Oncoman
Active member
Plan was to do Saddleback from ski slopes early in morning, hike ridge to Horn, back same way and then drive over to do Old Speck in afternoon. But the weather Gods decided otherwise.
Drive in storm Friday from Montreal was very slow. Over 5 hrs to reach Rangeley. Very windy. Winds still very strong next morning with ¼ inch of ice on my car. Wintry mix of icy rain and snow flurries on bottom of Saddleback ski slopes when I started at 07h15.
Climbed up ski slopes fast with the wind in my back. Then followed trail towards summit under strong winds but I was partly protected by surrounding Grumholtz. When I reached open ridge it was arctic hell! Blizzard conditions with barely 4’ of visibility. Thank God the temps were warm, about -5°C, wind factor excluded.
At least 50 mph winds kept knocking me down. Saddleback has the reputation of really funneling the winds for some reason. Kept going for about a hundred feet on my hands & knees and upright in between wind bursts but barely 500’ from summit wisely decided to turn back while I still had sufficient energy, knowing that on the return I would have the wind against me.
And a struggle it was! Prefer not to share my feelings at the time over the web, not my type. Was I over my comfort zone? Oh yes! Maybe even scared, yes again, with almost zero visibility (it is always the going down that is tricky right) and icy rain violently whipping at my face whenever I tried to look up (the facial mask did help but I had no goggles to fit over my fogged up glasses). But I am writing this report, so I made it back to safety.
The drive over to Grafton Notch was horribly slow with the roads only partially plowed. Started my hike towards Old Speck at 11h00 following fresh snowshoes tracks, but 10 min. later passed a couple and thereafter had to brake trail all the way to the summit. Snowshoes sunk 4-8’’ , at times knee deep. Ice coat not sufficient to prevent braking through. Took me 3h45 to reach tower on summit. No visibility due to low clouds. Winds howling over tower, so I made no attempt to climb it. Return was fast. Never met couple. They had turned back at first outlook. Then drove to Manchester in southern Vermont since I wanted to climb up Equinox the next morning.
Left off on Burr & Burton Trail at 05h00 by headlamp. There was a multitude of boot tracks, at least initially. The first ½ mile is very confusing due to a myriad of trails. You must follow the dark blue trail to reach summit, not the light blue or light blue on white leading to pond, nor the white or was it the red, yellow or maybe the black one leading to an outlook (very nice to see all the lights shining in night in valley down below). Anyway after 45 min. of erring was finally following a single guy’s boot tracks towards summit. Thank you kind soul for braking trail almost all the way, he or she had turned back about a ½ mile from summit. There are communication towers and an Inn on summit closed for winter. Again no views that morning. Was back to my car by 09h00 and home by 13h00.
2 more peaks now added to my winter NE100 list.
Drive in storm Friday from Montreal was very slow. Over 5 hrs to reach Rangeley. Very windy. Winds still very strong next morning with ¼ inch of ice on my car. Wintry mix of icy rain and snow flurries on bottom of Saddleback ski slopes when I started at 07h15.
Climbed up ski slopes fast with the wind in my back. Then followed trail towards summit under strong winds but I was partly protected by surrounding Grumholtz. When I reached open ridge it was arctic hell! Blizzard conditions with barely 4’ of visibility. Thank God the temps were warm, about -5°C, wind factor excluded.
At least 50 mph winds kept knocking me down. Saddleback has the reputation of really funneling the winds for some reason. Kept going for about a hundred feet on my hands & knees and upright in between wind bursts but barely 500’ from summit wisely decided to turn back while I still had sufficient energy, knowing that on the return I would have the wind against me.
And a struggle it was! Prefer not to share my feelings at the time over the web, not my type. Was I over my comfort zone? Oh yes! Maybe even scared, yes again, with almost zero visibility (it is always the going down that is tricky right) and icy rain violently whipping at my face whenever I tried to look up (the facial mask did help but I had no goggles to fit over my fogged up glasses). But I am writing this report, so I made it back to safety.
The drive over to Grafton Notch was horribly slow with the roads only partially plowed. Started my hike towards Old Speck at 11h00 following fresh snowshoes tracks, but 10 min. later passed a couple and thereafter had to brake trail all the way to the summit. Snowshoes sunk 4-8’’ , at times knee deep. Ice coat not sufficient to prevent braking through. Took me 3h45 to reach tower on summit. No visibility due to low clouds. Winds howling over tower, so I made no attempt to climb it. Return was fast. Never met couple. They had turned back at first outlook. Then drove to Manchester in southern Vermont since I wanted to climb up Equinox the next morning.
Left off on Burr & Burton Trail at 05h00 by headlamp. There was a multitude of boot tracks, at least initially. The first ½ mile is very confusing due to a myriad of trails. You must follow the dark blue trail to reach summit, not the light blue or light blue on white leading to pond, nor the white or was it the red, yellow or maybe the black one leading to an outlook (very nice to see all the lights shining in night in valley down below). Anyway after 45 min. of erring was finally following a single guy’s boot tracks towards summit. Thank you kind soul for braking trail almost all the way, he or she had turned back about a ½ mile from summit. There are communication towers and an Inn on summit closed for winter. Again no views that morning. Was back to my car by 09h00 and home by 13h00.
2 more peaks now added to my winter NE100 list.
