Crawford Path -- A beautiful Sunday hike

[yam]

Crawford Path
Participants: Dr Wu, Spongebob, mountaingirl, yam
Total miles: approx. 18

After meeting in the parking lot around 7 am, we were off, up the Crawford Path to Mt. Pierce. It was a bit chilly at this time, but once we got moving, it was perfect. The first stretch of the hike was basically all uphill, we stopped at Gibbs Falls, got some pictures, and continued on. I learned mountaingirl is set to climb Elbrus soon. (way cool!) At the summit of Mt. Pierce we got our first look of the trail to come…and the beautiful weather that we’d be receiving for the day. We ran into several groups of people at this summit, they must have been coming from the Mizpah Hut. We scurried on to beat the rush, heading on to the summits of Mt. Eisenhower, Mt. Franklin, and Mt. Monroe, taking tons of pictures (Dr Wu is a photo fiend). I’ve never hiked any of the Presidentials, so this was a treat for me! I loved looking out over the huge expanse of mountains and trees around me. Both Dr Wu and Spongebob were naming off every knob and dip and mtn in sight, it was great. We could see Mt. Washington in the distance--it was perfectly clear, well, maybe a little cloud at the top of it, but nothing of the huge turbulent weather I‘d always imaged up there.

At the top of Mt Monroe, we looked down and saw Lakes of the Clouds. I loved that! It was beautiful. After passing the hut (lotza people milling about), we started up Washington. There was quite a few people hiking up and down. We made it to the top around 1:30.

After puttering around on the top and watching the Cog drop people off and pick them up again, and a ferret being led around on a leash, we headed back down the trail. This time there seemed to be less people on the trail. Instead of summiting Monroe and Eisenhower again, we took the true Crawford Path and bypassed them. The hike ended around 6:30, and we all went our separate ways. It was such spectacular weather and Dr Wu and Spongebob and Mountaingirl were great hiking partners. Can’t wait to do the Northern Presidentials!!

Haven’t had a chance to upload my photos yet onto Webshots, I’ll post the link when I’ve completed that.

 

[sapblatt]

Yam -

Excellent report! Welcome to the Presis!!
Looking forward to the pics!

 

[carole]

I don't think I could ever tire of hiking above treeline in the Presi's. So much to see in the distance and within reach. Year round it is grand! I'm glad you got the weather to enjoy it.

 

[dr_wu002]

Yam -

Excellent report! Welcome to the Presis!!
Looking forward to the pics!

Wow! Two replies already! Here's the pictures:

http://community.webshots.com/album/416664690RoCPvN

One of the really nice things I discovered on this trip (my 4th or 5th time doing Crawford Path) was the actual summit of Mt. Franklin. It's quite impressive and something to really look at once you know what to look for. If you check through the pictures you'll find that it's a repeated theme.

I love doing Crawford Path... it's my favorite hiking trail and I'm up for hiking it usually once a month or maybe every-other-month. It's so beautiful and I especially enjoy going with friends, in particular those who have never done it before. Mt. Franklin summit though, I always assumed was just the top of the shoulder, further south until I noticed the path (folks, it's just as obvious as Crawford Path is). Once I found it (the summit) it was easy to spot at multiple angles. I think that when you know it's there and what to look for then you can really focus on it and Mt. Franklin really is beautiful.

Another worthy aspect of Crawford Path is going around Monroe. We hiked up both Little Monroe and Monroe because they're beautiful and the views from multiple locations are spectacular (Monroe may be my favorite peak in all the Presis... both being on and looking at it's unusual shape). But going around gives you quite a unique perspective on Oakes Gulf as well as Mt. Franklin. I'd recommend going in to Washington and hitting the peaks while on the way out, staying on Crawford Path and going around Monroe. The trip around Eisenhower isn't quite as pretty -- you mostly stay in the scrub and the views when you get them aren't much different than the Eisenhower Summit but that's ok.

We had beautiful weather and a great time. I'd really like to thank Yam, Lei and Spongebob for such good company & I'm glad they enjoyed the hike too.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Artex]

Nice trip report and pics! You probably saw my footprints since I was there just the day before. Glad you guys had fun.

 

[MEB]

What a day to be above tree line! I agree, Crawford Path is among one of my favorite trails in the Whites. Nice pictures too.

-MEB

 

[lumberzac]

Dang, I just missed you. I was coming down Jefferson when you were just getting on top of Washington.

 

[Double Bow]

Glad to hear you all had such a good time! I love it up there and I too really like Franklin (the George Harrison of the Southern Presidentials). Nice pics capturing his good side!

 

[dr_wu002]

Glad to hear you all had such a good time! I love it up there and I too really like Franklin (the George Harrison of the Southern Presidentials). Nice pics capturing his good side!

Franklin is definitely the underdog. Great views! I love the Southern Presidentials... all of them. Although they're really just teensy bumps on the ridge (Prominence: Monroe - 272', Franklin - 25', Eisenhower - 335', Pierce - 235')! They're beautiful and unique however from Monroe's pointy, craggy summits to Eisenhower's large, bald dome. I can't get enough it and I'm glad I finally discovered how handsome Mt. Franklin is as well, despite it's small prominence.

Incidentally, I always make note of it though because when you pass Franklin, you're at the 5000' mark in terms of elevation!

-Dr. Wu

 

[Dalraida]

Missed the cave

Hey Dr_wu, I can't believe that you walked right past Emily Klug's "Monroe" shelter/cave, after all I went through telling you how to locate it. Shame, shame. Sounds like another capitol day in the Whites. Remember, "put your back against the boulder shaped like the prow of a ship", and look up, etc. etc.

 

[dr_wu002]

Hey Dr_wu, I can't believe that you walked right past Emily Klug's "Monroe" shelter/cave, after all I went through telling you how to locate it. Shame, shame. Sounds like another capitol day in the Whites. Remember, "put your back against the boulder shaped like the prow of a ship", and look up, etc. etc.

Oh Man, am I lame. I completely forgot about it...

I'm heading back in a few weeks anyway. Not only will I find it but I'll also move in.

-Dr. Wu

PS. Maybe if you came along, Tom, we'd have found the damn thing!!

 

[bobandgeri]

Great pics! Sounds like a fantastic day. If you want to do the northern peaks, some of us are planning a north/south traverse over Labor Day weekend.

 

[adamiata]

Nice report. I was originally planning to do the exact same hike on Sunday but I was asked to come into work. Instead, I hiked on Monday and added a side trip to Pierce and Mizpah Hut on the return trip.

Sounds like you folks had as much fun as I did.

 

[yam]

thanks guys for your comments!!

hey lumber---i was looking for you on the trail, bummer we missed you.

my pics

 

[Pennsy]

Super pics Yam and Dr Wu.
Yamster - excellent trip report and you're turning into a hiking animal. You're gonna kill us on Katahdin in 2 weeks.

 

[alpinista]

Lovely shots and awesome TR. What an amazing day to be on Crawford Path. I'm absolutely jealous that you got views from Pierce. I've been there three times now, and every time it's been socked in by fog.