marty
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Our group of seven set out from Applachia on the Airline Trail, shortly after 9:00 on July 23. We all had differing levels of hiking experience and age (I was by far the oldest). Our objective was to climb Mts. Madison and Adams in a single day.
The weather was close to perfect. Lots of sunshine, low humidity, minimal insects and moderate summer temperatures. The first mile or so was a fairly easy stretch with moderate grades. One of our group took a spill, however, and cut up his shin a bit. He shrugged it off and continued on, looking quite rugged with a little blood trickling down his leg. After that first mile, it appeared to get steeper and some of our group got winded and slowed. We all then decided that we would take our time to make sure we would all finish.
There are a couple of really steep sections on the Airline below treeline, which greatly exhausted some of our group. Still we all hung on and finally got above treeline at the 3 mile point. We then get to see Madison and across King Ravine to Crag Camp. This fun stretch took us across the Knife Edge (not scary) to the Airline Cutoff, which cuts through six foot scrub to Madison Hut.
We had lunch at the Hut and I ordered the beef and rice soup. My friends all thought I was nuts, but I had the utmost confidence in the Hut Croo. We then donned on wind layers to ascend Madison.
After getting through some low scrub, it was up Madison's rock jumble via Osgood Trail. The winds were really gusty in the lower sections, coming straight out of the Northwest. My stomach started to churn and I began to wonder about the soup. We all made it up, however, stopped for summit views and had some group photos. My stomach began to subside, too.
Down Madison we went. Two in our group started feeling leg stiffness, but nothing severe. It was then on to Madison. Up the Gulfside we went until we got a full view of Adams. It looked ridiculously high and far away. At that point, I offered escapenon-summit routes for those tired or stiff, but they all said they were up for it. On we went.
The ascent up Adams was a bit easier than it looked, due to much easier boulder footing than Madison. We got there and saw quite a few people hanging out just south of the Summit, admiring the Presi's, protected from the wind. We stayed there quite a while, took more photos and then prepared to head out. It was then that one of my less experienced friends asked me if Adams was a real mountain and if this was a big hike. I responded affirmatively; "Adams is the second highest mountain in the northeast and this is considered a big hike for almost everyone."
The descent off Adams via Lowe's Path is similar to our experience on Madison. A huge jumble of boulders and winds that almost knock you off balance. It further taxed my friends' knees until they were showing some real pain. Onward we trudged, occasionally slowing to admire the amazing views on the upper part of this trail. We then came Adams 4, which is a small hump that is a most unwelcome up and down to folks tired or experiencing knee pain. Still we gutted it out and continued heading down Lowe's.
Once descending treeline, my friend and I gave up our poles to our friends in pain and walked slowly with them down the mountain. It should be noted that while Lowe's descends almost 4,500 feet, there are few really steep sections and the footing is very good. After hearing cars on Route 2, we got excited we were getting toward the end. Unfortunately, the end was really over an hour away, although one of my friends kept saying we were 15 minutes away, shouting encouragement. We arrived in three separate breakout groups between 5:30 and 6 pm, tired but very proud of our accomplishment. It was then on to the Clam Shell Shack in Littleton for beers and dinner and then on to where we were staying for well deserved sleep.
I am proud of my friends and thank them for helping me bag two prizes in my quest to hike the New England 4k's and 100 Highest.
The weather was close to perfect. Lots of sunshine, low humidity, minimal insects and moderate summer temperatures. The first mile or so was a fairly easy stretch with moderate grades. One of our group took a spill, however, and cut up his shin a bit. He shrugged it off and continued on, looking quite rugged with a little blood trickling down his leg. After that first mile, it appeared to get steeper and some of our group got winded and slowed. We all then decided that we would take our time to make sure we would all finish.
There are a couple of really steep sections on the Airline below treeline, which greatly exhausted some of our group. Still we all hung on and finally got above treeline at the 3 mile point. We then get to see Madison and across King Ravine to Crag Camp. This fun stretch took us across the Knife Edge (not scary) to the Airline Cutoff, which cuts through six foot scrub to Madison Hut.
We had lunch at the Hut and I ordered the beef and rice soup. My friends all thought I was nuts, but I had the utmost confidence in the Hut Croo. We then donned on wind layers to ascend Madison.
After getting through some low scrub, it was up Madison's rock jumble via Osgood Trail. The winds were really gusty in the lower sections, coming straight out of the Northwest. My stomach started to churn and I began to wonder about the soup. We all made it up, however, stopped for summit views and had some group photos. My stomach began to subside, too.
Down Madison we went. Two in our group started feeling leg stiffness, but nothing severe. It was then on to Madison. Up the Gulfside we went until we got a full view of Adams. It looked ridiculously high and far away. At that point, I offered escapenon-summit routes for those tired or stiff, but they all said they were up for it. On we went.
The ascent up Adams was a bit easier than it looked, due to much easier boulder footing than Madison. We got there and saw quite a few people hanging out just south of the Summit, admiring the Presi's, protected from the wind. We stayed there quite a while, took more photos and then prepared to head out. It was then that one of my less experienced friends asked me if Adams was a real mountain and if this was a big hike. I responded affirmatively; "Adams is the second highest mountain in the northeast and this is considered a big hike for almost everyone."
The descent off Adams via Lowe's Path is similar to our experience on Madison. A huge jumble of boulders and winds that almost knock you off balance. It further taxed my friends' knees until they were showing some real pain. Onward we trudged, occasionally slowing to admire the amazing views on the upper part of this trail. We then came Adams 4, which is a small hump that is a most unwelcome up and down to folks tired or experiencing knee pain. Still we gutted it out and continued heading down Lowe's.
Once descending treeline, my friend and I gave up our poles to our friends in pain and walked slowly with them down the mountain. It should be noted that while Lowe's descends almost 4,500 feet, there are few really steep sections and the footing is very good. After hearing cars on Route 2, we got excited we were getting toward the end. Unfortunately, the end was really over an hour away, although one of my friends kept saying we were 15 minutes away, shouting encouragement. We arrived in three separate breakout groups between 5:30 and 6 pm, tired but very proud of our accomplishment. It was then on to the Clam Shell Shack in Littleton for beers and dinner and then on to where we were staying for well deserved sleep.
I am proud of my friends and thank them for helping me bag two prizes in my quest to hike the New England 4k's and 100 Highest.
