On Sunday the 5th I joined Early Bird for a hike up Eisenhower for her Winter New Hampshire 4000 Footer finish.
It was occasionally brutal, but mostly nice. The difference was the wind. When we were out of the wind we were fine. Even when we were in the wind but it wasn't gusting we were OK. But sometimes above tree line the wind really kicked up and it was hard and cold going. The worst was the final push to the summit, when we were walking directly into a strong wind and there was no windbreak at all. We made it, though, and now Early Bird is a Winter NH4K finisher.
It was clear all day. When we were above the treeline we had great views all around. The trail surface was hard packed snow, with occasional postholes lining the sides, and occasional icy spots above the treeline. Early Bird did the whole hike on microspikes and I did it all on snowshoes.
We went both up and down on the Crawford Path. We met a fair number of people before it joins the AT, mostly going to Pierce, including one person who advised us to turn back because of the wind. If I remember correctly, we only met one person on the AT, a guy on crampons descending while we were ascending. When we were almost back to the trail head we met LRiz, whom we both know, going up.
When we made it to the summit we only stayed long enough to take some pictures, because even in the lee of the big cairn the wind was very strong. We waited until we were back in the trees before we broke out the summit treats and celebrated Early Bird's finish.
One problem I was having was that my goggles no longer quite fit over my glasses. When I bought them I tried them on to make sure they fit over my glasses, but since then I've gotten new glasses, and I didn't think to recheck the goggles. It wasn't a big problem, but I couldn't get them comfortable.
This was the 40th WNH4K for me, and the 50th (out of 115) peak in my project of redoing the NE111 in my sixties.
Congratulations to Early Bird for finishing a tough list, and thanks to her for letting me share in the finale.
Here are the pictures.
--
Cumulus
NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 50/115 (39/67, 11/46, 0/2)
NEFF: 50/50; Cat35: 39/39; WNH4K: 40/48; NEHH 84/100
LT NB 2009
"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll
It was occasionally brutal, but mostly nice. The difference was the wind. When we were out of the wind we were fine. Even when we were in the wind but it wasn't gusting we were OK. But sometimes above tree line the wind really kicked up and it was hard and cold going. The worst was the final push to the summit, when we were walking directly into a strong wind and there was no windbreak at all. We made it, though, and now Early Bird is a Winter NH4K finisher.
It was clear all day. When we were above the treeline we had great views all around. The trail surface was hard packed snow, with occasional postholes lining the sides, and occasional icy spots above the treeline. Early Bird did the whole hike on microspikes and I did it all on snowshoes.
We went both up and down on the Crawford Path. We met a fair number of people before it joins the AT, mostly going to Pierce, including one person who advised us to turn back because of the wind. If I remember correctly, we only met one person on the AT, a guy on crampons descending while we were ascending. When we were almost back to the trail head we met LRiz, whom we both know, going up.
When we made it to the summit we only stayed long enough to take some pictures, because even in the lee of the big cairn the wind was very strong. We waited until we were back in the trees before we broke out the summit treats and celebrated Early Bird's finish.
One problem I was having was that my goggles no longer quite fit over my glasses. When I bought them I tried them on to make sure they fit over my glasses, but since then I've gotten new glasses, and I didn't think to recheck the goggles. It wasn't a big problem, but I couldn't get them comfortable.
This was the 40th WNH4K for me, and the 50th (out of 115) peak in my project of redoing the NE111 in my sixties.
Congratulations to Early Bird for finishing a tough list, and thanks to her for letting me share in the finale.
Here are the pictures.
--
Cumulus
NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 50/115 (39/67, 11/46, 0/2)
NEFF: 50/50; Cat35: 39/39; WNH4K: 40/48; NEHH 84/100
LT NB 2009
"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll
