I am leaving for Switzerland in about ten days, time to get some serious elevation gain! A friend is also trying to get in shape, though she has no immediate objective. So we planned to go up Mount Washington by the Great Gulf Trail, descent route TBD on the summit (Boott Spur was one option). A friend called me mid-week asking what I was doing that weekend, so we were three.
Bad start; I had guests for dinner on Friday, and went to bed around midnight. The alarm was most unwelcome at 5 AM
We all met at my place in Thornton, and were on the road in two cars at 7 AM. Dropped one car at Pinkham, checked the weather (winds 40-50 mph, highs around 40), inquired about the status of Tucks (just opened) and drove off to the Great Gulf trailhead. We hit the trail at 8:50.
The first three miles or so were easy going, with the crossing of Parapet Brook unusually easy. Beyond Clamshell Rock the footing worsened markedly, and for the last mile or so there were several scrambles over rocks near the river bed; we were lucky that they were largely dry. There was enough water for the various cascades to be nice, but the crossings were all easy. While we were mainly in the trees we did have occasional "views" of the clouds surrounding the summits
We reached Spaulding Lake after 6.5 miles and 2,950 feet of elevation gain in time for a leisurely lunch. Then the real work started.
The section up the headwall seems to fall into two sections: the lower half has a large number of "easy" scrambles, while the upper part is very much like a real, albeit extremely steep, trail. The scrambles were individually easy, but their frequency, plus our tiredness, made them rather wearing. The final part was unrelentingly steep, with the Gulfside Trail cairns, and occasional hikers, in view. Progress was slow; it took us almost exactly two hours to get to the Gulfside, and a further twenty minutes to get to the summit.
The Great Gulf was protected from the winds, but as we approached the ridge we geared up substantially (wind pants, fleece and Gortex tops, hats and gloves) and braved the elements, and the crowds. Until we emerged from the Great Gulf we were hiking in almost total solitude; suffice it to say that things changed once out of the gulf
Two of us were bone tired as we reached the summit building. For the first time in my life I spent almost an hour resting in that crowded area. As it was getting late we all checked our headlamps (we all had them, and they all worked!!), and out of curiosity I went to the gift shop to see whether they had any (for those who had forgotten to bring them). They did not, but told me to check the Obs shop, which did carry them.
We quickly ruled out Boott Spur as a descent route, too exposed and too long late in the day. Of the remaining unpalatable options we chose Tucks for the knee-jarring descent; getting to Hojo's was probably the most unpleasant part of the trip. We still had some strength in us, and from Hojo's we cruised, passing many groups of tired hikers, many of them half our ages or less
Back at Pinkham in daylight, picked up the other car and all had dinner in Gorham (Mr. Pizza) before the final drive to our homes.
A hard hike, in less than optimal weather conditions, but we did it! Skies cleared in the afternoon, and we did get many excellent views. Tired this morning, but may do an easy hike to unstiffen my body.
Bad start; I had guests for dinner on Friday, and went to bed around midnight. The alarm was most unwelcome at 5 AM
We all met at my place in Thornton, and were on the road in two cars at 7 AM. Dropped one car at Pinkham, checked the weather (winds 40-50 mph, highs around 40), inquired about the status of Tucks (just opened) and drove off to the Great Gulf trailhead. We hit the trail at 8:50.
The first three miles or so were easy going, with the crossing of Parapet Brook unusually easy. Beyond Clamshell Rock the footing worsened markedly, and for the last mile or so there were several scrambles over rocks near the river bed; we were lucky that they were largely dry. There was enough water for the various cascades to be nice, but the crossings were all easy. While we were mainly in the trees we did have occasional "views" of the clouds surrounding the summits
We reached Spaulding Lake after 6.5 miles and 2,950 feet of elevation gain in time for a leisurely lunch. Then the real work started.
The section up the headwall seems to fall into two sections: the lower half has a large number of "easy" scrambles, while the upper part is very much like a real, albeit extremely steep, trail. The scrambles were individually easy, but their frequency, plus our tiredness, made them rather wearing. The final part was unrelentingly steep, with the Gulfside Trail cairns, and occasional hikers, in view. Progress was slow; it took us almost exactly two hours to get to the Gulfside, and a further twenty minutes to get to the summit.
The Great Gulf was protected from the winds, but as we approached the ridge we geared up substantially (wind pants, fleece and Gortex tops, hats and gloves) and braved the elements, and the crowds. Until we emerged from the Great Gulf we were hiking in almost total solitude; suffice it to say that things changed once out of the gulf
Two of us were bone tired as we reached the summit building. For the first time in my life I spent almost an hour resting in that crowded area. As it was getting late we all checked our headlamps (we all had them, and they all worked!!), and out of curiosity I went to the gift shop to see whether they had any (for those who had forgotten to bring them). They did not, but told me to check the Obs shop, which did carry them.
We quickly ruled out Boott Spur as a descent route, too exposed and too long late in the day. Of the remaining unpalatable options we chose Tucks for the knee-jarring descent; getting to Hojo's was probably the most unpleasant part of the trip. We still had some strength in us, and from Hojo's we cruised, passing many groups of tired hikers, many of them half our ages or less
Back at Pinkham in daylight, picked up the other car and all had dinner in Gorham (Mr. Pizza) before the final drive to our homes.
A hard hike, in less than optimal weather conditions, but we did it! Skies cleared in the afternoon, and we did get many excellent views. Tired this morning, but may do an easy hike to unstiffen my body.
