Tim Seaver
Well-known member
Having spent the better part of the summer out of state, mostly lugging around camera gear in new places, I was overdue for some trail running in the Presidentials. Overdue and under trained, make that, as lugging a big pack at slow speed is not the best training for long mountain runs.
Even knowing that I probably wasn't ready for prime time, I was dying to do a Presi Traverse, so I threw myself to the wolves, come what may.
Taking the favored north to south direction, I started at Appalchia at 7:25, taking it pretty easy to the Hut and the summit of Madison @1:25. Stopping in the hut for water, I causally asked the two Croo dudes in the kitchen if they knew if the spring at Edmands Col was running.
They paused, looked at each other, and started muttering something about it being kind of dry lately, and how 2 liters should get me to Lakes. The moment they glanced at each other pretty much gave it away: they didn't even know there was a spring at Edmands Col, but rather than look less than knowledgeable about the local features, they covered their ass with the "kinda dry lately" BS. A Croo without a Clue.
Feeling pretty springy from the slow ascent, I zipped up to Adams ( perhaps TOO zippy) in 33:04 ( from Mad summit), and then on to the blocky, semi-runnable terrain down to Edmands Col ( where the mysterious spring lives!). I passed some very polite Germans on the way to Jefferson, arriving at 39:07 from Adams. Conditions for the traverse were great - dry rock, comfortable temps, and a light breeze. I passed over Clay, and began the climb up Washie, where I began to feel the tremble of cramps-to come. Then I realized that I had completely forgotten to chow down my supply of Shot Blocks with their precious electrolytes! CURSES!
Arriving at the summit madhouse at 1:01 from Jeff, I decide to take a good break and hopefully fool my legs into cooperating for the FUN part of this traverse, the delightful run across the southern Presis. I snacked and chugged for a good 20 minutes, then slowly crept outside and gingerly started down the Crawford Path.
The legs were not amused. The right leg took the first turn, which I tried to walk out, but no dice. "Have a seat", said the legs. So I did, at a rather awkward place in the trail, people scurrying around me as I tried to adopt a "I am just examining the Alpine Flora" pose, which is really hard when your legs are in full cramp and extended like a surfboard. Cramp session one subsided, and I began moving again. But not for long - 100 yards later, the left leg was feeling "left out", so it was once again, time to examine the amazing details of the alpine terrain from a somewhat awkward position.
I guess I wasn't fooling anyone - huffing and puffing up the summit cone, a tiny teenage girl with an enormous AMC pack board actually took the time to pause and ask if I was OK, to which I replied with a pained smile - "Just some cramps, I'll be fine". My faith in the AMC and it's employees was temporarily restored.
Finally, the cramps wore off and I started off again, although at a bit of a reduced pace as I didn't want to lock up again. Which somewhat sucked, as this part of the traverse has the best running terrain. Between the rest at MWO and my post-cramp pace, It took a dreadful 1:07 to get to Monroe from the time I summited Washie.
After Monroe, I felt a bit better, and picked up the pace a bit over Eisenhower and Pierce, arriving at Crawford Notch with a total route time of 6:33. Having some time to kill before the shuttle arrived, I chowed down at HoJos and then proceeded to plop my sweaty ass down on one of their expensive leather sofa, leaving a rather large wet spot. Oops. I guess they aren't used to people arriving there that have actually broke a sweat.
I was the only passenger on the 3:25 shuttle, treated to a 110 decibel mish-mash of overlapping radio stations as the shuttle shook and shuddered it's way to Pinkham, where I recovered my bike for the ride up Rt.16 and over Dolly Copp and back to Appalachia. A great day, cramps and all!
Even knowing that I probably wasn't ready for prime time, I was dying to do a Presi Traverse, so I threw myself to the wolves, come what may.
Taking the favored north to south direction, I started at Appalchia at 7:25, taking it pretty easy to the Hut and the summit of Madison @1:25. Stopping in the hut for water, I causally asked the two Croo dudes in the kitchen if they knew if the spring at Edmands Col was running.
They paused, looked at each other, and started muttering something about it being kind of dry lately, and how 2 liters should get me to Lakes. The moment they glanced at each other pretty much gave it away: they didn't even know there was a spring at Edmands Col, but rather than look less than knowledgeable about the local features, they covered their ass with the "kinda dry lately" BS. A Croo without a Clue.
Feeling pretty springy from the slow ascent, I zipped up to Adams ( perhaps TOO zippy) in 33:04 ( from Mad summit), and then on to the blocky, semi-runnable terrain down to Edmands Col ( where the mysterious spring lives!). I passed some very polite Germans on the way to Jefferson, arriving at 39:07 from Adams. Conditions for the traverse were great - dry rock, comfortable temps, and a light breeze. I passed over Clay, and began the climb up Washie, where I began to feel the tremble of cramps-to come. Then I realized that I had completely forgotten to chow down my supply of Shot Blocks with their precious electrolytes! CURSES!
Arriving at the summit madhouse at 1:01 from Jeff, I decide to take a good break and hopefully fool my legs into cooperating for the FUN part of this traverse, the delightful run across the southern Presis. I snacked and chugged for a good 20 minutes, then slowly crept outside and gingerly started down the Crawford Path.
The legs were not amused. The right leg took the first turn, which I tried to walk out, but no dice. "Have a seat", said the legs. So I did, at a rather awkward place in the trail, people scurrying around me as I tried to adopt a "I am just examining the Alpine Flora" pose, which is really hard when your legs are in full cramp and extended like a surfboard. Cramp session one subsided, and I began moving again. But not for long - 100 yards later, the left leg was feeling "left out", so it was once again, time to examine the amazing details of the alpine terrain from a somewhat awkward position.
I guess I wasn't fooling anyone - huffing and puffing up the summit cone, a tiny teenage girl with an enormous AMC pack board actually took the time to pause and ask if I was OK, to which I replied with a pained smile - "Just some cramps, I'll be fine". My faith in the AMC and it's employees was temporarily restored.
Finally, the cramps wore off and I started off again, although at a bit of a reduced pace as I didn't want to lock up again. Which somewhat sucked, as this part of the traverse has the best running terrain. Between the rest at MWO and my post-cramp pace, It took a dreadful 1:07 to get to Monroe from the time I summited Washie.
After Monroe, I felt a bit better, and picked up the pace a bit over Eisenhower and Pierce, arriving at Crawford Notch with a total route time of 6:33. Having some time to kill before the shuttle arrived, I chowed down at HoJos and then proceeded to plop my sweaty ass down on one of their expensive leather sofa, leaving a rather large wet spot. Oops. I guess they aren't used to people arriving there that have actually broke a sweat.
I was the only passenger on the 3:25 shuttle, treated to a 110 decibel mish-mash of overlapping radio stations as the shuttle shook and shuddered it's way to Pinkham, where I recovered my bike for the ride up Rt.16 and over Dolly Copp and back to Appalachia. A great day, cramps and all!
