Looking forward to finishing my 4000 footers this winter - DEFINITELY not ready yet.

[Sematary]

Since my last winter hike up Cabot back in March, I haven't had much (hardly any) time for hiking this summer - too much time filled with car repairs, household projects, etc.... but I had done a couple of short hikes these past few months. Then I decided to tackle Monadnock ("only" a 90 minute drive). I pushed myself up the White Dot in 58 minutes from the parking lot (not too bad considering that I thought my conditioning was garbage - apparently not as bad as I had thought). Then, I ascended again via Red Spot. Needless to say - a good reminder of why I need to get up there weekly this fall before the winter hiking season. I have 3 peaks left for the winter and none of them are short - Owl's Head, West Bond and Isolation. Needless to say (and I knew this) I am not in condition for any of those hikes currently. That's ok. I will be. It's amazing what a double ascent up Mt. Monadnock (tough little mountain) will teach you about your conditioning. Also, I'll spend 2 months doing this every weekend - 2 to 3 ascents before winter. I'll be ready..... Need new snowshoes though.

 

[sierra]

Since my last winter hike up Cabot back in March, I haven't had much (hardly any) time for hiking this summer - too much time filled with car repairs, household projects, etc.... but I had done a couple of short hikes these past few months. Then I decided to tackle Monadnock ("only" a 90 minute drive). I pushed myself up the White Dot in 58 minutes from the parking lot (not too bad considering that I thought my conditioning was garbage - apparently not as bad as I had thought). Then, I ascended again via Red Spot. Needless to say - a good reminder of why I need to get up there weekly this fall before the winter hiking season. I have 3 peaks left for the winter and none of them are short - Owl's Head, West Bond and Isolation. Needless to say (and I knew this) I am not in condition for any of those hikes currently. That's ok. I will be. It's amazing what a double ascent up Mt. Monadnock (tough little mountain) will teach you about your conditioning. Also, I'll spend 2 months doing this every weekend - 2 to 3 ascents before winter. I'll be ready..... Need new snowshoes though.

First off, I agree that Monadnock is a great little mountain. It's very exposed and if your training to winter hike, it's a good peak to climb in bad weather. Unfortunately, I can't climb it no more, given the ban on dog's. Secondly, you managed to save the 3 longest for the end. Owls head should be the easiest, West and ISO will be a challenge. Good Luck.

 

[Sematary]

First off, I agree that Monadnock is a great little mountain. It's very exposed and if your training to winter hike, it's a good peak to climb in bad weather. Unfortunately, I can't climb it no more, given the ban on dog's. Secondly, you managed to save the 3 longest for the end. Owls head should be the easiest, West and ISO will be a challenge. Good Luck.

Ya, I did manage that somehow. Thanks for the heads up on which of the 3 will prove to be the least difficult but by the time 8 weeks of weekly 3 ascent days on Monadnock I should be ready for pretty much anything.

 

[ChrisB]

On any Monday?

Ya, I did manage that somehow. Thanks for the heads up on which of the 3 will prove to be the least difficult but by the time 8 weeks of weekly 3 ascent days on Monadnock I should be ready for pretty much anything.

As I get older I employ wile and strategery to bag my remaining Winter summits. For example,

Hiking a 4k on a Monday greatly improves the odds of finding a nicely broken trail (or bushwhack)
Joining a Meetup gang usually means at least 30 other souls with a similar goal to share trail breaking (Over 40 and Over 50 groups esp)
Doing a minimalist overnight (bivy sac and bag) reduces the need for a 20-mile winter day.
Planning to hike out in the dark (with 2 good headlamps) takes some of the pressure off the 2PM turn-around time.
Knowing when to shed snowshoes and don the microspikes can save lots of energy

Winter hiking is still exhausting for me compared to summer. Maybe the weight of the extra gear, constantly managing body temp, keeping hydrated and fed and the less efficient boot placements all work together.

I'm 0 for 2 on Willey, 0 for 1 on Isolation, and 0 for 1 on South Hancock. All these trips were solos where snow and route finding problems conspired to keep me from tagging the summit. Knowing I have to retrace my steps is a bit depressing.

But the Washington climb where I soloed Central Gully to the top was wonderful.

Good luck and hope to see you out there,

cb

 

[DayTrip]

I'm 0 for 2 on Willey, 0 for 1 on Isolation, and 0 for 1 on South Hancock. All these trips were solos where snow and route finding problems conspired to keep me from tagging the summit. Knowing I have to retrace my steps is a bit depressing.

cb

I know that feeling. I'm 44/48 for my Winter list and have two hikes left I really have no desire whatsoever to do (Zealand and Isolation). Last Winter was the first hike I have ever attempted (Zealand) that I failed to complete. Forecast/trail reports suggested heavy powder so I brought my big snowshoes instead of my normal ones. Trail wound up being pretty well packed but the weight of the long snow shoes really tuckered me out. I pressed on to Zeacliff Outlook where I met several people that said there was no track beyond the outlook. It was after 12PM already and I knew being alone I'd really be pushing it breaking trail for a mile and a half and then doing the entire return trip. I reluctantly turned around.The thought of doing that 3.5 mile road walk again is quite depressing.

 

[ChrisB]

The thought of doing that 3.5 mile road walk again is quite depressing.

In days of yore I've XC skied the Zealand road. And while not exactly effortless, it is a lot better than walking. I probably will go into the hut on day 1 and then do Zealand and come out on day 2. Self service is cheap and pulling a lightly loaded sled on that road would be relatively easy.

I still can't believe I got skunked twice on Willey. First time was up the Ethan Pond side where the Willey trail disappeared into a white wilderness of trees never to be found again. Second time was up Avalon where I bonked on top of Field with leg cramping and baby whining. It was very cold both days.

On Jackson last winter I wore snow shoes all the way to the summit and walked all the way back on micro spikes. Live n learn?

For a variety of reasons, physical and psychological, I think soloing in winter is about 50% harder than going with a group.

cb

 

[peakbagger]

I admit I am fair weather hiker. I have the equipment skills but not the motivation to head out in crappy conditions and this is even more so in winter conditions. It all comes down to, you got to pick your days and in the winter that can mean driving all the way up to the whites and possibly not hiking if the conditions turn bad. It lines up with the climbers comment there are old climbers and bold climbers but not a lot of old bold climbers (modified it a bit to acknowledge some outliers) . It took me three times to do Adams in winter and when I finally did it it, I was solo and it was worth it as it was 100 plus mile day. Long ago when I kept track of lists I waited to send in my original 4k list until I had a reasonable view from every summit (that had one). When I first did my winter list I admit I and the person I hiked with got obsessive and cranked them out. We probably ended up having to partially break out a quarter of our hikes. Once all the boxes were checked we went back to many of the summit where we had poor conditions in far nicer conditions. It took us a couple of hikes where we realized what we had missed and decided from them on if at all possible that we would only head out in good conditions.

 

[Raven]

Winter can take those seemingly easy summits and make them quite an adventure. Picking good days is ideal for views and safety. Like PB, I tagged a few in poor conditions and went back to catch a better day. I 'tagged' some of the longer ones when I had the chance though in case it was a one time opportunity.

My last Washington winter summit was literally a breeze on a warm winter day. Mount Nancy took me three tries. Owls head was easy on solid broken trail but Field was a bear breaking trail much of the way. I'm lucky I didn't freeze solid on Flume once.Trails are more broken out than they used to be on 4ks but the winter can make any one of them the hardest on any given day.

At this point I rarely plan hikes anymore. I head to the mountains with a primary goal or two and multiple contingency plans. I usually pick the mountain right about my third cup of coffee that morning. The flexibility is great for weather or days I feel stronger or weaker.

I'm on a new mountain kick lately and hitting some lower gems I've missed along the way.

I've seen plenty of people with sleds all the way to Zealand Hut. Breaking trail and route finding can be tough up above the outlook in bad conditions in that large flat area of spruce.

Enjoy the final few! I bet that's a common final three.

 

[yogi]

If only every day could be like our Moriah day last winter.......

 

[DayTrip]

For a variety of reasons, physical and psychological, I think soloing in winter is about 50% harder than going with a group.
cb

I hike alone and other than trail breaking in fresh snow I don't find it harder than other times of year. I don't really carry anything that could be split up in a group to cut weight like a tent, pans, etc. I suppose if I stayed out overnight it would be much more of a factor.

 

[DayTrip]

I admit I am fair weather hiker. I have the equipment skills but not the motivation to head out in crappy conditions and this is even more so in winter conditions. It all comes down to, you got to pick your days and in the winter that can mean driving all the way up to the whites and possibly not hiking if the conditions turn bad. It lines up with the climbers comment there are old climbers and bold climbers but not a lot of old bold climbers (modified it a bit to acknowledge some outliers) . It took me three times to do Adams in winter and when I finally did it it, I was solo and it was worth it as it was 100 plus mile day. Long ago when I kept track of lists I waited to send in my original 4k list until I had a reasonable view from every summit (that had one). When I first did my winter list I admit I and the person I hiked with got obsessive and cranked them out. We probably ended up having to partially break out a quarter of our hikes. Once all the boxes were checked we went back to many of the summit where we had poor conditions in far nicer conditions. It took us a couple of hikes where we realized what we had missed and decided from them on if at all possible that we would only head out in good conditions.

As a day hiker I have no choice but to wait for favorable weather in Winter because the 175-225 mile drive up (and then back at the end of the day) can consume a massive amount of time, energy and willpower. Tecumseh was one of my first Winter hikes. Drove up AM in cloudy conditions, hiked in some light snow and the drive home was a stop and go, tail light riddled 5 hour nightmare (normally about 2h 45m for me). Took over 2 hours to go from Waterville lot to the NH/MA line. Quickly decided that wasn't worth the check mark. I don't have 4 wheel drive anymore either and seemingly routine rides turn into white knuckle stress fests trying to get home (I live in a very hilly area and the approach to my house is pretty much uphill no matter what way I do it).

So Winters like last year where the weekend weather was poor quite often really cuts into how much hiking I can do. And it is especially irksome seeing all the midweek hike photo albums and trip reports from this past Winter season. There were tons of great stretches of Mon/Tue/Wed weather that people took advantage of. Sucks having a job.

 

[DayTrip]

At this point I rarely plan hikes anymore. I head to the mountains with a primary goal or two and multiple contingency plans. I usually pick the mountain right about my third cup of coffee that morning. The flexibility is great for weather or days I feel stronger or weaker.

Enjoy the final few! I bet that's a common final three.

That is generally how I do my hiking year round. During the week I usually have two or three hike ideas kicking around in my head and as the weekend approaches and I get a better feel for the weather, what kind of challenge I'm up for, etc, etc. one of those hikes usually "hooks" me and that's the one I get psyched for and do. It's very important for me to really look forward to a hike because I'm usually rolling out of bed at 2AM for a 3-4 hour drive so if I'm wishy-washy on my enthusiasm level it's easier to hear the rain on the roof or the hangover pounding in my head or the forecast for lousy weather to say "Maybe next weekend sport".

When I attempted Zealand I actually pulled the pulk I built the previous season to create some sort of "excitement value" trying out new gear and distracting from the long road walk. I ditched it about 1/2 mile up the actual Zealand Trail because it was becoming more of a hassle than it was worth trying to go up and down all the little drainage ditches and keep it square. Was slowing my pace too much. On the way back down the road the "pulk excitement factor" was non existent. The failed summit attempt only added to the drudgery of the miles.

 

[Kyle D]

I also have 3 winter peaks left - Owl, Zealand, Wildcat D. I think I'll be selfish and wait for a nice, broken, firm spike hike out to Owl's Head. Looking forward to Zealand. Really love the area around the beaver ponds and of course, Zeacliff. Last winter a friend and I did an out and back of the Bonds from Lincoln. I had hoped to tag on Zealand but we ended up breaking out the entire Bondcliff trail in about a foot of fresh, wet snow. Took us about 10 hours to get to Guyot shelter which we luckily found. No gas left in the tank for Zealand. I'd love to do the full Z-Bonds traverse if opportunity presents itself but otherwise will enjoy Zealand alone. I think I'll carry skis up Wildcat D to finish.