Adam's Mt. Washington trips

April 5 and 10, 2004

On Sunday April 4, swimmer/climber/runner Jesse Leayman and I drove up to Mt. Washington and hiked up via Huntington Ravine the next day.  Unfortunately he bonked in the extreme weather near 6000', a quarter of a mile to the summit and said "Adam, get me off this mountain" so we turned back at that point.  We descended the Auto Road and cut over to base camp along a trail near the bottom.  On Friday I drove up again (by myself) and awoke early the next morning for another summit attempt.  Weather conditions and hike route up were essentially identical (visibility was better) and I reached the summit in excellent time.  (Some hikes have taken over 16 hours, hence the early departure time... just in case.)  I descended via the headwall of Tuckerman Ravine, a smaller cirque southeast of the summit.  (Its headwall is about 700' tall as opposed to Huntington's 1600' maximum height.)  Tuckerman's was essentially deserted when I got there, though there were a couple people at the bottom and LOTS of people at Hermit Lake down below the ravine floor.  Lots of snowboarders and skiiers were hiking up, too, as I headed down past them for base camp.  I was definitely a source of amusement for many of them, all rime-covered with my summit gear, a clear indication of the battering summit conditions unfelt where they were going.

Trip info: Weather data & hike times
April 5 photos: The approachCentral GullyUpper slopesGoing down
April 9 photos: Views of Mt. Washington
April 10 photos: The climbUpper slopesSummit bidSummit areaTuckerman descent • Hermit Lake & base camp

Hermit Lake shelter area
[ADAM R. JONES PHOTO]
 

Ice fall warning sign
[ADAM R. JONES PHOTO]
 

The U.S. Forest Service rangers' quarters
[ADAM R. JONES PHOTO]
 

Chief ranger Chris Joosen with avalanche rescue dog Cutler
[ADAM R. JONES PHOTO]
 

Lots of skiiers at the Hermit Lake caretaker's cabin
[ADAM R. JONES PHOTO]
 

About 400 skiiers and snowboarders headed up past me; 0 summit climbers!
[ADAM R. JONES PHOTO]
 

Conditions return to normal near the bottom.
[ADAM R. JONES PHOTO]
 

Base camp!  (Last photo)
[ADAM R. JONES PHOTO]
 

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