Picturesque Presi's . . . Mount Jefferson & Washington

Date of Hike: 3/6/18

Jewell Trail: 3.1 miles  /  Gulfside Trail: 1.3 miles  /  Mount Jefferson Loop: 0.6 miles  /  Gulfside Trail: 2.7 miles  /  Crawford Path: 1.5 miles  /  Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail: 2.5 miles
Total Miles: 11.75 (5,216 feet elevation gained) Garmin Forerunner 920XT

Trip Report:
- You can count on one hand the number of days in winter where the Presidential Range sits quietly under abundant sunshine with no wind.  Today was one of those days for Whitney and I!
- Trip report . . . in pictures :)

 Hiking up through the woods on the Jewell Trail and popping above treeline under a abundant sunshine

Looking south, the ski area is Bretton Woods, the snow capped ridge off in the distance is the Franconia Ridge

Hiking up to the Gulfside Trail with a view of the Southern Presidential Range (left, top right).  Hiking along the Gulfside Trail (lower right) 

Clouds floating out of the Great Gulf as we hike towards Mount Jefferson 

 Sun shining through the thin cloud layer hovering above Mount Clay

Mount Jefferson.  The Sphinx (Clay) Col being overtaken by clouds

Whitney hikes along the Gulfside with undercast in the Great Gulf Wilderness behind her

Whitney makes her way up Monticello Lawn to Mount Jefferson

View from the summit of Mount Jefferson.  Mount Adams (top left), Mount Washington (top right), Pano from the summit (bottom) 

 Mount Jefferson summit area

Monticello Lawn and Mount Washington 

Hiking along the Gulfside Trail 

Clouds trying to rise out of the Great Gulf 

Sun shining brightly above Mount Clay 

Mount Clay and Washington with a wave of undercast floating over the Great Gulf 

 Cog Railway and Mount Monroe as seen from the shoulder of Mount Clay

Hiking towards Mount Washington

Sea of clouds blanketing the Great Gulf

Whitney hikes above the abyss

Northern Presidential Range 

Whitney leads the charge up the last half mile to the castle in the clouds 

Undercast slowly breaking up in the Great Gulf 

Crossing the tracks 

Summit cone of Mount Washington 

A hole in one day on the rock pile!!  For some odd reason there was a golf club leaning against the summit sign.  It was a left handed club, maybe it belongs to Phil Mickleson... 

Summit area of Mount Washington 

 Observation deck

Cog Tracks and the clouds starting to float over the northern peaks

Wildcat Ski Area 

Summit shots.  Observatory tower (top left), chained summit house (top right), backside of the Tip-Top House (bottom left), official summit and Tip-Top house from Obs deck (bottom right)

Heading towards the Crawford Path 

Hiking down the oldest maintained trail in the United States, Crawford Path 

 Mount Monroe & Lakes of the Clouds Hut

A buried Lakes of the Clouds and Mount Washington

Whitney heads over a snow drift at Lakes of the Clouds

Lakes of the Clouds Hut 

Looking up at Lakes of the Clouds Hut while heading down the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail 

Whitney descending the Ammo 

The Gem Pool