Vernon L. Townsend - Seek the Peak, Mount Washington~

Seek the Peak, Mount Washington~

Created on Sunday, 26. July 2009.

This was in support of the 9th Annual fund raising event for the Mount Washington Observatory at:
www.mountwashington.org
I wish to reprint this warning note..
"Warning!

Mount Washington has the reputation of being "Home of the world's worst weather". Severe storms, including snow, can happen at any time of the year. The combination of severe winds, cold and wetness can exhaust the strongest hiker. Never continue upwards in deteriorating weather, as it gets worse at higher elevations.

Also note that it is a strenuous climb for those who are not in good shape. The distance by most routes is around four miles each way; that may not sound like much. But in those four miles you gain roughly 4,000 feet of elevation, which is a lot for those not used to strenuous exercise. To quote the White Mountain Guide:

To a person unused to mountain trails or in less than excellent physical condition, this unrelenting uphill grind can be grueling and intensely discouraging. If you are not an experienced hiker or a trained athlete, you will almost certainly enjoy the ascent of Mount Washington a great deal more if you build up to it with easier climbs in areas with less exposure to potentially severe weather"

Saturday, 25th of July, 2009..After 3.5 hours, I finished the climb to the peak of Mount Washington, New Hampsire`..It's one of the Northeast highest mountains at 6,288 ft.
This was not as planned, for example:
After nearly 27 hours of flying, layover, flight delays, I arrived at the airport in Manchester, NH the evening before the climb.
Restless and, anxious to get going, I got up at 2am in the morning to drive 165 miles distance to climb this mountain~!! Yea~!!
I ran into 3 seperate cloudburts of downpouring rain during my drive up..
As I approach the kick off point,in the town of Jefferson, NH, I saw a huge Black bear and, then within several minutes a very large Moose crossing the highway directly in front of me..~!!
After registering and, getting a few tips, I was off on my climb on the trail of Tuckerman's Ravine. This is quite a dangerous trail as, many people have lost their life while climbing in the past.
With that thought.. I threw my backpack on and, begin to hit the trail.
Tuckerman Ravine, is on the east side of Mt. Washington in the White Mountain National Forest, famous for its spectacular scenery, deep snow, and challenging terrain. Thousands of motivated visitors make the six-mile roundtrip to the floor of Tuckerman Ravine every year. Some push on to ascend the steep slopes (the trail I took) above and a smaller number decide that a descent through Ravine is a good choice for them.
Tuckerman Ravine is located within the White Mountain National Forest and, is thus managed by the US Forest Service. When added with its neighbor to the north, Huntington Ravine, the area forms the Cutler River Drainage, the most heavily used backcountry area on the White Mountain National Forest. You may visit any time of the year though the most popular seasons are the spring and summer. No matter when you come the most important rule of thumb is to plan ahead and prepare! The terrain can be overwhelming; the weather is often downright inhospitable; and the sometimes-sizeable crowds can cloud your perception of the Ravine's actual remoteness.

The Tuckerman Ravine Trail provides year-round access to the ravine's slopes and gullies. It leaves from Pinkham Notch and generally follows the Cutler River to the facilities at Hermit Lake. From there the trail narrows and ascends more steeply to the Lunch Rocks and the floor of the Ravine at 3.1 miles from Pinkham Notch. The trail above Lunch Rocks tackles steep slopes that are covered by snowfields for more than half of the year. This same section of trail is the segment that is regularly closed during the late spring when the main waterfall and crevasses of the Lip begin to open.

Every year the US Forest Service Snow Rangers respond to dozens of search and rescue incidents that result from poor planning, improper skills/equipment or bad judgment. Don't be one of them! The following pages provide additional information about the Ravine and will help better prepare you for your next trip. The more research and planning you do now, the safer and more enjoyable will be your trip in the future.
What an awesome day~!