Mt. Washington, though tiny at under 7,000 ft. in comparison to the rest, is considered (at least in this list) to be the 9th most dangerous mountain for climbing.
› World’s 10 Most Dangerous Mountains
[Update, 4/5/09]: Here are three very interesting articles related to Mt. Washington:
- A 2004 National Geographic Adventure Magazine article about Mt. Washington
- A February 2009 National Geographic article about Mt. Washington
- Amazing photographs from the National Geographic article (previous item)
Here are two videos, both of Megan, from our trip to the White Mountains this past weekend.
The first is of Megan on the very windy and cold summit of Mt. Eisenhower. We think the temperature was around 10° F or so, and with the 40mph+ winds the wind chill was around -15° F (though we also think the wind was 45-50mph+). The hike from Mt. Pierce to Mt. Eisenhower (the second video) was entirely along an exposed ridge and subject to the same wind, but it seemed measurably worse on the final approach and top of Eisenhower. Otherwise the conditions were perfect — completely clear skies, and a view well worth the effort!
While mom and dad were traipsing about above the treeline, Caleb had some quality time down below with Grandma and Grandpa. Photos and more about our trip to come…
Megan and Caleb allowed me to capitalize on a conference I had to attend in New Hampshire with some solo winter hiking and camping in the days just prior. I had to be in Manchester all-day on Tuesday so I figured why not head up to Franconia Notch to climb a few mountains on Saturday, Sunday and Monday?
I am posting this here, even though Caleb was not along for the trip, because I think he and I will take many of these types of trips in the future. Plus, I think three days of solitude in the mountains is important for a Dad. I thought about he and Megan a lot and was able to spend time doing something I love. I can’t wait to have him join me on a future winter trip, and he and I are already planning some spring and summer outings.
The weather was phenomenal, in my book, ranging from about 0˚ to 28˚ F depending on the time of day, with an added wind chill of anywhere from 10˚ down to -25˚ F on the exposed portions of the mountain. I only experienced the extreme end of those temperatures on my last day of hiking (on the approach and also on the summit of Mt. Tom) and otherwise had very nice hiking weather.
The evening temperatures were a bit on the cold side as I chose not to buy a new winter sleeping bag and instead brought my light-weight 25˚ bag (which, I have decided after this trip, is clearly a 35-40˚ bag). I made up the difference, as the temperature was between 0˚ and 10˚ each night (inside the tent), with a liner and by sleeping fully clothed, minus my shells. That meant that on my legs I had two pairs of socks, mid-weight long underwear, and my insulation pants (synthetic fill, and quite warm). On my torso, I had a wicking shirt, a mid-weight top, and my insulation jacket (same fill as the pants). I also wore my gloves, my hat, my fleece face mask, and the first night, my wind stopper balaclava as well. I wised up the second night and added a fleece to my torso, a third pair of socks (a liner + two mid weight pairs) and created a foot warmer with a Sigg full of boiling water (nestled in a sock) for the bottom portion of my bag. I left off the second balaclava, cinched myself in, and was more comfortable on the second night, despite a temperature of roughly 10˚ lower. It all worked out just fine, BUT, in the future, I’m bringing a 0˚ bag or warmer, and saving myself a lot of trouble and hassle.
On to the hiking. As I was on my own, and lacking in some key equipment (hmmmm, like winter boots, crampons, and snowshoes), I decided to stick to moderate summit attempts. My trail running shoes (yes, waterproof, but absent any kind of insulation or real support) performed perfectly, as did my trusty MicroSpikes. In short, I stuck to peaks that had minimal alpine zones and kept things simple. By Monday afternoon, I had managed to summit Mt. Liberty, the north peak of Mt. Kinsman, and Mt. Tom.
If you want to see some of the photos and read more about the trip, click on the image below.
I’m at home tending to one rather sick Caleb this morning so now is as good a time as any to post the resource to the right. If you click on the image (or here), a US Forest Service guide to hiking in the White Mountains will download (or display in your browser, if you have that capability). While the guide is geared specifically toward hiking and backpacking in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, the infomation is easily applicable to outdoor pursuits in almost any region.
In particular, I recommend that everyone read the following sections:
- Hiker Responsibility Code (pg. 2)
- Recommended clothing and equipment (pg. 2)
- Stepping Safely (pg. 3)
- Leave No Trace (pg. 8)
On item #2 above, I have one essential to add to the list of ten essentials, and two optional items to add, depending on the type of hike: 1) sunscreen, 2) an extra pair of socks, and 3) extra water.
1) I am a little surprised that sunscreen is not considered an essential, especially for the White Mountains. Exposure can creep up on you while you are hiking, and moreso if you are lucky enough to be hiking for extended periods above the treeline.
2) I recommend considering a second pair of socks if you anticipate that your first pair may get wet and uncomfortable while hiking. An extra pair adds little weight and bulk, but can be priceless if you accidentally get your feet wet miles away from the trailhead. I almost always carry an extra pair regardless of the season, but on winter hikes, my pack is never without a spare liner and winter sock replacement.
3) The single most important item in your pack, aside from a map and compass, perhaps, is plenty of water. That said, water is heavy, and I frequently battle with taking too much water and having to lug around the extra weight. On the upside, if you are hydrating properly, your pack will become lighter throughout the day as you transfer the water from bottle to your digestive system…
As indicated in an earlier post, we spent this Thanksgiving up in the White Mountains, in the wonderful comfort of the Highland Center. My parents drove up from New Hampshire to spend the holiday with us and everyone had a great time. (Click on the photo to see more images from our trip.)
We filled the daytime with a lot of hiking and playing, and the evenings with games and stories. We did a number of short hikes and a few more ambitious hikes but also had fun building snow forts and messing around in the powder in front of the lodge.
Caleb had a fantastic time and really enjoyed winter hiking. His boots performed wonderfully though his mittens became wet due to frequent contact with the snow. Even so, Caleb’s hands stayed nice and warm and everyone was happy to be out in the cold and snow.
For evening games, we played Caleb’s favorite version of ping-pong each night (”Crazy Ball!!”), a round of CandyLand, and some hide-and-go-seek.
We look forward to our next trip to the White Mountains and certainly to the Highland Center.
(Thank you Vinnie for being so hospitable!)
Just a quick post to share a handful of my favorite photos from this weekend. We had a wonderful time and when asked, Caleb continually cites “hiking” as his favorite part of the trip (which, of course, makes me incredibly happy). He did an excellent job staying on his feet despite the slippery trails, had a great attitude, and endured my every five minute check-in asking whether his fingers, toes or body were cold. The weather was fantastic — we had a few snow showers and the temperature was perfect (in my opinion) for winter hiking. Just cold enough to keep the trails more sparsely populated (mid 20’s), but warm enough that you could hike in a base layer and shell (popping your gloves and hat on and off to maintain your temperature, of course) if you heat up like me when hiking at a fast pace.
Here are a few quick teaser photos (a full post will come in the next few days):
Caleb and Megan in the lodge before a hike in the morning during snowfall.
The happy hikers while on the trail about 45 minutes later.
One of the countless beautiful scenes we experienced while hiking.
Caleb running to me during a hike around the lake at dusk. He had his lion (PLC Lion) in his backpack.
Caleb listening to stories in the lodge on our last evening.
Early this November Caleb and I headed back to the White Mountains for a few days to keep Megan company as she attended a two-day wilderness first-aid class. (Click on the photo to see photos from our trip.) The class, held at the Joe Dodge Lodge, was part of her job at AMC and taught her a ton of excellent skills necessary to allow her to take AMC donors out on a hike. Fracture something or come down with hypothermia while you are hiking? I hope you have Megan with you…
The class entailed two full-day sessions so Caleb and I had plenty of time to romp around and do some hiking while Megan was learning, role playing, and taking tests. It was a tad cold (mid 30’s and 20’s without wind chill the first and second day) so we stuck to hikes that were short and offered easy retreats (i.e. close to the lodge and less than a mile out). The first day we hiked up a portion of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail and the on the second day we hiked up to Square Ledge. We filled the time in between with some reading, a lot of playing tag and chase, and some flying (essentially chase with our arms stretched out while pretending to be planes).
We are on our way back up to the White Mountains this weekend for Thanksgiving. There is snow on the ground and the temperature is quite chilly (it’s in the low 40’s right now, but the temperature has ranged from 9°F to 28°F during the past week (eh, before windchill, which dropped the low end to the negative teens…). So, we are headed up there armed with some new gear for Caleb: new Sorel boots (comfort rated to -25°F), super-warm snow bib pants, and new thermal bottoms and tops. He’s still bringing along his blue parka, trusty mittens, beanie, and a few fleece layers to pile on and peel off, and we may outfit him with a second hat depending on the temperature and wind.
We’ll see how he does and can always retreat to the lodge if he is uncomfortable. We picked out a few short hikes that we have already done and know are accessible, and may simply choose fun activities like trying out snowshoeing or building snow forts if the conditions are too rough.
Wow. I take back everything I have ever thought or said about the mountains in New England. I often scoffed at the White Mountains calling them “tall hills” in comparison to mountain ranges I have spent more time exploring like the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains. Meek mountains they are not! (Click on the photo, or here, to see more images from our trip.)
The White Mountains are simply amazing. The few trails we were able to pack in over a few short days were gorgeous, challenging, and definitely of a respectable level of difficulty and intensity. I think it is a bit premature to say that I’ve fallen in love with the White Mountains, but I also think that is a pretty accurate summary of my recent experience. I am eager to return, and many times a year.
Caleb had a similar experience, climbing his first mountain, and honing rock climbing skills we never knew he had. He was such a sport joining us on hikes and trying out new and challenging things. On our first day, he and I did a moderate ~1.2 mile hike up the Crawford Path (a small portion of it, that is), exploring Gibbs Falls, and identifying as many mushrooms, ferns, spiders and various other natural features as we could take in. It was a lot of fun hiking with him, and it was even more fun seeing how much he enjoyed the activity and simply being in nature.
The second day Megan and I took Caleb on a hike up Mt. Willard, hearing from a number of guests that it would be a great trail to take him on. When he made it to the top on his own, we found out that most people assumed we would carry him up. I carried him down the mountain on my shoulders like a champ and almost everyone we passed said hello and asked if he made it up on his own. His confidence and pride built as each person showed amazement that our little (big) guy could make it up on his own. (We are very, very proud of you Caleb!) The photo of he and I on the summit is one of my favorite photos of the two of us together.
If you have yet to visit and experience the White Mountains, I strongly encourage you to do so, and soon. The Highland Center is a great place to start, but even a quick 30 minute hike on the simplest of trails should give you enough of a taste to hook you for life.
Happy hiking!
Yes, I know it has been a while. A lot has happened in the weeks since my last post, and unfortunately this will be short as well. I leave you with the photograph below, which was taken just after Caleb reached the top of his first mountain, all on his own. It was a long hike for him ~1.5 miles, and a bit tricky for a 3 year old. But he did it, and we are really proud of him. His treat was riding all the way down on my shoulders.
I just finished cleaning off our tent this afternoon and officially ended the experience by putting it and our sleeping bags away. I toyed with camping out in one of our bedrooms but decided to let the experience stand as is. While I am pretty down about the various unexpected challenges we had to deal with, there is a lot that went well. (Click on the image to the right to see all of our camping photos.)
First and foremost, Caleb had a great time. That was my nearly singular aim, and I think I can say, mission accomplished. He didn’t mind sleeping in a tent, or getting a bit dirty, or even dealing with the mosquitoes or rain. He clearly didn’t appreciate the latter two if you asked him about them, but neither seemed to slow him down much. I look at camping as a way to get out of the hustle and bustle of life and slow down a bit. Caleb seemed drawn to the same (we sat near the fire on our first night and listened to the forest and its many noises) and seemed also genuinely energized to be having the semi-roughing it experience.
In retrospect, I’ve decided that I shouldn’t be too hard on myself for deciding to leave a day early. Indeed, it continued to rain throughout the day and into the day we had originally planned to leave. Without the proper rain gear, and having to consider our dog’s comfort level as well, avoiding the rain was the proper move.
On the upside, we had a lot go in our favor. There were only a handful of campers in the campground aside from the three of us (perhaps five campgrounds out of 90 were occupied, perhaps due to the weather… ) so we had a considerable amount of peace and quiet. Despite the rain, our tent kept us very dry and comfortable. It also helped keep the mosquitoes out and offered a spot for Caleb to go to the bathroom so we could avoid the rain (the rain fly creates two fairly roomy vestibules on either side of the tent — Caleb managed with some finagling to be convinced that the option was far more preferable than running through the rain roughly 300 yards to the bathroom). Nadine perked up the second day and I figured out how to keep the mosquitoes off her without too much bug spray on her fur. We had the opportunity to visit a very cool museum and talk with a friendly person for a bit. And, perhaps most importantly, Caleb wants to go again, and soon (a not-so-certain outcome with kids, even after an ideal camping trip).
So, all in all, it was far more fun and successful than perhaps I convey when harping about the few discomforts. Perhaps we’ll try again next weekend…
