MarkL
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2003
- Messages
- 257
- Reaction score
- 31
This was an unusually mild day, so I thought I'd try a northern Presi or two. I started from Appalachia just before 11AM. I followed fresh tracks all the way to Madison Hut. With one exception, none of the side trails were tracked. I barebooted past the tent platform site, and figured I'd need them soon, so better to put them on while still sheltered. As it turned out, I could have barebooted to the hut. The snow was hardpacked and I didn't break through. However, I did step in someone's previous postholes which had filled in with powder, and that could have been bad. Even off the trail, I broke through only a few times.
From the Hut, I took the Star Lake trail to Adams. It got pretty steep, so crampons were needed on the iced and frosted rocks. At the summit, the temps and wind were so mild that I stood there for about 10 minutes looking around. Despite the clouds, I could see Camels Hump and Mansfield. I didn't want to go down the steeps I'd come up, so I headed for the Gulfside trail. By then it was sunset.
On the way to the hut I thought about Madison. I'd already done the ~3,400' climb to the hut, not to mention the 6 hour drive to NH, so it would be good to do this at the same time. I was feeling warm and fairly strong, had a good head lamp, and the winds hadn't picked up, so at 5:30 I started up Madison. The half moon was showing through the clouds enough that for a while I just used that, with no lamp. Madison's summit was not too breezy, and I spent about 5 minutes looking around.
I took off the crampons a little lower than where I'd put them on.
Crampons needed. Snowshoes not.
I noticed the first snow falling at 9:15PM. I stayed at Hiker's Paradise in Gorham. This morning there were about 3" of somewhat wet snow on the car. The local snow advisory lasts til 1PM today (1/18), but it had stopped by 10:30AM. I see now (11:35AM) that it's snowing lightly again.
I'd been intimidated by the prospect of doing the northern Presis and Mt. W in the winter, but this hike reminded me that it's all about choosing your day. 17/48W
From the Hut, I took the Star Lake trail to Adams. It got pretty steep, so crampons were needed on the iced and frosted rocks. At the summit, the temps and wind were so mild that I stood there for about 10 minutes looking around. Despite the clouds, I could see Camels Hump and Mansfield. I didn't want to go down the steeps I'd come up, so I headed for the Gulfside trail. By then it was sunset.
On the way to the hut I thought about Madison. I'd already done the ~3,400' climb to the hut, not to mention the 6 hour drive to NH, so it would be good to do this at the same time. I was feeling warm and fairly strong, had a good head lamp, and the winds hadn't picked up, so at 5:30 I started up Madison. The half moon was showing through the clouds enough that for a while I just used that, with no lamp. Madison's summit was not too breezy, and I spent about 5 minutes looking around.
I took off the crampons a little lower than where I'd put them on.
Crampons needed. Snowshoes not.
I noticed the first snow falling at 9:15PM. I stayed at Hiker's Paradise in Gorham. This morning there were about 3" of somewhat wet snow on the car. The local snow advisory lasts til 1PM today (1/18), but it had stopped by 10:30AM. I see now (11:35AM) that it's snowing lightly again.
I'd been intimidated by the prospect of doing the northern Presis and Mt. W in the winter, but this hike reminded me that it's all about choosing your day. 17/48W
