Green3nergy
New member
Greetings everyone,
Last weekend I completed a solo Presidential Traverse from North to South.
However, this wasn't a "true" traverse because other than Mount Washington, I bypassed the summits.
Also, this is my first written trip report, so I'll do my best to be thorough yet concise.
The conditions were rough, and the snowpack soft.
I slept in my car at the Appalachia trailhead on Friday night.
Awoke at approximately 4:15 am, boiled water and ate four packets of oatmeal.
At roughly 4:35 am, a middle-aged couple arrived.
Considering their arrival time, I assumed they too were attempting a traverse.
By 4:50 am, I was on my way up Valley Way trail with the couple on my tail.
Today's ascent was particularly slow, and the middle-aged couple eventually passed me just prior to reaching treeline.
Luckily they took the lead; visibility was severely limited and there were no readily identifiable tracks, other than there's.
Here's a picture of Madison Hut ~ 8:00 am. The winds were very strong (60 mph gusts), and temperature around 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
View attachment 4221
As predicted, the forecast included high winds throughout the morning, with winds subsiding and skies clearing toward the afternoon.
Travel was slow above treeline; the area had received about 8" of snow four days prior. Without snowshoes, I easily sunk into snow drifts waist high. Only armed with Microspikes and trekking poles I was left to traversing clearly visible rock or sink into the snow.
My Camelback's drinking tube froze soon after reaching treeline, my first mistake of the day. As a result, I would rely upon the single 32 oz Gatorade bottle to maintain my hydration throughout the day. I kept the Gatorade bottle on the inside of my jacket and packed it with snow whenever I had the chance.
As expected, I was unable to melt and consume a sufficient amount of snow which eventually led to my dehydration.
Winds were fierce, and whenever I would remove my hand from it's mitt, they would go numb within 30-60 seconds. Thankfully, my Black Diamond Absolute Mitts retained there warmth, heating my hand when placed back on.
My goal was to reach the summit of Washington by 12:00 pm (noon). Running slightly behind, I arrived at the summit of Washington just short of 1:00 pm.
View attachment 4222
Considering the exposure, my visit at the summit was cut short. However, it was the first time I was able to take a picture at the summit sign (because there was no line)
View attachment 4223
It took me about an hour to travel from the Summit of Washington to Lake of The Clouds.
Around 2:00 pm, at Lake of The Clouds, I took shelter behind the cabin and boiled two cups of water for hot chocolate.
Completely protected from the wind, the sun was directly on me and providing considerable warmth.
View attachment 4224
Thus far, I had hardly ceased movement and allocated minimal time for caloric intake. I was very hungry, a little bit wet and feeling dehydrated.
I continued onward, but made the decision to take Edmund's Path down. My dinner reservations at Crawford Notch Highland Center were scheduled for 6:00 pm and I didn't want to miss out.
I was also in pain while at Lake of the Clouds, and wanted to get off the mountain desperately. I'd previously completed the full Presi Traverse during the summer months, and was therefore satisfied with today's ordeal.
5:00 pm being when the sun would set, I hoped to get below treeline before then.
For me, the descent and several miles you must hike while below treeline are the most arduous.
The last few miles seem to drag on forever; you're usually exhausted, wet, hungry, and in this case dehydrated.
I took Edmund's Path down, drank untreated water out of the first running stream, and reached the road after about an hour and fifteen minutes of fast-paced walking.
Arrived at Highland Center just in time for dinner. I checked in, and stripped off most of my wet clothes and ate a delicious dinner.
My SmartWool base-layer was still wet however, and while eating dinner I was overcome with chills for several brief moments.
I ate as quickly as possible, excused myself and took a hot shower. The warm water felt amazing!
My reservations were at the Shapleigh Bunkhouse and two other solo-male hikers staying the night. Both of them were within 10 years age of myself, and we enjoyed an interesting conversation together.
All-in-all, my attempted Presidential Traverse was a success, although I was in pain and slightly regretted the undertaking, I came away having learned several valuable lessons.
To summarize my 'action suit' and the gear I was carrying:
On my torso was:
Next-to-skin Smartwool Lightweight Zip-Tee
Heavyweight Smartwool Zip-Tee
Ultra-high visibility Brooks wind-proof running vest
On my head:
REI Performance Baklava - it's very light weight, but provides just the right protection for my neck and back of head.
Gore Windstopper Wind Buff - which provided additional insulation and windprotection for my face / neck / head.
REI Havenpass Earflap Cap with an eVent shell and PrimaLoft insulation.
On my legs:
REI Polartec Heavyweight Long Underwear
Marmot M3 Scree Soft-Shell Pants - The Marmot softshell pants worked phenomenal! The temperatures were well below freezing and therefore I didn't need the complete waterproof protection. Because the pair I bought were slightly oversized and the winds were strong, the pants acted like a sail and flapped away any snow which got on them -- effectively keeping them dry throughout the day.
On my feet were:
SmartWool Sock Liners
A heavyweight Merino wool sock
Asolo Flame GTX Hiking Boots
REI Softshell Trail Running Gaiter
Kahtoola MICROspikes
I didn't mention however, my feet were cold and partially numb the entire day. I've become used to the sensation and was therefore comfortable with the condition.
And on my back was a Black Diamond Infinity 55 light-weight climbing back, with approximately 25 lbs of gear.
Gear included:
(1) Jetboil, (2) freeze dried meals, (10) hammergels, (4) Pumpkin-Spice Cliff Bars, (1) Arctyrex Ascent Series Gortex-Pro full-zip pants, (1) REI eVent Shuksan jacket, (1) REI Polartec 100 weight fleece pant, (1) modified emergency bivvy, (1) Stoic Hedron light-weight down jacket, (1) PrimaLoft hooded / convertable jacket
Please let me know if you have questions!
Last weekend I completed a solo Presidential Traverse from North to South.
However, this wasn't a "true" traverse because other than Mount Washington, I bypassed the summits.
Also, this is my first written trip report, so I'll do my best to be thorough yet concise.
The conditions were rough, and the snowpack soft.
I slept in my car at the Appalachia trailhead on Friday night.
Awoke at approximately 4:15 am, boiled water and ate four packets of oatmeal.
At roughly 4:35 am, a middle-aged couple arrived.
Considering their arrival time, I assumed they too were attempting a traverse.
By 4:50 am, I was on my way up Valley Way trail with the couple on my tail.
Today's ascent was particularly slow, and the middle-aged couple eventually passed me just prior to reaching treeline.
Luckily they took the lead; visibility was severely limited and there were no readily identifiable tracks, other than there's.
Here's a picture of Madison Hut ~ 8:00 am. The winds were very strong (60 mph gusts), and temperature around 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
View attachment 4221
As predicted, the forecast included high winds throughout the morning, with winds subsiding and skies clearing toward the afternoon.
Travel was slow above treeline; the area had received about 8" of snow four days prior. Without snowshoes, I easily sunk into snow drifts waist high. Only armed with Microspikes and trekking poles I was left to traversing clearly visible rock or sink into the snow.
My Camelback's drinking tube froze soon after reaching treeline, my first mistake of the day. As a result, I would rely upon the single 32 oz Gatorade bottle to maintain my hydration throughout the day. I kept the Gatorade bottle on the inside of my jacket and packed it with snow whenever I had the chance.
As expected, I was unable to melt and consume a sufficient amount of snow which eventually led to my dehydration.
Winds were fierce, and whenever I would remove my hand from it's mitt, they would go numb within 30-60 seconds. Thankfully, my Black Diamond Absolute Mitts retained there warmth, heating my hand when placed back on.
My goal was to reach the summit of Washington by 12:00 pm (noon). Running slightly behind, I arrived at the summit of Washington just short of 1:00 pm.
View attachment 4222
Considering the exposure, my visit at the summit was cut short. However, it was the first time I was able to take a picture at the summit sign (because there was no line)
View attachment 4223
It took me about an hour to travel from the Summit of Washington to Lake of The Clouds.
Around 2:00 pm, at Lake of The Clouds, I took shelter behind the cabin and boiled two cups of water for hot chocolate.
Completely protected from the wind, the sun was directly on me and providing considerable warmth.
View attachment 4224
Thus far, I had hardly ceased movement and allocated minimal time for caloric intake. I was very hungry, a little bit wet and feeling dehydrated.
I continued onward, but made the decision to take Edmund's Path down. My dinner reservations at Crawford Notch Highland Center were scheduled for 6:00 pm and I didn't want to miss out.
I was also in pain while at Lake of the Clouds, and wanted to get off the mountain desperately. I'd previously completed the full Presi Traverse during the summer months, and was therefore satisfied with today's ordeal.
5:00 pm being when the sun would set, I hoped to get below treeline before then.
For me, the descent and several miles you must hike while below treeline are the most arduous.
The last few miles seem to drag on forever; you're usually exhausted, wet, hungry, and in this case dehydrated.
I took Edmund's Path down, drank untreated water out of the first running stream, and reached the road after about an hour and fifteen minutes of fast-paced walking.
Arrived at Highland Center just in time for dinner. I checked in, and stripped off most of my wet clothes and ate a delicious dinner.
My SmartWool base-layer was still wet however, and while eating dinner I was overcome with chills for several brief moments.
I ate as quickly as possible, excused myself and took a hot shower. The warm water felt amazing!
My reservations were at the Shapleigh Bunkhouse and two other solo-male hikers staying the night. Both of them were within 10 years age of myself, and we enjoyed an interesting conversation together.
All-in-all, my attempted Presidential Traverse was a success, although I was in pain and slightly regretted the undertaking, I came away having learned several valuable lessons.
To summarize my 'action suit' and the gear I was carrying:
On my torso was:
Next-to-skin Smartwool Lightweight Zip-Tee
Heavyweight Smartwool Zip-Tee
Ultra-high visibility Brooks wind-proof running vest
On my head:
REI Performance Baklava - it's very light weight, but provides just the right protection for my neck and back of head.
Gore Windstopper Wind Buff - which provided additional insulation and windprotection for my face / neck / head.
REI Havenpass Earflap Cap with an eVent shell and PrimaLoft insulation.
On my legs:
REI Polartec Heavyweight Long Underwear
Marmot M3 Scree Soft-Shell Pants - The Marmot softshell pants worked phenomenal! The temperatures were well below freezing and therefore I didn't need the complete waterproof protection. Because the pair I bought were slightly oversized and the winds were strong, the pants acted like a sail and flapped away any snow which got on them -- effectively keeping them dry throughout the day.
On my feet were:
SmartWool Sock Liners
A heavyweight Merino wool sock
Asolo Flame GTX Hiking Boots
REI Softshell Trail Running Gaiter
Kahtoola MICROspikes
I didn't mention however, my feet were cold and partially numb the entire day. I've become used to the sensation and was therefore comfortable with the condition.
And on my back was a Black Diamond Infinity 55 light-weight climbing back, with approximately 25 lbs of gear.
Gear included:
(1) Jetboil, (2) freeze dried meals, (10) hammergels, (4) Pumpkin-Spice Cliff Bars, (1) Arctyrex Ascent Series Gortex-Pro full-zip pants, (1) REI eVent Shuksan jacket, (1) REI Polartec 100 weight fleece pant, (1) modified emergency bivvy, (1) Stoic Hedron light-weight down jacket, (1) PrimaLoft hooded / convertable jacket
Please let me know if you have questions!
Last edited:
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