Pressie Traverse with Hamtero, Frodo, Albee and Charles

[Mats Roing]

Saturday morning Charles (visiting Whites for the first time) and I met Frodo at 5:30am at Crawford Notch where we placed a car. Hamtero was waiting at Appalachia 30 minutes later where we took off up a nicely packed Valley Way to Madison Hut at 6;15am.

Sun shining very little wind at the hut at 9am. We spread out over the trail after set up a blistering pace with his yellow plastic boots. Very little snow up there. After Charles and I did our mandatory honoring of the mountain with ten pushups each, we caught up with Frodo and Hamtero sunbathing on the lee side of Madison. Frodo was down to the hut about as fast as you can throw a rock down there. The rest of us followed in due course. Charles was satisfied with the day and went down to the car.

Frodo, Hamtero and I took off to Adams. Frodo was in front leading up a "Frodo Direct" line on the North side utilizing the snow fields (or the remainder thereof) as much as possible. Here Frodo said bye since he had obligations in Rhode Island that evening. Hamtero and I went over to Jefferson in the wonderful weather with sun and little wind. When heading up Jefferson, Hamtero seemed to ignore the laws of gravity and sped up to the summit and was waiting below it for me. Went up for the pushups and then Albee showed up. After greeting procedure we decided to join forces.
When we got down to Sphinx Col, clouds started to form and it got colder. Temp dropped from 45 to 25 between Jefferson and 5,700 feet on Washington. Albee tagged Washington while Hamtero and I cheated around it.

Once at Lake od the Clouds Hut, we decided to get up Monroe as well. Albee joined in the pushups here. Dark clouds came closer and on the way down Monroe, the first snow flakes showed up. The intensity of the snowing increased as well as the wind. Visibility was down to maybe 200 feet at the base of Eisenhover which we stood on top a little after 6pm. Albee took off to try to tag Jackson and Hamtero and I took it a little easier and went Crawford Path home without Jackson. Speedy Albee didn't find the Jackson cut-off in the dark and took the Mizpah Spring cutoff to Crawford Path to Highland Center where Hamtero and I found him in front of the fireplace a bit after 8pm. Charles was waiting for us in my car and we drove back to Appalachia to get Hamteros and Albee's cars. Surprisingly few people on the Pressies on such a wonderful day!

Great hiking with great company!

 

[albee]

Geez Mats, you stole my thunder... I was going to write an inspiring trip report of my solo Presi traverse through snow sqalls in the dark, but you went ahead and encapsulated 20+ miles of hiking with a succinct and, dare I say it, rather ordinary trip report!

If we are being brief (NOT!) then here's my side of the story. I got a late start, made the drive up from the NH seacoast and started from Valley Way at 10 AM. I've done this traverse before in 9.5 hours, so I figured I wouldn't be out too long after dark unless something unfortunate happened in the latter sections of the hike. I cruised up Valley Way to the summit of Madison in under 2 hours. Met Mats' friend Charles as he was about to head down Valley Way - little did I know I would be meeting him again in 9 hours! I then helped a couple guys chip away at the frozen-over Madison Spring so they could refill water. Then I went up and tagged Adams, then Sam Adams, then Adams 5, then bonked a bit heading up Jefferson.

After meeting Mats and Hamtero (for the 1st and 2nd times respectively) we hiked together for a bit before I went up to tag Clay and then Washington. We reunited on the southern side of Washington, and made our way south as the clouds started to descend on us and flurries started to appear. The weather really is quite changeable up there as I had passed people sunning themselves on the rocks under clear blue skies and near 50 degree temperatures on Adams, and it was 25 degrees and snowing by Monroe just 4 hours later!

We all went up to tag Monroe, and I tried to keep up with Mats in his push-up rituals. I must say, it is far harder to do push-ups when you are tired and wearing a pack that makes you heavier! We got to Eisenhower a little over an hour later, and I was still holding out hope that I could make it to Jackson to complete the traverse. Mats had graciously offered me a ride back to Appalachia, so I didn't want to abuse his generosity by keeping his crew waiting at the Highland Center. I left the group on Eisenhower and sped along to Pierce and eventually Mizpah Springs Hut. It was right around dusk then, a little after 7:25. I fished out my headlamp, but after seeing the sign that said "Webster-Jackson trail 200 feet", I never noticed the left-hand fork that would have sent me towards Jackson. After 5 minutes heading down the Mizpah Cutoff, I decided that missing the trail was an omen that I shouldn't ignore, and I jogged all the way down to the cozy comfines of the Highland Center. I finished at 8:10, so the traverse had taken me 10:10. Before long, Mats and Hamtero arrived for a roundabout ride back to Appalachia via Lancaster.

After hiking with these guys under those conditions and circumstances, I can only admire their dispositions and personalities. Mats was such a genuinely happy-go-lucky, friendly, and generous person. Hamtero was his usual laid-back self. I'm still trying to place his accent. He's one of the coolest VFTT veterans I've met so far, but his wife really let me down this time by not sending along her legendary home-baked cookies. Both of them are so experienced but they were more than happy to invite me along with them. Mats even offered my weary self a place to crash at his hotel with him and Charles afterwards. Now that is what I call generous for someone you just met! Thanks for your company, guys. Hope we can all meet up again soon!

 

[marchowes]

Wow that sounds like an interesting journey.

I am especially intrigued by the pushup ritual. How long has this been going on? I have been looking for some sort of mountain top honoring ritual for a while (thumbs up doesn't count!) but that idea never seems to gain any traction in the field!

 

[Mats Roing]

Push-Up Ritual at Summit......

Wow that sounds like an interesting journey.

I am especially intrigued by the pushup ritual. How long has this been going on? I have been looking for some sort of mountain top honoring ritual for a while (thumbs up doesn't count!) but that idea never seems to gain any traction in the field!

It's Charles' idea which he has practiced for a few years. It eventually spread to the informal running group in Bozeman, MT, called the Wind Drinkers. They started to do it at the high points of their runs. Charles and I plus some other hiking/climbing freinds have done it on a number of peaks. No need to do it on the summit cairn (don't want to risk the hard work of the cairn makers), just as long as it is in the vincinity of the summit. We usually do 10 push-ups. Tim Seaver suggested doing one push-up on the first 4,000-footer of the 48's and two on the second etc.....it will be tougher towards the end though Especially if applying it to the North-East 115
With the pack on, it adds additional respect to the mountain
It also gives the hike a more balanced workout with the arms involved on the summit. Just be safe - have a firm grip with your hands so you don't risk slipping and hitting your face on something unpleasant.

Happy Hiking and Pushing

 

[Tom Rankin]

Wow that sounds like an interesting journey.

I am especially intrigued by the pushup ritual. How long has this been going on? I have been looking for some sort of mountain top honoring ritual for a while (thumbs up doesn't count!) but that idea never seems to gain any traction in the field!

Other summit rituals:

http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10038

 

[HAMTERO]

Pictures from trip

Pressie trip pics

They really did the push ups.

 

[Mats Roing]

Sounds like a great trek on a great day in the mountains during a very diverse day. Had hoped to join you gents but an acute personal obligation forced a cancelation.

First weekend not in the mountains since last fall. Strange, very strange indeed.

Mats, I trust that Charles found the Whites to his liking.

Hi Tom and Atticus, here's Charles response:

My trip to the Whites far exceeded my expectations. These are awesome
mountains. But even more unexpected was the chance to meet and hike
with
the various VFTT people: Tim S., Drewski, Frodo,
Hama...hama...hama...Loyd, (he is trying to say hamtero)
and Albee. These are really fine people, and I felt privileged to hike
with
them. It was my first real visit to New England, and I now have
another
favorite place in the world.

Best,
Charles

 

[Artex]

Hey, great job! Nice TR and pics. You guys were booking it.