hikes-with-him
New member
After having to skip a week (hubby was gone hiking with his friends so I stayed home with the kidos)...I was ready for a good climb. We had been watching the weather all week to see which day, Sat. or Sun., would be the best. About mid week, it looked as if Sunday would be the day we would need to go. We hoped we were going to get to hike with a new VFTT friend, but...oh well, the mountains (and VFTT friends) will be there next time 
Saturday night, the forecast per NOAA was 20's, mostly sunny, winds 30's with gusts to 40's and Mt. Wash Observer stated: In the clear over increasing clouds, 20's, windy 30's gusts to 40's. Ok...not too bad, we'd hiked in worse. Oh BOY would we be pleasantly surprised!
As usual, we got up at 2:00 am and on the road by 2:30. Interestingly, I feel asleep on the way up (hubby was driving so it's ok). This is really not something that I ever do. We usually have very interesting conversations and listen to Coast-to-Coast am on the 3 1/2 hour drive. Hmmmm...we got onto the trail by 5:38 (our earliest start) and noted that the sky was fairly clear and it really wasn't that cold! Yippie! There wer LOTS of cars in Appalacia and we contimplated how many would be VFTTers. Come to find out it seems like quite a few.
The hike in the dark was really great, I love doing this. There is a real simplicity to seeing nature at night...especially when the moon is shining down on us. We hiked in the dark for a bit over 1 hour. So quite. For some reason, I was really getting my butt kicked for about 2 hours. yup...the Valley way...2 miles...not really a big deal and I'm huffing and puffing! What was up with that? Fortunately, we we got to about the Valley Way Camp site...I was in the groove.
Madison and Howker's ridge were beautiful...we got to the hut at about 9:15, noted we were not alone as someone had campd behind the hut. We dropped our packs and started up Mt. Madison. About 5 minutes into the climb, we saw someone coming up Valley way and figured it was probably Bob K...we were right! Quite a few others came up too...the VFTT reunion began.
It didn't take us long to hit the summit...so beautiful. We had come so close last time but now, on our third attempt, here we were! Snap, snap...snap...a bit windy and chilly, but not bad. We coud stay here and enjoy or Snickers. Along came a very nice gentleman who was doing his SECOND 48 in one winter. Oh BOY! We tagged on with him down the trail...picking his brain about all sorts of things from trails to ice ax self-arest techniques (intersting considering our next "trail"). Unfortunately, I am VERY bad with names...and don't remember what he said his name is. I'm sure someone here will know him...We said our goodbyes at the hut and we headed towards Star Lake.
I have been wanting to see this pretty little lake since seeing it from the top of Adams in February. We had fun "skating" on the lake and just enjoying how blue it was. Now...on to Adams...hmmm....Star Lake trail...or the Airline up? Ok...let's try the Star Lake trail.
We found it...but didn't like the down into the snow field. Hmmm...I remember the Scar Trail...we don't know how deep that is...no one has broken it. Oh Hey!! Someone did a "snow wack" up by John Quincy. Let's do that! We can follow their footsteps up. What a great idea! When will we learn.
So, we start up...the very steep snow field. For a while, it wasn't bad. But, then it got steeper and the snow softer (it was about 11:00 by this time). Images of avalanches and sliding down this thing flipped through my head. What had we done? We really couldn't go down...that would be even worse. So, up we went. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, we made it to the small "col" between Adams and John Quincy. We made it! Let's salvage this and "bag" JQ...after a bit of discussion about our stupidity, we caught the Airline up to Adams.
This was the easy part...almost no wind, no clouds, BLUER than BLUE sky...and it had to be in the high 30's! So much for modern technology weather forcasting. What is there to say about summitting Adams on a day like this? We met a group (and several others) and spent about 20 minutes discussing the day, enjoying the view, and naming off which peak was what (hey, they had read my "what am I mssing post"). Again, although they introduced themselves, I do not remember names. We told our story about JQ Adams and received a lecture...a well deserved one, I must add. After bidding the summit good bye, we headed back to the hut to pick up our packs. Down the Airline and back to the car. We set a bet on the number of cars that would be there...Bobby said 23, I said about 10. He won and there were probably more!
We had had the day of the winter...we a spectacular view of "our" peaks as we left. Good bye beautifuls...we will hold this trip fond for quite a while!
Oh...and as I write this, I'm not feeling too well...I think that cold has finally got me. Oh well...small price to pay for such a charmer of a hike!
The album is here
Saturday night, the forecast per NOAA was 20's, mostly sunny, winds 30's with gusts to 40's and Mt. Wash Observer stated: In the clear over increasing clouds, 20's, windy 30's gusts to 40's. Ok...not too bad, we'd hiked in worse. Oh BOY would we be pleasantly surprised!
As usual, we got up at 2:00 am and on the road by 2:30. Interestingly, I feel asleep on the way up (hubby was driving so it's ok). This is really not something that I ever do. We usually have very interesting conversations and listen to Coast-to-Coast am on the 3 1/2 hour drive. Hmmmm...we got onto the trail by 5:38 (our earliest start) and noted that the sky was fairly clear and it really wasn't that cold! Yippie! There wer LOTS of cars in Appalacia and we contimplated how many would be VFTTers. Come to find out it seems like quite a few.
The hike in the dark was really great, I love doing this. There is a real simplicity to seeing nature at night...especially when the moon is shining down on us. We hiked in the dark for a bit over 1 hour. So quite. For some reason, I was really getting my butt kicked for about 2 hours. yup...the Valley way...2 miles...not really a big deal and I'm huffing and puffing! What was up with that? Fortunately, we we got to about the Valley Way Camp site...I was in the groove.
Madison and Howker's ridge were beautiful...we got to the hut at about 9:15, noted we were not alone as someone had campd behind the hut. We dropped our packs and started up Mt. Madison. About 5 minutes into the climb, we saw someone coming up Valley way and figured it was probably Bob K...we were right! Quite a few others came up too...the VFTT reunion began.
It didn't take us long to hit the summit...so beautiful. We had come so close last time but now, on our third attempt, here we were! Snap, snap...snap...a bit windy and chilly, but not bad. We coud stay here and enjoy or Snickers. Along came a very nice gentleman who was doing his SECOND 48 in one winter. Oh BOY! We tagged on with him down the trail...picking his brain about all sorts of things from trails to ice ax self-arest techniques (intersting considering our next "trail"). Unfortunately, I am VERY bad with names...and don't remember what he said his name is. I'm sure someone here will know him...We said our goodbyes at the hut and we headed towards Star Lake.
I have been wanting to see this pretty little lake since seeing it from the top of Adams in February. We had fun "skating" on the lake and just enjoying how blue it was. Now...on to Adams...hmmm....Star Lake trail...or the Airline up? Ok...let's try the Star Lake trail.
We found it...but didn't like the down into the snow field. Hmmm...I remember the Scar Trail...we don't know how deep that is...no one has broken it. Oh Hey!! Someone did a "snow wack" up by John Quincy. Let's do that! We can follow their footsteps up. What a great idea!
When will we learn.So, we start up...the very steep snow field. For a while, it wasn't bad. But, then it got steeper and the snow softer (it was about 11:00 by this time). Images of avalanches and sliding down this thing flipped through my head. What had we done? We really couldn't go down...that would be even worse. So, up we went. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, we made it to the small "col" between Adams and John Quincy. We made it! Let's salvage this and "bag" JQ...after a bit of discussion about our stupidity, we caught the Airline up to Adams.
This was the easy part...almost no wind, no clouds, BLUER than BLUE sky...and it had to be in the high 30's! So much for modern technology weather forcasting. What is there to say about summitting Adams on a day like this? We met a group (and several others) and spent about 20 minutes discussing the day, enjoying the view, and naming off which peak was what (hey, they had read my "what am I mssing post"). Again, although they introduced themselves, I do not remember names. We told our story about JQ Adams and received a lecture...a well deserved one, I must add. After bidding the summit good bye, we headed back to the hut to pick up our packs. Down the Airline and back to the car. We set a bet on the number of cars that would be there...Bobby said 23, I said about 10. He won and there were probably more!
We had had the day of the winter...we a spectacular view of "our" peaks as we left. Good bye beautifuls...we will hold this trip fond for quite a while!
Oh...and as I write this, I'm not feeling too well...I think that cold has finally got me. Oh well...small price to pay for such a charmer of a hike!
The album is here
