Today (5/29) I hiked up Moosialuke by the Carriage Road, which I believe is not one of the more common routes to that peak.
The lower part (before the Camp Misery Memorial Bridge) is very wet with a rather long section of deep mud, quite unpleasant. Beyond that it is quite a pleasant trail, with grades that vary from easy to moderate (all in all 3,100 feet gained in 5.1 miles). Footing is by and large good beyond the wet portion.
I knew that it was a windy day just be looking at the trees out of my window this morning, but I felt that the short section above treeline would not be too difficult to handle.
Hiking up I could hear the wind, but as long as I was in the trees I was sheltered. Then the trees started changing into scrub, and the wind picked up. Time to put on Gortex top with hood, and gloves (alas, was wearing shorts as I do not have convertible pants). The wind grew stronger as the trees shortened further, and by the time I was above treeline it was quite fierce. Just tagged the summit and hurried down to the shelter of the trees, just like in winter
Lunch on the excellent sitting rock at the junction with the Glencliff trail; obviously I felt no desire to return above treeline on the summit of the South Peak
Descent was uneventful, when I got home I found that at noon Mt. Washington had a temp of 37 with winds at 44 mph. No wonder I did not enjoy the summit
The lower part (before the Camp Misery Memorial Bridge) is very wet with a rather long section of deep mud, quite unpleasant. Beyond that it is quite a pleasant trail, with grades that vary from easy to moderate (all in all 3,100 feet gained in 5.1 miles). Footing is by and large good beyond the wet portion.
I knew that it was a windy day just be looking at the trees out of my window this morning, but I felt that the short section above treeline would not be too difficult to handle.
Hiking up I could hear the wind, but as long as I was in the trees I was sheltered. Then the trees started changing into scrub, and the wind picked up. Time to put on Gortex top with hood, and gloves (alas, was wearing shorts as I do not have convertible pants). The wind grew stronger as the trees shortened further, and by the time I was above treeline it was quite fierce. Just tagged the summit and hurried down to the shelter of the trees, just like in winter
Lunch on the excellent sitting rock at the junction with the Glencliff trail; obviously I felt no desire to return above treeline on the summit of the South Peak
Descent was uneventful, when I got home I found that at noon Mt. Washington had a temp of 37 with winds at 44 mph. No wonder I did not enjoy the summit
