What A Night

[ADK4Life]

So our group (4 people) wake up at Crawford Notch and make the drive to the Jefferson Notch trailhead. We arrive at 11:30am and start the hike up the Caps Ridge Trail. I reach the summit of jefferson in a little under 2 1/2 hours, I went ahead of the group because they were at their own pace. After spending about and hour on the summit the others arrive minus 1 person. The 2 that come up tell me the the other was behind but the could still see her, she was having problems after the caps. After 30 mins I decide to descend Jefferson and meet up with her. I find she is just a bit above the cornice link and I summit the mountain with her again. By this point it is nearing 4:30pm or so, we urge her to summit the mountain and continute with the hike.

We descend VIA the castles, the slowest in the group was not sure if they would feel comfortable descending the caps. I try to infrom that person that it would be rough going throught that trail to the link. So to make a long story short we reach the trailhead for the link at 8pm.

At this point I stress to the party that we will need to pick up the pace through this rooted hell of a trail ( The link sucks) but we end up not going anywhere. Its quite obvious we are going to be stuck on the trail at night. I had not imageined in my wildest dreams that we would be on trail for this long because I have hiked with everyone that was in the party and we had no flashlight. When the sun went down we were left with nothing but the light of and LCD screen on a digital camera just barley being able to make oout the trail (Those who have been on the trail would know how hard this is). By 10:30 we reach Whirlpool ledge and run out of battery power. After descending for 40 mins we run into a group of 6 people that are taking the caps ridge to Jefferson so they can catch the sunset, The group was from Washington State and they gave us a flashlight to use that we could return when we reched the trailhead...the bag of weed that fell out of their backback let me know it would be quite a morning.

So @ 11:30pm we returned to the car, one of the group had fallen on their back and really lost it 20 mins before, so it was just in time.

The lesson to be learned? Bring a flashlight always!

 

[Tramper Al]

Re: Lessons

The lesson to be learned? Bring a flashlight always!

Do you think that is the only lesson here?

Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[Jim lombard]

Do you think that is the only lesson here

I made the same mistake two years ago not properly assessing the condition of one of the hikers I was leading. We took a loop that I've done often and relatively easily (Ammonusuc ravine to Jewell trail.) It was literal hell for that person and not much fun for us. Fortunately we started pretty early. Lesson learned for me.

Oh and the Link at the end of the day with daylight fading, been there, done that!

 

[WalksWithBlackflies]

FYI... a couple years ago, two of us were doing a Presi traverse over two days. First day we did Madison, Adams, and Jefferson via Kings Ravine... and took us much longer than expected. We had to descend the Sphinx trail in the dark. Thankfully there was a full moon to guide us.

After that trip, I bought a TINY Black Diamond LED headlamp that I carry on all my dayhikes. About the size of a quarter, runs on a watch battery, and weighs about 1/2 oz. Easier to store and use than a flashlight.

 

[ski_adk]

Ironic that the contraband was with folks who came prepared for night hiking. Always carry a few bare essential items for wilderness survival like a flashlight, water-proof matches, knife, rain-gear, etc. You never know what could happen.

 

[ADK4Life]

I found it to be quite awesome that people drove across the country to come and see the presidentials. Esp. considering the peaks in Washington state.

 

[Jim lombard]

Well the Presidentials are just plain LEGENDARY that's why people will drive from all over just to see them.

 

[Mark Driscoll]

Could it be that they drove for better weed!!!

 

[Tramper Al]

Other Lessons To Learn?

I think that there may be other lessons to take home from an experience like this. I make mistakes all the time, but I try to learn from them.

Reading, I learned (or was reminded of):

1. Have in your pack (each of you) on any day hike the essential gear that you would need to spend an unplanned night on the mountain. Obviously, this goes beyond one flashlight.

2. Starting early in the day (rather than 11:30?) gives one more margin for error. Even this 12 hour marathon hike could have been completed in daylight, by starting at a more reasonable 7 am. Heck, you could sit at breakfast at the HC for an hour, and still be hiking by 8 am.

3. If someone in the group was having trouble, alone, then hiking 1.5+ hours ahead of her all the way to the summit is probably not much help to her.

4. If there are no plans (or the gear needed) to hike after dark, wouldn't a prudent decision be to turn around at some point in time, rather than 'urge her to summit the mountain'?

There are probably other lessons here too, but these few come to mind right off the bat.

 

[SherpaKroto]

One thought: when in unfamiliar territory I prefer to return by the known route just traveled if things go awry.

As for lack of a light source, I've been there. Once (my guess is that you'll have the same answer). It is not a good feeling, and stays with you for awhile.

Glad you all made it out safely! The Link really does suck. Without light, it must have been hell.

 

[ADK4Life]

My Experience camping in Crawford Notch helped show me there is no shortage of stoners in New Hampshire

 

[Gris]

I don't have very much trail time at night but a recent venture, where somehow i managed to have a very small flashlight w me, convinced me my small headlamp was inadequate and the little flashlight was better (bigger headlamp would be even better). Lesson for me was pack that little flashlight again until get a biger headlamp.

 

[ADK4Life]

I prefer the Princeton tec headlamps with 3 LED triangle configuration over flashlights. THey seem to be very reliable, I should have remembered to pack even 1.

 

[DeadFred]

Redundant comment, however...

Not being a proponent of ultralight hiking (I try but just can't go THAT light) I ALWAYS carry the essentials with me. Depending on the season, these obviously change a little. A flashlight is ESSENTIAL gear imho. I am still surprised when I hear stories of those who are experienced and "prepared" not carrying the essentials. On the up-side, I'm sure none of you will EVER go out again without a flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries (or maybe even a bag o' weed!)

 

[RoySwkr]

My attempt to e-mail peakbagr got:
Sorry! That user has specified that they do not wish to receive emails through this board. If you still wish to send an email to this user, please contact the administrator and they may be able to help.

Perhaps this topic should have been moved to "Trip Reports", not "Trips & Events"

 

[Gris]

ADK4 i have Princeton Aurora (w triangle lights) headlamp & a little Princeton "Flash" flashlight that came with it. There is no comparison - the flashlight is much better for nite hiking! (the headlamp seems relegated to camp chores & backup duty).

 

[Mike D.]

I carry my headlamp anytime i enter the woods , dayhiking, backpacking, whatever. We almost always hike in a few miles at night when backpacking to get a jump on the next morning and my headlamp has always given me enough light. I believe over time you actually get used to hiking w/ limited lighting though so the amount of night hiking you do probably makes a difference there. But any lights better than none, Mike D.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Just why did it take this woman nearly 5 hours to climb Caps Ridge?

Out of shape? Feeling poorly? Scared of steep rock? Stopping to smell the flowers? Sulking because she had been left behind?

Last week on the Knife Edge, the party ahead of us included a woman who was clearly terrified steep ledge. Her friends did not "leave her to go at her own pace". They talked her inch by inch through the scarey spots near Pamola. By the time she reached Baxter peak, she was enjoying herself again.

 

[ADK4Life]

It took her that long because of many, many breaks. She advised we go ahead due to the fact she was doing fine. Her fitness is at a good level, just one of those days I guess.

 

[ADK4Life]

The only time there was any fear involved was when she requested that we not take the caps down as she is a little jittery with descents (we had a scary experience on algonquin descending slabs covered in running water in the spring)