Rock Pile-Which route would you take?

[Jason Berard]

I'm taking three friends up the Rock Pile later this summer, and am having a tough time deciding how to go.......so I'm asking for your collective help!
General fitness is not a problem. I took the same guys up Moosilauke last summer, and they did great(we beat book time by 20%). We will go only on an absolutely stunning day, view/weather wise. So, that said, how would you go?
I'm leaning on going up from Pinkham, just because I usually go Ammo/Jewell. My first thought was up Boott Spur/down Nelson Crag, but I'm open to using Lion's Head or Tuckerman's for one direction, up or down, plus any other trails.....
Thanks for helping make up my mind!
I guess we could do a car spot too....and go up and over......up Ammo/down Boott Spur?

thanks!

 

[peakbagger]

Up Huntingtons, take a right over to Nelson Crag, Nelson Crag to the top and Boot Spur down. Note Huntington's deserves its reputation, and your friends need to be comfortable on slabs and using their hands on occasion. This avoids most of the moving crowd on Tucks and Lions head.

The upper section of Nelson Crag is the best part of the trail.. THe lower section below treeline tends to be less crowded, but isnt anything special and feels longer than it is.

Do yourself a great favor and start as early as you can, during the summer, the clouds tend to form after noon on the summit and the haze is less bad in the morning. Try to amke the summit before 11.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

General fitness is not a problem. I took the same guys up Moosilauke last summer, and they did great(we beat book time by 20%). We will go only on an absolutely stunning day, view/weather wise.

Hard to go wrong, tossing a coin is as good a way as any of choosing

Obviously Tucks/Lions Head will be the most crowded; Boot Spur/Nelson Crag will be much lonelier.

I leave it to those fitter than I am to comment on your comment that: "... they did great (we beat book time by 20%)".

 

[Quietman]

If it's a option, I'd skip the rockpile and head up the Air Line, Shortline, King Ravine(or great Gully) to Adams. No Crowds, tourists, just great views and exciting trails.

If the rockpile is a must, the Ammo-Jewell combo is good, as Tucks is probably still closed.(Edit: Didn't see that you were talking ablout the summer) Although I was never fond of the upper part of the Jewell. Just wish that I was hiking instead of giving advice!!

 

[giggy]

I agree with peakbager!

If fitness truly isn't an issue - I would also toss the great gulf trail in there as an option. Up that is a really hike nice through the gulf - its 8 miles to summit and 5K ele gain. But its awesome and probably easier (scrambling wise) than hunts. By spoting a car, you could have a relatively easy way down back to pinkham by whatever route.

Not sure how much these guys hike, this would be a much tougher day than the moose, but for a typical hiker - very very doable.

 

[MadRiver]

May I suggest going up Tuckerman to the bowl and then up Boott Spur Link. The view from where the Link meets the Boott Spur Trail is a must see, especially if they haven’t seen the bowl before. Then you can head to the cone and take either Lion or Nelson down.

 

[Dave Bear]

Did the loop Quietman mentioned yesterday. Had never hiked Ammo and took a late start due to the earlier rain. Left the base station at 1pm and was back by 8pm. Spent extra time on Monroe and Crawford Path on the flats looking in Oakes Gulf with some Steiner binocculars for the Cessna. Best part of the trip was Ammo. Gem Pool is nice but doesn't hold a candle to the first cascade. About a hundred feet tall and nice deep pool at the bottom. Its off on a short spur so most were going right by! Liked Gulfside across to Jewell but agree top of Jewell is alot of rock hopping. Lower two thirds you can cruise and was a safer bet than coming back down Ammo's wet ledges if it rained. Try all of the routes and you can get some real treats from the variety!

 

[Jason Berard]

Thanks for the ideas! I knew you guys would come through!
One guy is from the Netherlands, one from North Carolina, and one from here. The two folks from away have never been up Washington, so I want to pick a route that will give them the best introduction. Some crowds are inevitable, which is okay, but I would like one way (up, I think), to be quieter. These guys aren't hard core hikers, just generally pretty fit. I was thinking of picking a different peak, but I think they are pretty sold on doing Washington, Otherwise, I'd like to take them up Carrigain or maybe Adams.....
I'll have to pore over the book/map tonight and ponder these suggestions....keep 'em comin'!

 

[Dave Bear]

Interesting combo would be Lion's Head up to the summit, early to beat the masses and get the east side views then head down to Lake of the Clouds to introduce them to what the huts are like. Could possibly spur to Monroe to tease them with what a southern Presis traverse would look like. Then top the day off going down Ammo's cascades during the setting sun!

 

[MadRiver]

The advantage of going up Boott Spur Link is that there are no crowds. I’ve gone up and taken it down without meeting a soul. Plus, once you get above the bowl and reach Boott Spur you can have a nice leisurely walk on the Davis path to the Camel Trail and visit the hut before hitting the cone and the hordes of people. A walk across the lawn with the cone of Washington looming large before you is a must see. It is one of my favorite walks on Washington.

p.s. My nephew wants to do Washington this summer and this is the route I will take him on. We will more than likely come down Lion Head.

 

[Dave Bear]

Did the Boott Spur Link the Wednesday after Christmas and loved it. An exhilarating climb in the winter and you could hear the skiers and snowboarders heading down Shelburne. I don't care for the condition Boott Spur trail itself. Last two times it needed trimming pretty bad. Limbs knock you around if you have much of a pack.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Nelson Crag

If you go by way of Nelson Crag, check the predicted wind speeds before you leave Pinkham Notch. That ridge is very exposed to the prevailing northwesterlies. I went up it last August and had 60 mph winds to deal with. That was about at the limit that I felt I could handle.

Nice trail though.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Rockpile

Not that I'm any great hiker or anything, I'm not, but I have climbed all the major routes to MW and I have to say my favorite is a loop of the Ammo and Jewell. It doesn't really matter which way you go. If you want to get the steep out of the way first Ammo is the way. Stop at the hut and decide what the weather is and whether your friends can make it up to the summit. Many say do it in this direction to avoid a steep wet trail on the way down Ammo if the weather turns, but I feel the opposite. I'd rather get down quick. You get into the woods faster and out of the weather on Ammo. Jewell leaves you exposed much longer when descending from the summit and you're walking right into most wind and rain, although it can come from anywhere up there. Note: They call it the Ammo/Jewell loop, but it also involves the Trinity Heights Connector which descends from the northwest corner of the Tip Top House, then you take the Gulfside Trail down to Mount Clay and actually do some climbing before reaching the Jewell. I have seen many confused folks standing on the summit asking, "Where's the Jewell Trail?"

If you want solitude then Nelson Crag may be the one. We have climbed it alone when there were cars parked a mile down Rte 16 from Pinkham. Take heed of Bob Kitteredge's warning about exposure.

Another favorite is Boott Spur which can be equally as isolated from the crowds. As Mad River says the views and the walk across Bigelow Lawn are beautiful. Also, one can cut it short by not heading to Crawford Path and taking the Lawn Cutoff and the upper part of Tuck's instead. Descend over Lion Head or down Tuck's if it is open.

I love Huntington Ravine, but I wouldn't suggest it to "casual" hikers. It is definitely not a descent route in any situation.

Good luck and I'll look forward to pictures and a TR. Hope this helps!

KDT

 

[DougPaul]

I love Huntington Ravine, but I wouldn't suggest it to "casual" hikers. It is definitely not a descent route in any situation.

Many find Huntington to be a reasonable descent route. Depends on your skills and mind-set. (FWIW, I've done it with two friends.)

And yes, some freak out on Huntington, up or down. It isn't hard technically, just exposed (ie there is a section where it looks like you may go a long way if you fall).

IMO, a nice route--not to be missed. (If you don't do it this time, keep it on the todo list.)

Doug

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Wmg

In perfect weather I would consider descending this myself, but I would never bring someone who didn't know what they were getting into there.

The first paragraph of the WM Guide's description of this trail pretty much says it all. One sentence stands out:

"This trail is very dangerous when wet or icy, and its use for descent at any time is strongly discouraged."

A quick check of the list of deaths in the Presidentials will show a very high percentage were in Huntington Ravine, though not necessarily on the trail itself.

But we're drifting from the subject here and I know enough to know I can't win an argument with DP. (By the way, I agree with DP that this should be on most everyone's "To Do" list.)

KDT

 

[DougPaul]

A quick check of the list of deaths in the Presidentials will show a very high percentage were in Huntington Ravine, though not necessarily on the trail itself.

I haven't checked the stats myself, but I rather suspect that most of those deaths were winter--avalanches, ice fall, ice climbing falls, falls and slides on icy/crusty terrain, etc.

Not relevant to summer hiking.


If you are scared of a bit of exposure, you may have problems. If not, it isn't hard. (The WMG is just being [over?] cautious.) The exposed section is fairly short.

Doug

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Hunt's

Agreed. I think they want to be responsible in that they don't want novice hikers thinking it is a route they should be comfortable setting out on without warning as to it's dangers.

I agree that probably most deaths there were not in the summer months, and I would bet that none, or no more than a few, were on the trail itself. Next time in the Sherman Adams Building, count the deaths which have occurred there, a very high percentage over other areas of the Presi's, but again, probably not in summer and not on the trail.

KDT

 

[Jason Berard]

thanks folks!
So....for this group, I'm thinking some combo of tuck's(if open), and Boott Spur, with a possible trip down to Lakes via Camel Tr. That said, I think we'll leave our itinerary pretty wide open, and see how they feel after the ascent....

I definitely have Great Gulf, Nelson Crag, and Huntington on the to do list, though!
thanks again all, and I'll post a report/pics

 

[Raymond]

First time I climbed Washington, my friend Bob and I went up Tuckerman and down Huntington. Last October, for the 30th anniversary of that first climb, my son and I went up Huntington and down Tuckerman. I was scared going down that first time, but I’d hardly ever hiked before in my life. It didn’t seem all that bad last year, and there was a steady stream of people in front of and behind us (it was the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend).

The two climbs in-between those two were both up Tuckerman. In 1979, I went the same way right back down again, looking for my friend Bill, who had disappeared on the headwall. I found him back at the visitor center. He’d become tired, and gone down. In 1997, Susan and I went down Lion’s Head. So, never the same way twice.

 

[giggy]

The tucks trail gets all sort of flack from the "experienced crowd", but its a great hike with great sights. I have done it a number of times and it never gets old. Yea - there are crowds, but sometimes thats fun as well, just part of the whole george experience.

have fun!