^MtnMike^
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
- Messages
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I had planned to do this hike a few weeks back but opted out because of high winds and cold temps on top of Washington. Later in the week PatNJane posted a thread here looking for a partner to do this same hike so I replied.
We ended up doing this hike Sunday the 10th. Oddly enough in the same conditions I had met last time I planned to do this hike -- high winds and cold temps.
At least this time I had thought to bring my wind/cold gear.
We parked at the Cog Station where we were greated by a (domesticated?) fox who was running around the parking lot. He followed us all the way to the trailhead and then headed back to the parking lot.
The cloud cover on Washington was hanging just below the top of the Ammo ravine as we headed up the trail of the same name.
When we reached the top of the ravine the cloud cover had lifted a bit, but the summit cone of Washinting was still socked in. The wind a the Lakes of the Cloud Hut was pretty fierce so we stopped at the hut to grab a snack and don our wind gear.
Heading up to Mt. Monroe's summit we watched the cloud cover lift off the summit cone of Washington. By the time we were back at the Lakes Hut the summit was clear and we could see the coating of rime ice on the summit buildings and towers.
As we headed up Washington's summit cone the weather continued to clear. By the time we made the summit blue sky could be seen in all directions. It was still pretty cold and windy though and a thin coating of rime was painted on the west side of the summit buildings, stones, and structures. After some lunch and a short rest in the shelter of the Sherman Adam's building (watching a hilarious video of somebody having breakfast in highwinds on the summit) we headed down the summit cone to reach the Jewell trail.
Just before hitting the Jewell trail we removed our wind/cold gear, it was really starting to warm up and the winds had died down a bit. Seeing the Cog trains heading up and down the mountain up close was nifty.
A few miles and a few thousand feet later we were back at the Cog station. The weather had turned quite beautiful and the station was fairly crowded now. Heading back to the car I noticed that the flag in front of the station was at half-mast. I assume this was because of the recent death of Reagan?
A great hike. I plan most of my hikes around "ideal" weather, so I forget how "fun" less-than-ideal-weather hikes can be (when the weather doesn't turn nasty that is).
Thanks again to Jane for the car ride from Fryeburg to the trailhead (and back).
A few pics are available HERE
^MtnMike^
We ended up doing this hike Sunday the 10th. Oddly enough in the same conditions I had met last time I planned to do this hike -- high winds and cold temps.
At least this time I had thought to bring my wind/cold gear.
We parked at the Cog Station where we were greated by a (domesticated?) fox who was running around the parking lot. He followed us all the way to the trailhead and then headed back to the parking lot.
The cloud cover on Washington was hanging just below the top of the Ammo ravine as we headed up the trail of the same name.
When we reached the top of the ravine the cloud cover had lifted a bit, but the summit cone of Washinting was still socked in. The wind a the Lakes of the Cloud Hut was pretty fierce so we stopped at the hut to grab a snack and don our wind gear.
Heading up to Mt. Monroe's summit we watched the cloud cover lift off the summit cone of Washington. By the time we were back at the Lakes Hut the summit was clear and we could see the coating of rime ice on the summit buildings and towers.
As we headed up Washington's summit cone the weather continued to clear. By the time we made the summit blue sky could be seen in all directions. It was still pretty cold and windy though and a thin coating of rime was painted on the west side of the summit buildings, stones, and structures. After some lunch and a short rest in the shelter of the Sherman Adam's building (watching a hilarious video of somebody having breakfast in highwinds on the summit) we headed down the summit cone to reach the Jewell trail.
Just before hitting the Jewell trail we removed our wind/cold gear, it was really starting to warm up and the winds had died down a bit. Seeing the Cog trains heading up and down the mountain up close was nifty.
A few miles and a few thousand feet later we were back at the Cog station. The weather had turned quite beautiful and the station was fairly crowded now. Heading back to the car I noticed that the flag in front of the station was at half-mast. I assume this was because of the recent death of Reagan?
A great hike. I plan most of my hikes around "ideal" weather, so I forget how "fun" less-than-ideal-weather hikes can be (when the weather doesn't turn nasty that is).
Thanks again to Jane for the car ride from Fryeburg to the trailhead (and back).
A few pics are available HERE
^MtnMike^
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