Hiking in the White Mountains: A Bluebird Presi Kind of Day: Monroe, Washington, Clay, & Jefferson

Date of Hike: 3/7/14

Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail: 2.6 miles / Monroe Loop Trail: 0.6 miles / Crawford Path: 1.5 miles / Gulfside Trail: 1.1 miles / Clay Loop Trail: 0.8 miles / Gulfside Trail: 0.7 miles / Jefferson Loop Trail: 0.8 miles / Gulfside Trail: 1.5 miles / Jewell Trail: 3.0 miles

Total Miles: 12.6 (5,571 feet elevation gained - GPS) (5,600 - guide book)

Trip Report:

- Winter is winding down in the White Mountains. The first month of winter the trails were a mix of ice and low level snow. Over the past month and half snow levels have increased making for more enjoyable winter hikes.

- The weather for the most part in the winter is hit or miss for huge views, but every so often you luck out and catch a bluebird day and if the wind chill isn't too cold, it's a recipe to head high above treeline and take in the views from the Presidential Range.

- I headed up to Fabians to meet up with Denise, Kyle, and David before starting our hike up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail.

- Everyone but David wore our microspikes to the Gem Pool, then we joined him in putting on the snowshoes for the steep ascent up to the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. The Hut is closed in winter but in case of an emergency you can head to the Dungeon to escape the elements.

- We booked it up Monroe and then made the slog up to Mount Washington. I took off to the top of Mount Washington. The wind was pretty gusty but since the temperature was in the twenties the wind chill was hovering around zero which is considered a fantastic day in the Presidential Range.

- We took some pictures at the summit sign before regrouping out of the wind to put on dry layers and fuel up before heading off to Mount Clay.

- There was a lot of ice build up on the Gulfside Trail above the Great Gulf headwall so we hugged the tracks until the Westside Trail junction before hopping back onto the Gulfside Trail. The wind was at our back for the hike over Mount Clay where we had phenomenal views into the Great Gulf and back towards Washington.

- After snapping a bunch of pictures we headed to the Sphinx Col where we ditched our snowshoes and headed up to Monticello Lawn. Monticello Lawn was wind blown so the gold blades of grass were shining in the frigid sun. It was a really cool site as we made the final push up to Mount Jefferson.

- The hike back to the Jewell Trail junction was right into the wind so we all bundled up and made the slog back down to the Sphinx Col and back up along the side of Mount Clay before taking a shortcut to intercept the Jewell Trail.

- Once we started descending the wind quickly dies down and by the time we were back in the woods we were all delayering again.

- We all hiked out at different speeds and met up at Marshfield Station and relaxed in the sun before jumping in the cars and heading our spate ways. It ended up being one of my favorite hikes of 2014 and was happy to share it with a great group of hikers!