Plan on climbing my FIRST mountain. (MT WASHINGTON) with 2 friends..

Hi all. so just like the title says, i plan on climbing Mt Washington, in NH, sometime summer 2011 with 1 or 2 friends. I would like ANY advice you can give, especially if you've climbed this particular mountain. :)
I already know we're not hiring a guide or staying in a hotel.
but any info on GEAR, ROUTES, or general advice would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks!! :)

Mt. Washington in New Hampshire?

yep. sorry about that :)

Frank Lauteri wrote:Hi all. so just like the title says, i plan on climbing Mt Washington, in NH, sometime summer 2011 with 1 or 2 friends. I would like ANY advice you can give, especially if you've climbed this particular mountain. :) I already know we're not hiring a guide or staying in a hotel. but any info on GEAR, ROUTES, or general advice would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks!! :)

All you gotta do is get yerself some nitroglycerin and a stout pair of walking shoes and you'll be good to go! Perhaps a bolt gun and a taun taun but that might be overkill for Washington.

Have fun!

P.S. Consult Freedom of the Hills for the many, many uses of Nitro in an alpine environment.

Definitely don't forget your tauntaun.

Washington in summer should be cake. I just climbed it a week ago. Don't forget to bring a good insulating layer or two, because it can turn bad up there even in summer. A stout pair of hiking boots and good clothes really are all you need. The AMC's visitor center at Pinkham Notch is well staffed and can help you out with a lot.

As for routes, if you're new to this whole outdoor adventure thing, Lion's Head is a great moderate route that's extremely well marked with cairns.

Frank:

Glad your getting excited about Washington!

I would recommended starting at the Appalachia Trailhead, then take the Valley Way Trail to the Madison Hut and then follow the ridge to the Summit of Mt. Washington. Then for more variety on the decent, take the Crawford Path down to the Highland Visitor Center. Some may consider this the scenic route.

In good conditions you're going to have a blast. I would plan your trip to include an extra day or two in case you have to wait for weather. (It got snow in July this year.) In the summer you will need only the normal hiking/outdoors equipment, not any technical climbing equipment. There are technical routes in Huntington Ravine, but there are many other more direct ways to the summit.

It really can be a pretty easy hike, weather dependent. Just keep an eye on the sky and start early. No extra gear is needed, you'd be surprised how many people are hiking it totally unprepared. Just don't be that guy.

The route I think is easiest for a done in a day hike it to hike up the Tuckerman's Ravine and down the Lion's head trail.

Frank Lauteri wrote:Hi all. so just like the title says, i plan on climbing Mt Washington, in NH, sometime summer 2011 with 1 or 2 friends. I would like ANY advice you can give, especially if you've climbed this particular mountain. :) I already know we're not hiring a guide or staying in a hotel. but any info on GEAR, ROUTES, or general advice would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks!! :)

Are you talking about just hiking to the top or climbing one of the technical routes?

Julius Beres wrote: Are you talking about just hiking to the top or climbing one of the technical routes?

I figured "my first mountain" meant he's hiking it. I always get a kick out of the "I CLIMBED MT WASHINGTON" stickers with a graphic of a person hiking with trekking poles. They are almost as bad as the car equivalent stickers.

KevinF wrote: They are almost as bad as the car equivalent stickers.

Why?

Chris- I guess I figure it for a hike as I don't think it would be considered a "climb" in technical terms (with the exception of the technical routes of course), but maybe I'm wrong. It's an ascent regardless, and I'm not trying to put anyone down. They are intended to be souvenirs and do a fine job at that.

Pack extra clothes for bad weather and enjoy your HIKE.

Now a winter ascent up one of the splendid gullys would be a real climb. But suggest the rocky ridges hike/climb for summer is best choice. Plenty of extra gear cuz you do realize it has the most severe weather changes on the planet with normal 'calm' days blowing at 45 mph. Good luck.

I've only gone up it once via Huntington ravine. I descended via Tuckerman's. It was a beautiful hike and a nice view from the top. I remember sitting there on the summit and boiling some water for tea. The area I chose to sit was of all places above the parking lot. Besides that it was a nice spot to sit and look west for hundreds of miles. It was a very clear and calm day and the views were amazing.
While I was sitting there some shuttle busses were dropping various groups off at the top to walk around and check it out. Around the same time a three wheeled trike arrived in the parking lot. It had two wheels in the front and one in the back. It was rather futuristic looking at the time.
As I sat there and sipped my tea and gazed out onto the landscape in amazement I was shocked by how many people were being dropped off on the summit. One by one they exited the van and made their way over to my area above the parking lot. They all stood in a cluster and a hush fell over the group for a second or two. Finally the hush was broken when someone spoke up and said, "It's Beautiful." I thought to myself, it sure is, but then they proceeded to go down to the parking lot and take multiple picture of the trike from every possible angle.
Good luck on your climb. I hope you have a fantastic time. Enjoy the planning. For me It's almost as fun as the climbing. To really appreciate the size and beauty of it all you can't rush to the top in a van or car or train. You have to climb it.

Best of Luck

Jason

Heh, heh, well it made it to number eight on this list, right after Everest (which, much to my surprise, looks just like the Matterhorn now)

gearjunkie.com/worlds-10-mo…

BTW, take a look at "Not Without Peril", it's an interesting read despite how bizarrely consistent the details are of how each person died.

If you can't wait for more try the Mounts Lincoln-Lafayette ridge. A great alpine loop any time of year.

Trasgo wrote: P.S. Consult Freedom of the Hills for the many, many uses of Nitro in an alpine environment.

careful with that Freedom of the hills book. it is like my skis: they are decent in a wide variety of situations and thus are not great for anything.

Thank you everyone for all of the advice and suggestions!! :D

KevinF wrote:Chris- I guess I figure it for a hike as I don't think it would be considered a "climb" in technical terms (with the exception of the technical routes of course), but maybe I'm wrong. It's an ascent regardless, and I'm not trying to put anyone down. They are intended to be souvenirs and do a fine job at that.

I'd give credit to anyone who makes the top under their own power. Its better than 95% of the population will do anyways!

Julius Beres wrote: Are you talking about just hiking to the top or climbing one of the technical routes?

Keven F wrote: I figured "my first mountain" meant he's hiking it. I always get a kick out of the "I CLIMBED MT WASHINGTON" stickers with a graphic of a person hiking with trekking poles. They are almost as bad as the car equivalent stickers.

Jiles Perry wrote: Pack extra clothes for bad weather and enjoy your HIKE.

Play nice boys.