in NEED of advice for summiting Mount Washington. winter
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Hey i have only hiked Mount Washington while i was on my AT thru hike. I envisioned making a summit push in the winter when i was up top. I do need advice from locals or folks that have been up there in the winter. I have heard i might need crampons and a axe? maybe? My plan is to head up the NH Dec 15th thru the 20th and would try to find a window of opportunity then. any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. and if you want to join more is always welcome. thanks |
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Mt. Washington can have the worst weather in the world. You could encounter wind that could make it impossible to stand much less walk and wind chills below -50F, snow depths making forward progess extremely slow and exhausting and route finding a constant if not impossible challenge. You could encounter freezing rain that coats EVERYTHING in bombproof ice (including you). Having said that you could also have a window of opportunity that could present conditions allowing the hike to completed without any special equipment although in late December that would be the exception rather than the rule. My only advice would be to check the online trip reports and the White Mountain and summit weather forecasts in the days leading up to your possible bid and only attempt it if conditions allow and be prepared to bail if conditions deteriorate. Do not go alone and make sure to tell someone your route and predicted finish time. |
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All the things david said... Dec. can be heinous. I'd be prepared with snowshoes or skins, axe, crampons, (beacon, probe, shovel if ur anywhere near tux). |
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I've done Washington twice in winter. IMO you'd definitely want crampons and an axe. I thought the winter route (near the Lionshead cut-off) was a bit sporty in spots for a walk-up route, and the NE peaks tend to be a bit icier than those in Colorado. But overall the climb presents little technical challange. That said, as noted above, the weather can be horrific. Bitter cold, high winds, white-outs, etc. Both times I summitted (Feb and Mar) we were lucky with decent weather (winds gusting to 67, steady at 55 or so). You just really have to pick a good weather day, gear up for potentially brutal weather, and have the sense to abort if things get too bad. There's a website where you can monitor Washington's weather real time. Good luck! |
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I'm not sure of what you have for winter hiking experience. Mount Washington can be brutal or nice and changes in seconds with no chance of getting down before it does. That being said and noticing that you asked if you would need crampons and a axe, if you haven't already, you might want to consider hitting up some slightly smaller more protected mountains beforehand to work out layering and equipment. Washington is no place to figure out your equipment and how to use it. If it is coated in ice, you can end up slipping at the top and not stop until the bottom. It can be very unforgiving to the unexperienced. |
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Good stuff, I was considering the same trip. I've climbed Mt. Washington half a dozen times, but never in the winter. I was just going to find a local guide, but I'm a rich yuppie. Mt Wash can be brutal even in summer. Jet stream right overhead. |
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Did it via Lions head with a buddy in mid December right after a huge snow dump. We originally tried the Huntington Ravine, but without snowshoes the post-holing was horrendous. We brought crampons and ice axe, but in my opinion neither was necessary on that day. The main thing was the wind and visibility. Make sure you've got yourself sealed up tight. |
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All the adove above sounds right to me. Caution is advised, and getting your systems down on a less exposed peak (laffayette or another Prezi peak) is a very good idea. Perspective: In 29 years of climbing around the country and the world, the worst weather I have ever encountered was on Mt. Washington in the winter. |
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Pinkham Notch is the AMC center at the base and is a great source of information and up to date weather. Also there is the Mount Washington Observatory Website which puts out weather reports every day. You basically want to be prepared to spend the night on the mountain. Weather is unpredictable and many people have died. Lots of layers including puffy jacket/ pants and/or a sleeping bag/bivy. Dont pack heavy, just pack smart. Bring foods that wont freeze ( gels) and make sure to insulate your water bottles. Goggles and glasses are neccesary. 2 pairs is ideal, I have had my goggles freeze over before. Ice axe, insulated winter boots ( double boots if snow), and crampons are REQUIRED! It would be foolish to not bring them or not know how to use them. At the summit there is a small sheltered alcove area, but dont count on anything besides that. IME/IMCS is an excellent place to stop in for information and to buy/rent equipment. They also have top notch guides you can hire for winter ascents of MT washington and many others. Having said all this, its an amazing mountain and absolutly worth the trip and attempt! Good luck to all. I will be out there for an Outing Club trip at the end of October |
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See my photo ( mountainproject.com/v/10732… ) for proper gear & attire for a summit stroll in December. This particular day had winds of 60 mph and temps in the -20 degree range. As my father would say, "think of the guy who has to carry you out", and take proper gear to self-rescue. We had to bivouac on a Presidentials trip a year later and saw temps drop to -40 with strong wind. But there's not better place to be... |
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BRING SOME WARM ASS CLOTHES and a good sleeping bag. Its been years since I've been up there. Last time I camped out near Harvard Hut and climbed in Huntington Ravine. The one weather report with wind chill said it was -50!! All of the above advice is good. Just be prepared and dial in your systems. |
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+1 for what Chris90 said. |
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Hey thanks everyone for the input it has been very helpful. Does any one have some shitty crampons or axes they like to sell |
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You can buy shitty old crampons n ice axes in the consignment shop in the basement of IME |
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Ditto on the equipment comments (crampons/ice axe). If you are going solo, having a bivy and/or sleeping bag is a really good idea. |
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do you think that step in crampons and a mountaineering specific boot would be required? or would a sturdy, waterproof backpacking boot(coupled with good warm socks and knee high gaitors of course!) and strap on crampons be sufficient? |
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In this early season, its kind of a crap shoot. I feel like bringing strap on crampons and sturdy hiking boots might be ok, but if the temps drop and the winds pick up you will probably be wishing for somthing warmer. But granted, there isnt snow on the ground yet and hiking in mountaineering boots sucks on anything but snow. I personally would go for it, weather pending |
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If youre going in december youll want mountaineering boots. |
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Alright all this has just been so helpful. Can anyone tell me alittle bit more info on possibly renting gear ( crampons axes and mountaineering boots) ? |
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You can rent gear from IME/IMCS or EMS Climbing School, both in North Conway. They have tons of gear for equipping their courses, but it might not be a bad idea to call ahead and make sure they can set you up. |
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IME/IMCS has all the gear you could possibly need for rental at a fair price. Even if your arent going to rent or buy anything, stop in to chat for any advice |