Hope Springs Eternal . . . Mount Washington

Date of Hike: 4/23/18

Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail: 2.4 miles  /  Crawford Path, Washington Cone Snowfields, Gulfside Trail:  4.2 miles  /  Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail: 2.4 miles
Total Miles: 9.0 (4,470 feet elevation gained)

Trip Report:
- Whitney and friends (Denise, Jeff, Karine, and Sue) were doing a Presi Traverse, so I decided to meet up with them on their Washington portion of the hike. 
- With the deep snow coverage above treeline it was a make your own trail Monday up from Lakes to the summit of Washington.
- Warm temps, barely a breeze, hundred mile views, what else is there to say!

Breaking above treeline on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail 

 Heading up to Lakes of the Clouds Hut

A buried Lakes of the Clouds Hut!

Mount Washington as seen from Lakes of the Clouds, which is under a ten foot snow drift at the moment

Lakes of the Clouds and Mount Monroe

Heading up to Mount Wshington

Westside Trail junction sign!

Making my own path up to the summit

Cool rime ice formation

Closer look at the rime wave formation

Reaching the summit area

Rime ice blasted summit tower

Stage Office building

 Standing on the observation deck

Northern Presidential Range

Nelson Crag Trail junction sign!

Hiking down the tracks and catching up with the Presi Traverse party

Hiking up the snowfields to the summit

Once in a lifetime day up there on Monday!

The cog tracks, buried beneath snow, usually you can walk or dip down and go under the tracks at this spot.

Mount Clay, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison

Summit tower buildings

The towers made me a little uneasy, with it being so warm I was a little frightened of the thought of a huge chunk of rime ice crashing down 

Walking past the Stage Office building

 Heading down from Washington, making our own path

Lakes of the Clouds and Mount Monroe

Mount Monroe

Lakes of the Clouds

Lakes of the Clouds Hut