might be a possibility for my wife and kids on Monday or Tuesday if Mt Washington doesn't work out due to weather. Mt Washington would be too much for my kids but Mt. Monadnock looks comparable to some southeastern peaks my kids have done and it's only 115 miles from Bristol.

[Mags]

Monadnock has pseudo above treeline feel as the summit cover was burnt down many years ago. On clear day you can, allegedly, see all six New England states.

It is one of the most climbed mountains in the world. Even on a weekday, get an early start.

It was the second mountain I climbed.

[rafe]

Monadnock packs a lot of bang for your hiking buck. Like Mags says -- it's way crowded. But the views are fine. The uppermost 500' or so of the mountain is mostly bare. I've lost count of my climbs of Monadnock.

[peakbagger]

A broad rule of thumb is finding a parking space after 9 AM is more difficult. Get there before 8:30 and there are plenty of spots. Start at 7 and the wildlife will be abundant.

The bus load of canadian's usually get there by 10

The goofers and tourists who shouldn't be on the trail start around 11

A true story about long drives, we were hiking up Tuckermans Ravine Trail one early spring day (winter conditions) a hiker caught up to us and asked where the Huntingtons Ravine trail was (a technical winter route), we determined that he wanted to day hike washington and Huntington's was the shortest distance on the map . We "adopted him" and hiked to the summit. He had driven from Michigan the night before and had to head home when done with the hike as he had to babysit his kids at noon the next day. We were worried about him and asked him to let us know when he got home. He did and said his wife was upset as he was an hour late.

[Driver8]

I know. Sounds like the plans of an 18 year old when I'm actually in my 40s.

It's an awesome hike and a worthwhile goal. I first made the summit two years ago yesterday, and it was one of the most fulfilling days of my life. I wish you success, good weather and a safe return. One thing to keep in mind - if the OBS tells you that bad weather is coming for the afternoon with an ok morning, climbing any of a few other of the Whites, shorter of climb but offering fine views, could be a very fine "bail-out" option.

One would be to hit Monroe and return down the, as noted, very steep Ammo trail - benefit there being that though it's rough, you will have just seen it. Another would be Moosilauke - from the Ravine Lodge of Dartmouth, the commonly taken Gorge Brook Trail to Carriage Road/A.T. to Snapper Tr. Loop, with a short detour to the South Peak, is a great hike of a grand, big mountain with only about 2500' elevation change in about 7 miles. Also, round trip, about an hour closer than Washington. Jefferson for a similar drive, is a steep climb from 3000 to 5700 via the scrambly Caps Ridge Trail - I've not done that one, but hear it's a beautiful hike.

A there-and-back up Lafayette is awesome, via Old Bridle Path, with the Greenleaf Hut a convenient stop each way, for about 3600' total elevation gain and loss over 8 miles and also about an hour round trip shorter than big W.

[Driver8]

A true story about long drives, we were hiking up Tuckermans Ravine Trail one early spring day (winter conditions) a hiker caught up to us and asked where the Huntingtons Ravine trail was (a technical winter route), we determined that he wanted to day hike washington and Huntington's was the shortest distance on the map . We "adopted him" and hiked to the summit. He had driven from Michigan the night before and had to head home when done with the hike as he had to babysit his kids at noon the next day. We were worried about him and asked him to let us know when he got home. He did and said his wife was upset as he was an hour late.

That is too funny. Reminds me of my descent down Ammo of my first successful Washington hike, met a military guy from the sub base in CT below the Lakes hut, near Gem Pool. He needed to get back to his car at Crawford Notch, and it was about 7:00 pm, though it was peak daylight of the summer. He was dressed in casual wear - slacks, a dress shirt and leather loafers. His first hike of this magnitude. His gear was off, but being 20-something and military, he had no conditioning issues. Anyhow, we walked the two miles back to my car and I gave him a ride to his. Seemed like he needed to hike some bad memories away - love troubles or something like that. He was probably the most detached hiker from the general hiking experience and mindset I seen on a White 4K. Quite unusual. Hiked the whole Crawford Path, summit loops option, in loafers without socks, in a day. Gotta respect that.

[rafe]

Either Moosilauke or the Franconia Ridge are fine "introductory" White Mountain hikes, if you're up to it. These are the two hikes that got me hooked on hiking and eventually the AT.