Snow on Mt Washington 9/23

[peakbagger]

One of the reasons why thru hiking in the whites in late September is a chancy proposition, this is todays forecast for Mt Washington. This is winter conditions, few thruhikers have to gear to safely run the above treeline sections. The weather will be sunny and somewhat warmer for 6 day stretch later in the week but definitely a day to hunker down somewhere.


In the clouds w/ a slight chance of snow showers early. Wind chills 5-15 degrees.

Highs: Around 30°F

Wind: NW 45-60 mph w/ higher gusts

Tonight:

In and out of the clouds, trending towards clearing under mostly clear skies. Wind chills 0-10 degrees.

Lows: Falling into mid 20s°F

Wind: NW 50-70 mph increasing to 65-85 mph w/ higher gusts

Tomorrow:

In the clear trending towards in and out of the clouds under partly sunny skies. Wind chills 10-20 degrees.

Highs: Rising to mid 30s°F

Wind: NW 65-85 mph decreasing to 45-60 mph w/ higher gusts

[bangorme]

Wouldn't it be much too late now to be thru hiking and be only to Mt. Washington? Katahdin has seen snow on labor day (been there when it happened).

[Kerosene]

Compare this to September 16, 2006, where I awoke to an undercast at about 4,000 feet with bright sun, zero windspeed, and a mid-day temperature above 60 on Monticello Lawn. It was so pleasant that we lollygagged all day after a quick morning ascent from LOTC Hut.

I just cannot imagine trying to descend Osgood Trail in 60 mph winds and fog, rain or snow. Even on a perfect day it was slick and slow going.

[FarmerChef]

Compare this to September 16, 2006, where I awoke to an undercast at about 4,000 feet with bright sun, zero windspeed, and a mid-day temperature above 60 on Monticello Lawn. It was so pleasant that we lollygagged all day after a quick morning ascent from LOTC Hut.

I just cannot imagine trying to descend Osgood Trail in 60 mph winds and fog, rain or snow. Even on a perfect day it was slick and slow going.

Yeah. Me neither. We ascended Osgood in complete fog and 60-80. That was both terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. Lots of grabbing onto boulders in front of you so you didn't get blown off your feet. Thank God it wasn't also slick or it would have been real trouble. But that's just going up where grabbing rocks is easy. Going down would have been much more um interesting.

[Slo-go'en]

Darn, I was hoping not to have to turn the heat on for another couple of weeks Well, we always get a bit of a cold snap this time of year and then it warms up again a little. Looks like we're going to loose a lot of leaves before they really have a chance to change colors this year too.

I've seen a fair number of stragglers in Gorham this last week. I hope most of them are flip-floppers heading south. Anyone still heading north and is only in Gorham is not likely to make it.

[peakbagger]

We do get some great weather for the next few weeks but when we get bad weather its usually far more wintery and potentially dangerous. The auto road usually does well hauling hikers down that started out with inadequate equipment at the base of the mountain and got caught at the summit with inadequate gear and daylight to get down.

Ran into some stragglers Sunday at Hall Mountain Shelter north of Andover, they were northbound and were under the impression that they could get a cab in Millinocket and day hike the summit after the October 15th. I suggested they check with folks in Monson for possibly catching a shuttle up to Baxter to grab the summit but it was obvious that they are just planning to go with the flow and worry about it later.

[HikerMom58]

WTG peakbagger... this just came across my home page...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

From the Mount Washington Observatory page.

[peakbagger]

Both Slo-Go-en and I live about 7 miles to the north so we get front row viewing once the clouds clear out

[FarmerChef]

WTG peakbagger... this just came across my home page...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

From the Mount Washington Observatory page.

Brrrrr. That looks cold. I always think of Deadliest Catch when they're banging sea spray off the rails and rigging every time I see photos of them banging it off the railing and rigging at the observatory. It brings a warm..and..delicious...feeling to my heart

[Rain Man]

I just cannot imagine trying to descend Osgood Trail in 60 mph winds and fog, rain or snow. Even on a perfect day it was slick and slow going.

AMEN. I fell on those rocks the first week of last month (August) on a warm, sunny, windless day. Rough going. Osgood was a tough trail to descend, IMHO.

RainMan

.

[Tinker]

My son and I will be up there in a few days. We'll summit, descend a bit, and find a place to overnight below treeline. It will be my first overnighter since Feb. (not counting a couple of trips to Upper Goose Pond).