Early Spring Sarge

- Winter is quickly vanishing in the White Mountains as February was one of the warmest and snowless months in almost ten years. With the warm temps and easy snow conditions Sarge and I took full advantage of it as February rolled into March.

- Frist up, a pre-work scamper to Tuckerman Ravine for Bowl Pawtrol with special guest Bo Jackson (see pic below). We made it to Lunch Rocks at 8AM, it was unseasonably warm and quiet, I could have easily taken a nap in the sun without worrying about getting cold at all. 

- Sarge and I had the whole ravine to ourselves and we spent about fifteen minutes soaking up the sun and taking pictures before heading back down.

 - We quicky made our way down to Pinkham Notch and were surprised to see the ravine was now full of clouds as a storm was about to roll in, perfect timing for the Dood and I and a reminder that Mount Washington's weather is always one pitch away from tossing a curve ball.

Sarge takes a seat on his thrown in Tuckerman Ravine

All smiles in the sun with Wildcat Ski area to the east

Just another morning on Bowl Pawtrol

Sarge Brings his favorite baseball card, a 1987 Topps Bo Jackson. 

"Bo Pawtrol Jackson"

A stick snack before heading back!

- Next up was a post work beach day on Mount Washington with Todd. We took the express way to the summit, the Cog Path. Not knowing what to expect we brought our snowshoes and extra gear. It ended up being so warm and easy we could have worn our summer rockpile kit of shorts, tshirt, and Houdini jacket. 

Sarge cools off in the snow as we ascend next to the Cog 

Posing with the Northern Presidential Range in the background

Sarge and Todd head up the summit cone

Beach day!

- It was such a nice day that instead of heading back down to the trailhead we made our way to Lakes of the Clouds Hut and over to Mount Monroe before steeply dropping down the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail.

Leaving the summit and hooking onto the Crawford Path

Abundant sunshine as we descend Crawford Path

Sarge leads us towards Lakes of the Clouds

A still frozen Lakes of the Clouds

Sarge on Mount Monroe, capping off an incredible day above treeline!

- On Saturday, March 9th, Todd and Nate joined us for a Washington to Jackson traverse. Snow and ice conditions were the same as the day before but the winds were whipping consistently over 30 MPH with gusts around 45MPH.

 - We started at 7AM and headed up the Cog path then booked it south on the Crawford Path taking the loop trails over Monroe and Eisenhower before hooking onto the Webster-Cliff Trail over Pierce and Jackson before dropping down to Crawford Notch.

- The reason for the early start was to beat the weather as one last significant snowstorm was going to roll through by nightfall. Winds on the day were going to be rising, up to 100 MPH overnight, and temperatures would be falling throughout the day so the early start would give us plenty of time to casually hike and trail run this fourteen-mile route.

- We were shielded from the wind for the first two miles and then it instantly picked up as we gained the ridgeline just before the Westside Trail junction. It was definitely strong enough to pull us a little but not strong enough to knock us around. I was a little worried about Sarge but he had absolutely no issues at all, he led the way and sniffed the wind most of the time.

The gang heads up the Cog

Winds start whipping around up higher, time to layer up.

Sarge follows Nate along the tracks

Last hundred feet to the summit

Big snow drift against the Yankee building on Mount Washington

- Heading down from Washington we were pleasantly surprised that the wind wasn't as brutal as we thought it was going to be so it was smooth sailing all the way to Lake of the Clouds. However, once past the hut we were back into high winds over Monroe and most of the way to Eisenhower where we experienced the last of the big gust on the summit before quickly retreating to relative comfort in and out of the trees to Pierce before finally bidding ado to any exposed sections sans the summit of Mount Jackson. 

Sarge sniffing the breeze on the Crawford Path

Nate, Todd, and Sarge heading to Lakes of the Clouds

Lakes of the Clouds

Another Sarge in the wind shot as we head up Mount Monroe

Sarge scopes out the trail conditions as we make our way through the Southern Presi's

The lack of snow for the early March was a little unsettling

Looking back at Little Monroe and Monroe with Washington playing peekaboo

Mizpah Hut. Unfortunately, about a mile past Monroe we headed under the beautiful undercast we had been above leaving us in the clouds for the last six miles.

Sarge's 50th Summit of Mount Washington

1/28/24

Cog Railway: 3.0 miles / Gulfside Trail: 2.5 miles / Mount Jefferson Loop: 0.6 miles / Gulfside Trail: 1.5 miles / Jewell Trail: 3.0 miles

Total Miles: 10.7 (4,950' elevation gained)

Trip Report:

- Sarge had been waiting about two months to get Rockpile #50 and Sunday he was rewarded for his patience. Temperatures were mild above treeline, mid to high twenties which is quite warm for late January, and the wind was nonexistent. To add to our good fortune, we were treated with undercast, so it was a "unicorn' type of day in the alpine zone.

- We took the express way up to the summit, the Cog Railway Path, it's a steady steep climb along an open swath that parallels the tracks over an average grade around 25%. 

- At Marshfield Station I put on my microspikes and let Sarge set the pace as we made out way up the packed styrofoam snow that had a light dusting over it making for ideal winter conditions. 

Sarge at Marshfield Station waiting for me to put my spikes on

Looks gloomy as we head up but we know what waits above the clouds!

Break time at Jacob's Ladder.

- Past Jacob's ladder we hustled by the two steep no fall zones, they were easily navigated, but a few more good dumps of snow and a melt/freeze pattern could change that.

- Once past the steeps we enjoyed the last mile taking in the undercast views as we made our way to the summit.

Sarge waits for daddy to catch up

Undercast to the west of us

Sarge hiking up Mount Washington's summit cone with Mount Jefferson behind him

Sarge takes in the view of the North Presidential Range

Clay, Jefferson, Adams, Madison (left to right)

Pemi Wilderness rising above the clouds

Observation deck and summit tower

#50!

Carter Range floating above the clouds

Summit deck Sarge!

- Our original plan was to head back down the Cog but we decided to switch it up and take the longer/easier way via the Jewell Trail. As we made our way over to the Jewell Trail junction the weather was too nice to head back down so we continued on.

Sarge scopes out the Jewell Trail with Jacob's Ladder, Lakes of the Clouds Hut, and Mount Monroe behind him

- It was just past 9AM and there wasn't a hint of wind, the clouds were not moving down on us, and the storm was still several hours out so we decided an out and back of Mount Jefferson was in order.

- From the junction we dropped toward the Clay Col and that is when Sarge took off running, ahead of him he saw familiar faces, Corey and Ashley, who were out enjoying the mint conditions.

- After chatting with them we took off towards Jefferson making our way up to Monticello Lawn and eventually to the summit.

Sarge with Clay and Washington behind him

Monticello Lawn

Sarge making his way up to Mount Jefferson

Carter Range off in the distance

Sarge just below the summit of Mount Jefferson

Sarge on the summit!

- Unfortunately, it was time to head home, so we backtracked to the Jewell junction, banged a right, and slowly made our way back to treeline soaking in all the views as we both knew that days like this are few and far between when it comes to winter in the White Mountains

One happy Dood!

Sea of clouds. Eisenhower to the immediate left, far left in the back is Carrigain, Willey is to the right, and the peaks that make up the Pemi make up the backdrop

Treeline on Jewell Trail

- So how does Sarge feel about #50? No idea, he's just a dog! But he loves every minute on trail sniffing, eating snow, rolling in snow, waiting for me!

576 & 33 Tyler's Grid Finish & Birthday

1/6/24

Lincoln Woods Trail / Bondcliff Trail / West Bond Spur: 22.6 miles (4,700' elevation gained)

Trip Report

- On Saturday I joined five other Gridders in welcoming a new Gridder to the Gridiot club. (hiking all the New Hampshire 4000 footers in each month 48X12=576).

- Today's group consisted of Jason, two NH48 Grids and one NE67 Grid, Leah, one NH48 Grid and 2 peaks away from the NE67 Grid, myself, 2 NH48 Grids, Todd & Nate, one NH48 Grid each, and Tyler, who would be finishing his NH48 Grid on West Bond. Today also doubled at Tyler's 33rd Bday!

- We started at 8AM an hiked five miles along the old East Branch railroad grade to camp 16 clearing. Three miles on the Lincoln Woods Trail and two miles along the lower section of the Boncliff Trail. Originally, this five mile stretch was called the Wilderness Trail, then the first three miles changed to the Lincoln Woods Trail, then all five miles became the Lincoln Woods Trail, and now it's Lincon Woods Trail to the Pemigewasset Wilderness boundary and Boncliff Trail from there all the way to the Twinway junction on Mount Guyot.

- We made quick work of the five flatish miles to the hard left turn at Camp 16. With the lack of snow this winter we traveled over mostly bare ground with some ice and frozen mud scattered about here and there.

Crossing a mostly frozen tributary that spills into the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River. Most winters this is buried in snow and easily crossed.

- Once turning left at Camp 16 clearing we made the long slog up to Bondcliff. It is around 4.5 miles, all but 0.1 miles of this is along a gradual to moderate grade so the trail takes its sweet time making it up the summit. The reward of this long approach is a top five view in the White Mountains when one reaches the Cliffs of Bond sitting high above Hellgate Ravine.

Bondcliff, rising high above Hellgate Ravine with West Bond and its slides (Guitar and the four Monster Slides) and Mount Bond in the upper right background.

Simba leading the way past the Bondcliff summit area

View of Owl's Head with Franconia Ridge and Garfield Ridge behind it

Tyler and Simba on Bondcliff

- From Bondcliff we quickly dropped into the col before trudging up to the summit of Mount Bond. The hike along Bondcliff Ridge to the summit of Bond is almost all above treeline, just the final 0.25 miles is back in the woods before popping out onto the open summit of Bond.

The gang leaving Bondcliff

Simba pacing us all up to Mount Bond

Hanging out on Mount Bond

All smiles on Mount Bond!

- After taking a short break we made our way over to West Bond running into a few familiar faces along the way before steeping on the summit, #576 for Tyler's Grid finish!

- West Bond's summit is perched high above Hellgate and Redrock ravines with tremendous views of the Pemi wilderness.

- We took a nice little break on the summit to celebrate and snap pictures while taking in the great views.

Celebratory shot of fire ball

Enjoying Tyler's finish on West Bond

Bondcliff as seen from West Bond

- Now it was time to reverse course and retrace our footsteps back to Lincoln Woods. As we headed over Mount Bond and down to Bondcliff the clouds started lowering and the first snowflakes from the incoming storm started to fall but we were well below treeline before the summits became obscured so we got to enjoy the 360 degree views on the hike back across the ridge.

Heading back to Bondcliff

Todd, Nate, and Leah in the Bondcliff/Bond col with Owl's Head and Lafayette and Lincoln, in the clouds, behind it

Heading down from Bondcliff's summit

The gang makes their way to treeline

- Back below treeline we carefully jogged down to the railroad grade and then ran the grade back to the wilderness boundary where we quick hiked the final three miles to our cars, finishing just over six and a half hours after we started.

- At Lincoln Woods we hung out for about twenty minutes while having a tasty beverage and snacks before heading our separate ways after a great day out on the trails.

- Huge congrats to Tyler for completing a major hiking accomplishment and I was happy to be able to tag along with a strong and fun group that made the long miles pass by quickly and easy. 

Gridiots

Summit of West Bond

From left to right (myself, Todd, Tyler, Leah, Nate, Jason)