BIGEarl
Well-known member
October 14, 2009: Crawford Notch Loop
Trails: Crawford Connector, Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail, Webster-Jackson Trail, Avalon Trail, Willey Range Trail, Mt. Tom Spur, A-Z Trail
Summits: Pierce, Jackson, Field, Willey, Tom
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue) me
The plan for the day was to hike a loop of Crawford Notch, clockwise. We would start at the trailhead lot on Mt. Clinton Road and hike the Crawford Path and Webster Cliff Trail to Pierce; then continue over Jackson and Webster to Route 302, cross the highway and follow the Ethan Pond Trail and Willey Range Trail for a south-north traverse of the Willey Range, and finally exit via the A-Z Trail and Avalon Trail. Plans are subject to change. The loop turned into a bow tie.
As planned we made a quick stop at the Highland Center before setting off (pit stop, boot change, etc.). Without wasting any time we drove to the trailhead lot, grabbed our things, and we were hiking. The conditions were overcast and ~31 degrees but no wind at street level. As usual, Sue was immediately in the hike and I was spending my usual extended time for the warm-up. We had a long day planned and our main focus was to have a good start. Hiking in the dark reduces the world to a ~30 foot radius and that was all we were concerned with on the climb of the Crawford Path. As the day started to get light we were hiking in snow. There were a couple inched on the ground, the trees were all loaded, and the great memories from past winter hikes started coming back. The higher we hiked, the deeper the snow became, the cooler the temperature and the wind increased; even more memories of past winter hikes. With the cooler temperatures we found the trail had snow with ice to watch out for. The rocks are glazing over with a pretty good layer of ice making for difficult footing conditions. We generally hiked through the Mizpah Cutoff junction pausing briefly for a couple pictures and continuing to the treeline. On our way along the Crawford Path Sue stopped to make her first snowman of the season (there will be many more). As we approached the treeline I was aware of the wind (if I can hear the wind, it’s probably very uncomfortable). We stopped to add a layer before leaving the shelter of the spruce.
We stepped out and were hit with a very strong wind from the north-northwest, everything was covered in rime, and we made the change from terrific fall foliage in the valley to the dead of winter on the summits. The cameras were out and we snapped away but we also kept moving to the Crawford Path – Webster Cliff trails junction. Our first objective of the day suddenly became more urgent. We wanted to hit the summit and continue south, back into the shelter of the spruce. The final climb to the summit of Pierce was interesting. The trail was easy to follow but there were many places where drifts were knee-deep. The general condition was ~4 – 6 inches of snow. We stopped on the summit for a couple quick pictures and set off for the Mizpah Hut and a quick break. On the way to the hut, Sue decided it was time for a little additional traction and pulled out her MicroSpikes. That was a great move. My MicroSpikes were at home staying new. We made our way to the hut without any problems but my attention to the slippery conditions required an unusually high amount of focus to avoid a fall. I honestly expected something bad to happen on the way to the hut or on Jackson. We stopped at the hut for a quick break, visited briefly with the Hut Croo, and took off for Jackson.
On the hike to Jackson I had thoughts running through my head about the conditions and my stupid move to leave the MicroSpikes at home. I was sure the final approach to Jackson or exit from Jackson would involve a fall that would leave a mark. I was also concerned with our plans after we left Jackson. There are some difficult areas on the trail to Webster and then on the descent. The more I thought about it the more I became concerned. We continued our way to Jackson but I made Sue aware of my concerns and my thought process. We managed to reach the summit of Jackson without incident. There, we decided to follow the Webster-Jackson Trail back to Crawford Notch instead of continuing on the Webster Cliff Trail. Perhaps we could catch a ride to Willey House Station and pickup with our planned hike. Or, we could simply hike a loop of the Willey Range from Crawford Depot.
On the hike to Crawford Notch we met several hikers making their way to Jackson. I hope they were properly prepared for high wind and low temperatures, and icy conditions. At the trailhead I looked across to the parking area and noticed no hikers, just leaf peepers. Without wasting a great deal of time we crossed the road and made our way to Crawford Depot, made a quick stop, and then set off on the Avalon Trail for a loop of the Willey Range.
Hiking without traction when it is needed seems to burn a great deal of extra energy. Consequently, I was extremely low on energy as we were hiking the initial 1.3 miles to the Avalon – A-Z trails junction. Sue asked more than once if I simply wanted to call it a day – but I wanted to hike, and Sue would have to dig a little deeper for some extra patience with me because we were about to have a very long afternoon. Roughly a mile into the hike we stopped and I packed in some energy (turkey-cheese roll-up, Monster drink). It helped but I was still having a tough time. We hit the trails junction and decided to continue the climb of the Avalon Trail and go for Field first, and then Willey, then back over Field to Tom, and finally out. Here we were also hiking in the same snow and ice conditions we experienced in the morning. It seems the climb to the spur trail to Mount Avalon is the toughest part of the Avalon Trail. It’s a very steep climb nearly all of the way. After the spur junction there are several steep sections separated by very mild sections making the climb to the Willey Range Trail much less difficult.
Slowly we made our way through each steep section on the way to the Willey Range Trail. Usually, these sections included multiple stops. Sue was patient with me. I was physically burned out and hiking on nothing more than determination. After each stop I managed to look around and remind myself how beautiful the surroundings were, and how enjoyable winter hiking is, and how much I appreciate Sue for being a great hiking partner and friend. Eventually, street signs! We reached the Avalon – Willey Range trails junction; turn left and the summit of Mount Field is 100 yards that way.
We hit the summit, got the usual pictures at the cairn and a few more of the views to the Mount Washington Resort including snow on top and fall foliage on the bottom. Then, we were on our way to Willey – I hoped to recharge a little on this section.
The hike to Willey is relatively mild with a few short descents along the way, a PUD in the middle, and a mild ascent at the end. My energy level didn’t improve and it was an endless fight with myself all of the way there. Determination working with stubbornness is an interesting team. We managed to cover the distance in reasonable time, got the summit pictures, and u-turned back to Mount Field. The return trip was an instant replay of the hike out; lot’s of short stops but we made it. At the summit of Mount Field I was relieved to know there was only one small climb left and the hike to Mount Tom was generally a mild downhill run.
We set off for Mount Tom. The exit from Mount Field has a steep section and we managed to get through this test without any mishap. Roughly half-way to Mount Tom we stopped to pull out the headlights (we started the day with headlights and that’s the way it would end). The hiking went well. There were no extra stops and we generally just hiked. We hit the Willey Range – A-Z trails junction, turned right, took the short walk to the Mt. Tom Spur, made the left and headed for the summit. In only .5 miles and 350 feet we would be on our final summit for the day. The Mount Tom Spur had seen a great deal of traffic during the day. The snow was very tracked out and the mud pits showed signs of muddy boots. We worked our way to the summit. Near the summit there is an open area where the trail splits. To the right the trail leads to the Mt. Tom Bench. To the left the trail leads to the summit. With all of the traffic during the day, nobody visited the summit. Everybody turned right (east) and headed for the Mt. Tom Bench area. The only tracks leading to the highpoint and summit cairn were left by a rabbit. Both Sue and I found this very amusing. I wonder how many of those folks thought they climbed to the summit of Mount Tom.
We got the final summit shots. Yesterday was also my daughter’s birthday and I wanted to call with birthday wishes. My phone wouldn’t complete the call. Sue let me use her superphone and it worked fine. With the important stuff out of the way all that was left was a couple hours walk back to the truck.
The hike out was quiet and uneventful. I continued to use extreme caution to avoid a mishap and Sue cruised on her MicroSpikes. A short distance past the Avalon – A-Z trails junction Sue stopped to retire the MicroSpikes for the day. Roughly twenty minutes later we reached Crawford Depot, walked to the waiting truck, packed our things, changed footwear, made a quick stop at the Highland Center, and headed for home.
What a day. It was a little longer than planned but still a great, full day. Thanks Sue for your company and patience. The MicroSpikes will be in my pack from now until they are no longer needed in the spring.
Pictures will follow.
Trails: Crawford Connector, Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail, Webster-Jackson Trail, Avalon Trail, Willey Range Trail, Mt. Tom Spur, A-Z Trail
Summits: Pierce, Jackson, Field, Willey, Tom
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue) me
The plan for the day was to hike a loop of Crawford Notch, clockwise. We would start at the trailhead lot on Mt. Clinton Road and hike the Crawford Path and Webster Cliff Trail to Pierce; then continue over Jackson and Webster to Route 302, cross the highway and follow the Ethan Pond Trail and Willey Range Trail for a south-north traverse of the Willey Range, and finally exit via the A-Z Trail and Avalon Trail. Plans are subject to change. The loop turned into a bow tie.
As planned we made a quick stop at the Highland Center before setting off (pit stop, boot change, etc.). Without wasting any time we drove to the trailhead lot, grabbed our things, and we were hiking. The conditions were overcast and ~31 degrees but no wind at street level. As usual, Sue was immediately in the hike and I was spending my usual extended time for the warm-up. We had a long day planned and our main focus was to have a good start. Hiking in the dark reduces the world to a ~30 foot radius and that was all we were concerned with on the climb of the Crawford Path. As the day started to get light we were hiking in snow. There were a couple inched on the ground, the trees were all loaded, and the great memories from past winter hikes started coming back. The higher we hiked, the deeper the snow became, the cooler the temperature and the wind increased; even more memories of past winter hikes. With the cooler temperatures we found the trail had snow with ice to watch out for. The rocks are glazing over with a pretty good layer of ice making for difficult footing conditions. We generally hiked through the Mizpah Cutoff junction pausing briefly for a couple pictures and continuing to the treeline. On our way along the Crawford Path Sue stopped to make her first snowman of the season (there will be many more). As we approached the treeline I was aware of the wind (if I can hear the wind, it’s probably very uncomfortable). We stopped to add a layer before leaving the shelter of the spruce.
We stepped out and were hit with a very strong wind from the north-northwest, everything was covered in rime, and we made the change from terrific fall foliage in the valley to the dead of winter on the summits. The cameras were out and we snapped away but we also kept moving to the Crawford Path – Webster Cliff trails junction. Our first objective of the day suddenly became more urgent. We wanted to hit the summit and continue south, back into the shelter of the spruce. The final climb to the summit of Pierce was interesting. The trail was easy to follow but there were many places where drifts were knee-deep. The general condition was ~4 – 6 inches of snow. We stopped on the summit for a couple quick pictures and set off for the Mizpah Hut and a quick break. On the way to the hut, Sue decided it was time for a little additional traction and pulled out her MicroSpikes. That was a great move. My MicroSpikes were at home staying new. We made our way to the hut without any problems but my attention to the slippery conditions required an unusually high amount of focus to avoid a fall. I honestly expected something bad to happen on the way to the hut or on Jackson. We stopped at the hut for a quick break, visited briefly with the Hut Croo, and took off for Jackson.
On the hike to Jackson I had thoughts running through my head about the conditions and my stupid move to leave the MicroSpikes at home. I was sure the final approach to Jackson or exit from Jackson would involve a fall that would leave a mark. I was also concerned with our plans after we left Jackson. There are some difficult areas on the trail to Webster and then on the descent. The more I thought about it the more I became concerned. We continued our way to Jackson but I made Sue aware of my concerns and my thought process. We managed to reach the summit of Jackson without incident. There, we decided to follow the Webster-Jackson Trail back to Crawford Notch instead of continuing on the Webster Cliff Trail. Perhaps we could catch a ride to Willey House Station and pickup with our planned hike. Or, we could simply hike a loop of the Willey Range from Crawford Depot.
On the hike to Crawford Notch we met several hikers making their way to Jackson. I hope they were properly prepared for high wind and low temperatures, and icy conditions. At the trailhead I looked across to the parking area and noticed no hikers, just leaf peepers. Without wasting a great deal of time we crossed the road and made our way to Crawford Depot, made a quick stop, and then set off on the Avalon Trail for a loop of the Willey Range.
Hiking without traction when it is needed seems to burn a great deal of extra energy. Consequently, I was extremely low on energy as we were hiking the initial 1.3 miles to the Avalon – A-Z trails junction. Sue asked more than once if I simply wanted to call it a day – but I wanted to hike, and Sue would have to dig a little deeper for some extra patience with me because we were about to have a very long afternoon. Roughly a mile into the hike we stopped and I packed in some energy (turkey-cheese roll-up, Monster drink). It helped but I was still having a tough time. We hit the trails junction and decided to continue the climb of the Avalon Trail and go for Field first, and then Willey, then back over Field to Tom, and finally out. Here we were also hiking in the same snow and ice conditions we experienced in the morning. It seems the climb to the spur trail to Mount Avalon is the toughest part of the Avalon Trail. It’s a very steep climb nearly all of the way. After the spur junction there are several steep sections separated by very mild sections making the climb to the Willey Range Trail much less difficult.
Slowly we made our way through each steep section on the way to the Willey Range Trail. Usually, these sections included multiple stops. Sue was patient with me. I was physically burned out and hiking on nothing more than determination. After each stop I managed to look around and remind myself how beautiful the surroundings were, and how enjoyable winter hiking is, and how much I appreciate Sue for being a great hiking partner and friend. Eventually, street signs! We reached the Avalon – Willey Range trails junction; turn left and the summit of Mount Field is 100 yards that way.
We hit the summit, got the usual pictures at the cairn and a few more of the views to the Mount Washington Resort including snow on top and fall foliage on the bottom. Then, we were on our way to Willey – I hoped to recharge a little on this section.
The hike to Willey is relatively mild with a few short descents along the way, a PUD in the middle, and a mild ascent at the end. My energy level didn’t improve and it was an endless fight with myself all of the way there. Determination working with stubbornness is an interesting team. We managed to cover the distance in reasonable time, got the summit pictures, and u-turned back to Mount Field. The return trip was an instant replay of the hike out; lot’s of short stops but we made it. At the summit of Mount Field I was relieved to know there was only one small climb left and the hike to Mount Tom was generally a mild downhill run.
We set off for Mount Tom. The exit from Mount Field has a steep section and we managed to get through this test without any mishap. Roughly half-way to Mount Tom we stopped to pull out the headlights (we started the day with headlights and that’s the way it would end). The hiking went well. There were no extra stops and we generally just hiked. We hit the Willey Range – A-Z trails junction, turned right, took the short walk to the Mt. Tom Spur, made the left and headed for the summit. In only .5 miles and 350 feet we would be on our final summit for the day. The Mount Tom Spur had seen a great deal of traffic during the day. The snow was very tracked out and the mud pits showed signs of muddy boots. We worked our way to the summit. Near the summit there is an open area where the trail splits. To the right the trail leads to the Mt. Tom Bench. To the left the trail leads to the summit. With all of the traffic during the day, nobody visited the summit. Everybody turned right (east) and headed for the Mt. Tom Bench area. The only tracks leading to the highpoint and summit cairn were left by a rabbit. Both Sue and I found this very amusing. I wonder how many of those folks thought they climbed to the summit of Mount Tom.
We got the final summit shots. Yesterday was also my daughter’s birthday and I wanted to call with birthday wishes. My phone wouldn’t complete the call. Sue let me use her superphone and it worked fine. With the important stuff out of the way all that was left was a couple hours walk back to the truck.
The hike out was quiet and uneventful. I continued to use extreme caution to avoid a mishap and Sue cruised on her MicroSpikes. A short distance past the Avalon – A-Z trails junction Sue stopped to retire the MicroSpikes for the day. Roughly twenty minutes later we reached Crawford Depot, walked to the waiting truck, packed our things, changed footwear, made a quick stop at the Highland Center, and headed for home.
What a day. It was a little longer than planned but still a great, full day. Thanks Sue for your company and patience. The MicroSpikes will be in my pack from now until they are no longer needed in the spring.
Pictures will follow.
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