| Summary | None |
| Owner | Patrick Allen |
| Creation Date | 2011-01-25 11:04:42 UTC-0500 |
| Description | <b>Pat's, Rich's, and Mike's excellent overnight adventure.<b>
Pat A., Rich K., Mike O., Stefan Y., Ben T., Keith R., John R., Robyn A. Saturday: We hiked in up Lowe's Path, 2800 vertical feet, 3.5 miles. With average pack weights around 50 pounds we layered down to base layer or base layer plus 1 to avoid overheating on the steep terrain even though the temperature was about 4 F. A few hundred yards from our destination we had to layer up before passing over exposed part of the trail right at tree line. Those who were experiencing tree line in winter for the first time got a stark introduction to the dramatic change in conditions which is possible when moving just a few feet along the trail as you break tree line. We were happy to discover that there was still exactly enough room in the Gray Knob RMC cabin for our group. We were prepared to camp in tents if all of the RMC cabins were full when we arrived. Sunday: Based on reports of trail conditions and the forecast for -7 F, winds 45 mph, fog, blowing snow, temperatures dropping and winds increasing throughout the day, we decided to abandon our plan to climb Mt. Jefferson, third highest peak NH in favor of a shorter hike above tree line in the direction of the second highest peak, Mt. Adams. Adams' summit stand about two miles away and 1500 feet higher than Cray Knob Cabin. Our goal was to hike Lowe's Path towards the summit and turn around at our turn around time or when it stopped being fun, whichever came first. Given the forecast, we were not expecting to reach the summit since most of our team was new to above tree line winter travel, and the conditions would be going into low end of the severe range. The weatherman didn't lie. Snow and 20 mph winds greeted us as we broke tree line and pounded us unremittingly and with increasing fury throughout the day. Many of the smaller cairns were buried and the larger ones were playing hide and seek in the low visibility. Map and compass skills were essential. We discovered that our team was up to the challenge! We functioned well together, everyone was well prepared, and we ate, drank, hiked and peed our way steadily towards the summit. Man it was fun! At times we had to work some tricks to keep our fingers and toes happy, but the wildness of the weather, the raw beauty, and the pure joy of being able to move through such an extraordinary place under those conditions was extremely satisfying. We did not pause on the pointy summit of Mt. Adams for a summit picture. Instead, encouraged by the wind, we went over the top and paused in the lee of some rocks for a quick snack and a chance to pee. We could hear the wind continuing to build as we adjusted our full face coverage in preparation for our return via Spur Trail. Our return track took us directly into the wind. We were still having fun! Spur Trail was mostly buried under drifting snow which covered all but the biggest cairns. We had to retrace our steps more than once and it was difficult to find the point where the trail went back below tree line. We knew pretty well where we were, but we were having trouble finding precisely where the trail was hiding. It was slow going, and daylight was getting short. We knew that if we couldn't locate the way down before sunset, we would have to find a sheltered spot to spend the night. Wandering around above tree line in the dark was not an option. Map and compass and some good decisions kept us pretty close to the right track. As we neared the tree line, pondering where we would hide if we were the trail, we got some help from a solo hiker returning from the summit who had come up via Spur Trail on his way to the top. (He told us he got turned around higher up, and ended up hiking a ways down the Airline Trail before realizing his mistake. He had to hike back up to Thunderstorm Junction to get himself back onto Spur Trail). We followed him down until the trail became clear as it descended through the trees. We got back to Gray Knob Cabin with some daylight to spare. Monday: The skies cleared and the temperature dropped to -14 F. We decided to get up before sunrise so that we could pop above tree line to see the sunrise. Venus was extremely bright and high in the sky. The early morning views were spectacular. At -14 F with 20 mph winds, we didn't linger long in that -40 F wind chill. The hike out was glorious. Mt. Jefferson was catching the first rays of the sun in dramatic fashion. Glissades were a bit slow because at -14 F the snow was only about as slippery as fine beach sand. Back at the trail head a little before 10 AM the temperature was still hanging around zero, perhaps below. A good time was had by all. A topo map can be found at: http://ims.er.usgs.gov/gda_services/download?item_id=5163400&quad=Mount%20Washington&state=NH&grid=7.5X15&series=Map%20GeoPDF |