BIGEarl
Well-known member
August 18, 2008: Madison, Tom, Field, and Willey
Trails: Valley Way, Osgood Trail (Madison). Avalon Trail, A-Z Trail, Mt. Tom Spur, Willey Range Trail, Ethan Pond Trail, Kendron Flume Trail (Tom/Field/Willey)
Summits: Madison, Tom, Field, Willey
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue), and me
When things don’t go the way you want it’s good to have a salvage plan.
Plan A: Presi Traverse, Madison – Jackson
We had a full day planned which included a very early start. Sue was to drive through Nashua at 2:00am and I would hit the highway north at the same time. Our intentions were to meet along the way. The 1:00am weather forecasts from the National Weather Service and Weather.com both generally agreed predicting partly cloudy sky (less than 35% cover), 10% probability of precipitation for most of the day increasing after 6:00pm, temperatures in the upper 40’s, and a peak wind of ~24mph mid afternoon. We met at the Canterbury Rest Area and headed for the Highland Center in Crawford Notch. After a quick pit-stop I inquired about the latest NWS forecast sent via the Mount Washington Observatory but it had not been posted. We assumed everything was still good for the hike and dropped a car at the Route 302 turnout at the Webster-Jackson trailhead and headed for Appalachia and our start.
We were on-trail at ~4:45am hiking Valley Way. The conditions were great as we made our way with headlights toward Madison, our first target. Roughly a third of the way we were done with the headlights and making good time. Except for one person at the trailhead, we didn’t see another hiker all the way to the hut. Below the treeline I happened to look up and noticed the clouds were screaming past. I asked Sue if she could hear the wind, but she couldn’t. Evidently, the wind was coming from a direction that deflected it a short distance above the trees. We passed the hut and started the final climb of Madison. In a very short distance we found the wind. By the time we were half-way to the summit we were having problems staying upright. We made our way to the summit but briefly stopped in a sheltered place to make a plan. Sue said we should hit the summit, get a few pictures, and get out. That was the plan and we were able to execute it perfectly. The climb back to the hut was no easier than the climb to the summit. We found ourselves ~45 minutes ahead of plan at this point – a pretty good start to a long day. At the hut we stopped for a quick break, some water, and to check the latest NWS High Summits Forecast, which was now posted.
The day was making a bad turn. The wind forecast was 50mph (actual at 4:30am was 45mph), and a severe thunderstorm advisory for the next 36 hours. We discussed the changes and set off for Mount Adams. From the hut we could see other hikers reaching the ridge to the south and clearly having difficulty due to the wind. Approximately .2 miles from the hut we decided there was no way we would finish the hike due to the conditions and a mid-hike bailout would be inconvenient at best. We started looking for a Plan B for the day and agreed to return back to the trailhead and hike one of the other hikes we had planned for August. Both of us wanted to get some hiking done and Madison wasn’t enough to keep either of us happy.
Plan B: Tom, Field, and Willey Traverse from Crawford Notch
Tom, Field, and Willey was one of the hikes we had planned for later in the month. Sunday afternoon became later in the month. We stopped at the trailhead for a quick tailgate lunch and then headed back to Crawford Notch. While driving back to Crawford Notch we noticed everything from Adams south was completely socked-in with heavy, dark clouds. Then, we moved one vehicle to the south end of the traverse (Willey House) and returned to Crawford Notch for the hike. At 1:00pm we set off for Mount Tom via the Avalon Trail, A-Z Trail, and Mount Tom Spur. We managed to cool off between hikes and needed to go through a second warm-up for the day, always difficult. Eventually we were up to temperature and moving well toward the Avalon – A-Z trails junction. We saw quite a few others on the trail, some were hikers and some were non-hikers out for a short walk in the woods. After a quick stop at the last brook crossing to re-supply our water we climbed to the ridge and then the summit of Mount Tom via the Mount Tom Spur. There was lot’s of mud but we were able to get through all of it and stay relatively clean. At the summit clearing we got a few pictures, noticed the Presidentials appeared to be a good place to avoid, and headed back to the Willey Range Trail (WRT) and our hike south. Before setting off we stopped for a quick snack and met the last of the other hikers for the day. It was now 4:00pm and most folks were probably already in the process of leaving.
Field is a short .9 mile hike and we covered the distance quickly. I’ve hiked this trio of mountains a number of times but believe this is the first time that did not involve snowshoes. It was a nice change. We reached the WRT – Avalon trails junction and knew the summit was just ahead, only 100 yards. We hit the summit, got some pictures, and headed for Mount Willey.
This section of trail was the most surprising to me. There are some steep areas that are generally hidden in winter. These areas seem easier in winter but faster in summer. The hike from Field to Willey is 1.4 miles with 300 feet of elevation. At 6:00pm we were taking summit pictures and preparing for a quick visit to the view outlook and then our hike out to the waiting car.
Hiking south from Mount Willey on the WRT is interesting. The trail is extremely steep for much of the distance with a couple sections of ladders to help get past steep ledge. By now it was getting late in the day, we were both starting to get a little tired (Sue’s day started 18 hours earlier), and we wanted to be careful to avoid an accident on the way out. Slowly we made our way through these steep sections and reached the bottom where the trail grade moderated. Soon, we reached the Ethan Pond Trail. I recalled the sign for the Kendron Flume Trail was missing on my past couple visits to the area. I told Sue we needed to find a place where there wasn’t a sign and turn left. We were able to do that. More mud, but nothing that was beyond our abilities. Soon, we reached the Kendron Flume. After a few pictures we were on the final short hike out. As it was getting dark we reached the waiting car, changed to comfortable footwear, packed our things in the back, and headed to Crawford Notch. A quick transfer of gear to my truck and we were ready for the drive home.
Even though it wasn’t the hike we planned, Tom, Field, and Willey was a great salvage operation for the day. We had an enjoyable afternoon on the Willey Range, saw some nice views, and managed to complete one of our August target hikes.
Hiking with Sue is always interesting and this day was no different. Thanks Sue for a great day in the mountains.
Pictures will follow.
Trails: Valley Way, Osgood Trail (Madison). Avalon Trail, A-Z Trail, Mt. Tom Spur, Willey Range Trail, Ethan Pond Trail, Kendron Flume Trail (Tom/Field/Willey)
Summits: Madison, Tom, Field, Willey
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue), and me
When things don’t go the way you want it’s good to have a salvage plan.
Plan A: Presi Traverse, Madison – Jackson
We had a full day planned which included a very early start. Sue was to drive through Nashua at 2:00am and I would hit the highway north at the same time. Our intentions were to meet along the way. The 1:00am weather forecasts from the National Weather Service and Weather.com both generally agreed predicting partly cloudy sky (less than 35% cover), 10% probability of precipitation for most of the day increasing after 6:00pm, temperatures in the upper 40’s, and a peak wind of ~24mph mid afternoon. We met at the Canterbury Rest Area and headed for the Highland Center in Crawford Notch. After a quick pit-stop I inquired about the latest NWS forecast sent via the Mount Washington Observatory but it had not been posted. We assumed everything was still good for the hike and dropped a car at the Route 302 turnout at the Webster-Jackson trailhead and headed for Appalachia and our start.
We were on-trail at ~4:45am hiking Valley Way. The conditions were great as we made our way with headlights toward Madison, our first target. Roughly a third of the way we were done with the headlights and making good time. Except for one person at the trailhead, we didn’t see another hiker all the way to the hut. Below the treeline I happened to look up and noticed the clouds were screaming past. I asked Sue if she could hear the wind, but she couldn’t. Evidently, the wind was coming from a direction that deflected it a short distance above the trees. We passed the hut and started the final climb of Madison. In a very short distance we found the wind. By the time we were half-way to the summit we were having problems staying upright. We made our way to the summit but briefly stopped in a sheltered place to make a plan. Sue said we should hit the summit, get a few pictures, and get out. That was the plan and we were able to execute it perfectly. The climb back to the hut was no easier than the climb to the summit. We found ourselves ~45 minutes ahead of plan at this point – a pretty good start to a long day. At the hut we stopped for a quick break, some water, and to check the latest NWS High Summits Forecast, which was now posted.
The day was making a bad turn. The wind forecast was 50mph (actual at 4:30am was 45mph), and a severe thunderstorm advisory for the next 36 hours. We discussed the changes and set off for Mount Adams. From the hut we could see other hikers reaching the ridge to the south and clearly having difficulty due to the wind. Approximately .2 miles from the hut we decided there was no way we would finish the hike due to the conditions and a mid-hike bailout would be inconvenient at best. We started looking for a Plan B for the day and agreed to return back to the trailhead and hike one of the other hikes we had planned for August. Both of us wanted to get some hiking done and Madison wasn’t enough to keep either of us happy.
Plan B: Tom, Field, and Willey Traverse from Crawford Notch
Tom, Field, and Willey was one of the hikes we had planned for later in the month. Sunday afternoon became later in the month. We stopped at the trailhead for a quick tailgate lunch and then headed back to Crawford Notch. While driving back to Crawford Notch we noticed everything from Adams south was completely socked-in with heavy, dark clouds. Then, we moved one vehicle to the south end of the traverse (Willey House) and returned to Crawford Notch for the hike. At 1:00pm we set off for Mount Tom via the Avalon Trail, A-Z Trail, and Mount Tom Spur. We managed to cool off between hikes and needed to go through a second warm-up for the day, always difficult. Eventually we were up to temperature and moving well toward the Avalon – A-Z trails junction. We saw quite a few others on the trail, some were hikers and some were non-hikers out for a short walk in the woods. After a quick stop at the last brook crossing to re-supply our water we climbed to the ridge and then the summit of Mount Tom via the Mount Tom Spur. There was lot’s of mud but we were able to get through all of it and stay relatively clean. At the summit clearing we got a few pictures, noticed the Presidentials appeared to be a good place to avoid, and headed back to the Willey Range Trail (WRT) and our hike south. Before setting off we stopped for a quick snack and met the last of the other hikers for the day. It was now 4:00pm and most folks were probably already in the process of leaving.
Field is a short .9 mile hike and we covered the distance quickly. I’ve hiked this trio of mountains a number of times but believe this is the first time that did not involve snowshoes. It was a nice change. We reached the WRT – Avalon trails junction and knew the summit was just ahead, only 100 yards. We hit the summit, got some pictures, and headed for Mount Willey.
This section of trail was the most surprising to me. There are some steep areas that are generally hidden in winter. These areas seem easier in winter but faster in summer. The hike from Field to Willey is 1.4 miles with 300 feet of elevation. At 6:00pm we were taking summit pictures and preparing for a quick visit to the view outlook and then our hike out to the waiting car.
Hiking south from Mount Willey on the WRT is interesting. The trail is extremely steep for much of the distance with a couple sections of ladders to help get past steep ledge. By now it was getting late in the day, we were both starting to get a little tired (Sue’s day started 18 hours earlier), and we wanted to be careful to avoid an accident on the way out. Slowly we made our way through these steep sections and reached the bottom where the trail grade moderated. Soon, we reached the Ethan Pond Trail. I recalled the sign for the Kendron Flume Trail was missing on my past couple visits to the area. I told Sue we needed to find a place where there wasn’t a sign and turn left. We were able to do that. More mud, but nothing that was beyond our abilities. Soon, we reached the Kendron Flume. After a few pictures we were on the final short hike out. As it was getting dark we reached the waiting car, changed to comfortable footwear, packed our things in the back, and headed to Crawford Notch. A quick transfer of gear to my truck and we were ready for the drive home.
Even though it wasn’t the hike we planned, Tom, Field, and Willey was a great salvage operation for the day. We had an enjoyable afternoon on the Willey Range, saw some nice views, and managed to complete one of our August target hikes.
Hiking with Sue is always interesting and this day was no different. Thanks Sue for a great day in the mountains.
Pictures will follow.
