Ed'n Lauky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
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Duffy and I have taken just about every trail possible up Mt. Washington. If the Huntington Ravine trail is considered to be the most difficult, certainly the easiest is the Jewell trail. There is no really steep section on the entire trail and certainly no place with any technical difficulties. The biggest downside to the Jewell trail is that if you are descending at the end of a long hot day, once below the tree line the lack of any difficulty can make it a bit tedious when you are anxious to get back to the car.
Saturday, however, we were not descending the trail but rather going up with the double objective of bagging both Clay and Washington. It would be Duffy’s eleventh summit of Washington (and my fourteenth) and in all those trips we had never been up Clay. It’s just a little bit out of the way and not on any list we were doing but its time had come.
The Jewell trail is in impeccable condition. There are no blowdowns and the few streams are either bridged or easily crossed. The trail as I said has no steep sections it just rises inexorably toward the tree line. The bugs in general were not too bad. There was one curious patch of horseflies and near the tree line the black flies did get thick but it didn’t last too long.
The temperature was about 60 when we left and stayed that way for the first hour or so. As we neared the tree line the sun was shining brightly and it felt hot. Partway up the open area the clouds came in and cooled things off to which Duffy who doesn’t like the heat said a big ‘thank you.’
When we hit the Gulfside trail we went a little ways to our left and then straight up to get up to Clay. We met a hiker in a col between two peaks. I asked him which peak was Clay. He told me he didn’t know, and didn’t really care. He was just trying to get away from all the SOBs and bas… But he was cordial and we checked the map together and decided on the correct peak.
The views from Clay are really worth the detour, especially the views down into the Great Gulf. An encounter with a family on the top of Clay started a long series of encounters that day with folks who wanted to talk about Duffy.
From Clay we headed over to Washington on the Clay loop. Even though I had been up Washington from that direction numerous times somehow we got off on the Westside trail. Realizing my error after walking “under” the tracks instead of crossing over them, we just headed straight up the rocks to the top.
It was race day on Washington and the runners were pouring in as we arrived. Each runner on arrival, was given a silver colored blanket. The place was full of people walking around like mobile lightning rods.
Because of the activity and the mild temperatures, we stayed at the top a little longer than usual eating lunch, enjoying the festivities and talking with folks about Airedales.
From the top we headed down the Crawford trail towards the Lakes of the Clouds. The views were spectacular. We passed five young AMC workers carrying trash up from the shelter to the summit.
As we neared the Shelter three hikers who were up ahead of us stopped to take a picture. One of them looked up toward us and yelled “Is that Duffy?” It turned out to be Early Bird. We chatted as we walked to the shelter together.
We said our goodbyes as they went into the shelter and Duffy and I headed down the Ammonoosuc Ravine trail. That trail, when dry as it was Saturday, is a fun trail to hike. It was also free of both bugs and blowdowns. We made our way straight down arriving finally at the gem pool.
We paused at the pool a bit as Duffy cooled off in the refreshing water. Suddenly around the corner came a young well built hiker with a big smile. He said: “I heard you call your dog Duffy, are you Ed?” It was Marc Howes. We had a nice chat together as we walked out to the Marshfield station.
It was a great day for hiking and great to meet two fellow hikers from these forums, two more people to add to our “friends” list.
Saturday, however, we were not descending the trail but rather going up with the double objective of bagging both Clay and Washington. It would be Duffy’s eleventh summit of Washington (and my fourteenth) and in all those trips we had never been up Clay. It’s just a little bit out of the way and not on any list we were doing but its time had come.
The Jewell trail is in impeccable condition. There are no blowdowns and the few streams are either bridged or easily crossed. The trail as I said has no steep sections it just rises inexorably toward the tree line. The bugs in general were not too bad. There was one curious patch of horseflies and near the tree line the black flies did get thick but it didn’t last too long.
The temperature was about 60 when we left and stayed that way for the first hour or so. As we neared the tree line the sun was shining brightly and it felt hot. Partway up the open area the clouds came in and cooled things off to which Duffy who doesn’t like the heat said a big ‘thank you.’
When we hit the Gulfside trail we went a little ways to our left and then straight up to get up to Clay. We met a hiker in a col between two peaks. I asked him which peak was Clay. He told me he didn’t know, and didn’t really care. He was just trying to get away from all the SOBs and bas… But he was cordial and we checked the map together and decided on the correct peak.
The views from Clay are really worth the detour, especially the views down into the Great Gulf. An encounter with a family on the top of Clay started a long series of encounters that day with folks who wanted to talk about Duffy.
From Clay we headed over to Washington on the Clay loop. Even though I had been up Washington from that direction numerous times somehow we got off on the Westside trail. Realizing my error after walking “under” the tracks instead of crossing over them, we just headed straight up the rocks to the top.
It was race day on Washington and the runners were pouring in as we arrived. Each runner on arrival, was given a silver colored blanket. The place was full of people walking around like mobile lightning rods.
Because of the activity and the mild temperatures, we stayed at the top a little longer than usual eating lunch, enjoying the festivities and talking with folks about Airedales.
From the top we headed down the Crawford trail towards the Lakes of the Clouds. The views were spectacular. We passed five young AMC workers carrying trash up from the shelter to the summit.
As we neared the Shelter three hikers who were up ahead of us stopped to take a picture. One of them looked up toward us and yelled “Is that Duffy?” It turned out to be Early Bird. We chatted as we walked to the shelter together.
We said our goodbyes as they went into the shelter and Duffy and I headed down the Ammonoosuc Ravine trail. That trail, when dry as it was Saturday, is a fun trail to hike. It was also free of both bugs and blowdowns. We made our way straight down arriving finally at the gem pool.
We paused at the pool a bit as Duffy cooled off in the refreshing water. Suddenly around the corner came a young well built hiker with a big smile. He said: “I heard you call your dog Duffy, are you Ed?” It was Marc Howes. We had a nice chat together as we walked out to the Marshfield station.
It was a great day for hiking and great to meet two fellow hikers from these forums, two more people to add to our “friends” list.
