Madison, Adams, Jefferson (#43, #44, #45)

Date of Hike: 2/16/11

Valley Way: 3.8 miles
Osgood Trail: 1.0 miles
Gulfside/Airline/Lowe's Path/Gulfside: 2.7 miles
Gulfside bypass "snow-whack"/Jefferson Loop: 1.4 miles
Randolph Path: .8 miles
Snow-whack: .7 miles
Gulfside Trail: 1.4 miles
Valley Way: 3.8 miles
Total Miles: 15.5 miles (elevation gain 6,600)
click here for trail descriptions

Trip Report:
- This winter for the most part has been sub-par as far as views go and more importantly lacking good weather for long hikes above treeline.  With a promising forecast of clear skies, temps in the twenty's, and wind chills around zero it seemed like a perfect opportunity to hike Mount Madison, Adams, and if the predicted high winds weren't to strong a chance to steal Jefferson.
- On trail at 7am, Madison summit 9:30am, Adams summit 10:40am, Jefferson summit 11:50am, "dead ended" on Randolph Path 12:30 pm, back on Gulfside Trail 1:20pm, Madison Springs Hut 2pm, finished 3:15pm.  High clouds, 100 plus miles visibility, temps in low twenty's, wind out of the southeast from 20-40 mph.
- I made good time up to Madison Springs Hut as the Valley Way was broken out and very easy to follow.  As I approached treeline I could hear the wind whipping so I layered up to prepare for the biting wind and at that point it seemed like just a Madison and Adams day.
- However as I climbed the summit cone of Madison the winds died down a little bit and were not bad at all.  Views from the summit in every direction were incredible!
- The hike up to Adams was easier than most times I remember as I was out of the wind practically until descending the summit.  Conditions were good for Crampons (styrofoam snow but some rocks) from Madison Springs Hut, to Adams, down to Thunderstorm Junction. 
- The hike along the Gulfside Trail by Adams V peak is where the wind chilled me down as I couldn't generate enough heat while descending to stay 100% warm but once I started dropping down to Edmands Col I was shielded from the wind and heated right back up.
- I decided to bypass the very steep eastern slopes on the Gulfside Trail below Mount Jefferson by going up and around and hooking back up at the Jefferson Loop Trail junction.  Amazingly there was a lone hiker who was a few tenths miles ahead of me who went up the steep eastern slopes!
- As I came to the summit of Mount Jefferson the winds started whipping again so at the summit I took pictures and headed strait back down to Edmands Col.
- From here I had two options, retrace our steps having to gain elevation back until hitting Thunderstorm Junction, or see if I could hike the Randolph Path and descend for good.
- I decided on the Randolph Path, and I followed faint tracks and were doing fine until I hit the junction for the Randolph Path and Grey Knob Trail.  I stayed on the Randolph Path for maybe fifty more feet until all the cairns disappeared and I ended up going a little to high and ended up on the Grey Knob Trail.  I found two cairns but it was a lost cause because I knew I was to high so I started to head towards the Randolph Path but then suddenly started to sink into a Spruce Trap field.  This was the beginning of a really bad situation and I knew I had to turn around because one or two more steps and it could be dangerous spruce traps and deep deep drifts I've never encountered off trail.  However the wind was now whipping from where I had just came and was "dusting" up some loose snow which would make for and awful trek back to Edmands Col.  Looking up towards the ridge directly above me and above the Gulfside Trail on the opposite side the snow was styrofoam and knew that I could angle my way up to the ridge until gaining it then come down and hook back to the Gulfside Trail .25 mile below Thunderstorm Junction.
- So I slowly climbed back up about 300 feet, it was not fun but the footing was much better and safer. Once I gained the ridge (between Storm Lake and Sam Adams I dropped back down to the Gulfside Trail and headed up a couple hundred more feet to Thunderstorm Junction.  The hike on the Gulfside to Thunderstorm was pretty weird as the wind was blowing loose snow from behind ume s made for a cool scene if you looked back.
- From Thunderstorm Junction I booked it back to the hut and went even faster down the Valley Way making it back to the car in an hour and fifteen minutes from the hut.
- The hike down was easy and straightforward, once below treeline I delayered and quickly made my way back to Appalachia.

Mount Washington

 Mount Adams

 Madison Springs Hut and J.Q. Adams

 Mount Madison

 Appalachian Trail and Mount Adams

 Great Gulf headwall and Mount Washington

Lakes of the Clouds Hut and Mount Monroe

Alpine Skills Session

Date of Hike: 7/31/10

Caps Ridge/Cornice/Gulfside Trail: 3.1 miles
Sphinx Trail: 1.6 miles
Mount Clay Loop/Gulfside Trail: 2.4 miles
Crawford Path/Mount Monroe Loop Trail:2.1 miles
Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail: 3.1 miles
Jewell/Boundary Line/Jefferson Notch Road: 2.7 miles
Total Miles: 15 miles (5,850 elevation gain)

Trip Report:
- Earlier this year I adopted the Sphinx Trail in the Great Gulf Wilderness where my duties are to make sure all water bars are clear and properly built, clip back any overgrowth on the trail, make sure Cairns are properly built and visible, and try to make sure no one ventures off trail in the Alpinze Zone. But before I could work on the trail I would have to take a skills session and on Saturday I was finally able to learn what needs to be done and also take in a killer hike as well!
- Luckily the AMC Region Leader for the Northern Presidential Range (Mark) is the previous adopter of the Sphinx Trail and he was able to meet up with me at the Caps Ridge Trail and we hiked over to the Sphinx Col and he showed me all the ins and outs about what to do and look for while we hiked down about 2/3 of the Sphinx Trail.
- I picked up a lot of information along the way such as clear all smaller rocks that hikers stick into the rock cairns because when rime ice forms on the smaller rocks it doesn't have enough to expand and eventually makes the cairn fall down.
- The most important thing I learned was how to properly keep water bars clear and properly functioning so any rain water is able to swiftly leave the trail not clogging up the trail and creating a muddy disaster and ruining parts of the trail.
- As far as the hike it was a great day to be above treeline, the weather was above 50 degrees all day and the winds became light and variable as the day went along.
- Mark is also the trail adopter for the Caps Ridge and the Jefferson Loop Trail so once we hiked back up the Sphinx Trail to the Sphinx Col, he headed north back to Mount Jefferson and I started north over Clay, and Washington.
- The hike up to Mount Clay and Mount Washington was terrific as always. I had planned to take a break and get some more food at the observatory but it was a zoo up there, I had never seen it that crowded so I retreated down to the pack room to get away from the madness for a few minutes.
- Next I was off to the Lakes of the Clouds and usually I hike that 1.5 miles in about 45 minutes but this time I was lucky enough to hike with one of the hut crew kids. He was carrying 90 lbs of fresh produce on his back down to Lakes and it was pretty amazing how fast he went hopping from one rock to the next as the hundreds of hikers quickly jumped out of his way. It was the hikers equiviliant of following an ambulance through Boston on I-93. In the end it took just under 25 minutes to go from summit to hut!
- From here I made the quick run up to Mount Monroe's summit and took a break and chatted it up with a couple of people staying at the hut before heading back down the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail.
- Now it was gut check time as I had to jump on the Jewell to the Boundary Line which is pretty boring then road walk up the Jefferson Notch Road to the Caps Ridge Trailhead. Unfortunately no cars came by until I was about 500 feet away from the trailhead so I was unable to hitch a ride.
- It turned out to be a long day above treeline but well worth it as I learned about how to maintain my trail, had pretty good weather, met a few interesting people, and had terrific views!

Pictures: Click here for all pictures

Caps Ridge Trail to

Mount Jefferson Summit

The Cog Train Descending Mount Washington

Lakes of the Clouds Hut Crew Member

Speeding Down to the Hut on the Crawford Path

Lakes of the Clouds and Mount Washington

Cog Train Crawling up Mount Washington

beneath Mount Clay

Mount Madison, Adams, Jefferson

Date of Hike: 3/28/10

Valley Way/Snyder Brook Gully: 4.0 miles
Osgood Trail: 1.0 miles
Gulfside Trail: .3 miles
Air Line: .6 miles
Lowe's Path: .3 miles
Gulfside Trail: 1.5 miles
Jefferson Loop/"Snow-Whack": 1.4 miles
Gulfside Trail: 2.4 miles
Snyder Brook Gully/Valley Way: 4.0 miles
Total Miles: 15.5 (6,500 elevation gain)

Trip Report:
- Weather Conditions called for clear skies, 100 plus miles visibility on the upper elevations so it sounded like a perfect opportunity for the first hike of the spring and a visit to the northern presidentials!
- Left RI at 3am, on trail around 6:30am, finished around 4:30pm. Temps at trailhead 11 degrees, warmed up to lower 20's above treeline, with some nasty wind (35-50 mph) out of the west/north west in the morning making for wind chills around 0 in the early morning. Winds died down to around 15 Mph in the afternoon
- Valley Way is an easy trail to hike and usually extremely boring except on this day the trail that was broken out the night before got lost and ended up in the Snyder Brook Gully making the last .5 miles pretty steep and fun! I ran into the two guys who hiked in and lost the trail the night before as they were leaving their campsite they had dug out, they were heading over the Gray Knob Cabin if they couldn't find a place above treeline between Adams and Jefferson.
- Above treeline the wind was whipping making it very cold, I went over to Madison Springs hut and got out of the wind to layer and warm up before hiking up the summit cone.
- The Osgood Trail was very steep, mostly styrofoam packed snow with a thin coating of ice, as well as "wavy" icy spots
- Carefully with my crampons on and ice axe in hand I started out to the right of the trail where it wasn't so steep until I felt comfortable/confident then cut across to the cairns and followed the trail the rest of the way
- Coming back down went pretty quickly and the views descending to the hut were excellent (Click here for video clip of heading towards hut and some views)
- Back at the hut I ran into a group of three (Big Earl, Sue, and I forgot the other guys name) doing a Madison through Monroe traverse, they couldn't have picked a better day for it!
- The hike up to Mount Adams did not seem as steep but the wind was just as bad and it was exhausting getting to the summit. At the summit I got out of the wind, warmed up and enjoyed the views (click here for video clip)
- Next I headed down towards Thunderstorm Junction and ran into a guy I met at Madison Springs Hut, he was smart as he hiked the Gulfside around Adams and then took Lowe's Path up to Adams, this is not as grueling of a hike and the footing is just snow and no boulders to navigate
- The next 1.5 miles on the Gulfside trail is a great stretch of hiking through big snow field that looks like a snowy desert with amazing views of the Mount Jefferson/Washington/Great Gulf Headwall/etc.
- Hiking up to Mount Jefferson I avoided the steep snowfields to the left and went right, I went a little to far right then booked it back left above the "steeps" which made for a longer and extremely exhausting hike up to Jefferson, the good news was the wind was now dying down.
- Hung out at Jefferson summit in the sun, had lunch, warmed up while taking in the views of the Presidential Range
- The hike back was just as fun until the section on the Gulfside past Thunderstorm Junction, the trail was not necessarily difficult but one slip and you could be sliding down hundreds of feet towards the King Ravine.  I carefully made sure I had proper footing with each step until the degree of the slope eased up near the Airline trail junction...On Sunday what I thought the day before while hiking the Gulfside trail beneath Adams unfortunately happed to a hiker (click here for article)
- When I was within 200 feet of Madison Springs Hut I stopped and looked at all the people hiking the summit cone of Madison when all of a sudden I saw a person slip and start falling down over a few boulders and down the hard packed snow and ice. I started running as fast as I could as did others at an angle to try to help him out but luckily after about 300 feet he stopped and amazingly he was ok aside from the gash above his eye. Apparently early in the day another guy slid and fell down and stopped right at the hut and he was ok. These two should play the lottery because usually you don't get off so lucky!
- After seeing that the hiker was going to be fine, the group he was with was ok, and chatting it up with Steve and Steve (great meeting you guys!) we set out out back down Snyder Brook Gully bushwhack to the Valley Way which was lots of fun and then once back on the boring Valley Way I booked it back to the car, realxed, and headed back to RI!

Pictures: Click here to view all pictures

Ice Blasted Summit Cairns on Mount Madsion

Mount Washington and the Great Gulf Wilderness

Mount Adams from Madison summit

Madison Springs Hut and Madison Summit Cone

Mount Monroe and Lakes of the Clouds Hut

 from Mount Jefferson Summit

Mount Adams from Jefferson Summit

Mount Jefferson, Clay, and Washington

from the Gulfside Trail

Two Days in the Presidential Range

Date of Hikes: 11/7/09 & 11/8/09

Saturday Nov. 7th
Mount Madison, Adams, & Jefferson

Valley Way: 3.8 miles
Osgood Trail: 1.0 miles
Gulfside Trail: .3 miles
Air Line: .6 miles
Lowe's Path: .3 miles
Gulfside Trail: 1.4 miles
Jefferson Loop: .8 miles
Randolph Path: 1.2 miles
Perch Path: .2 miles
Randolph Path: 3.0 miles
Short Line: .5 miles
Air Line: .8 miles
Total Miles: 13.9 miles (6,500 elevation gain)

Trip Report:
- On trail at 6am, finished around 2:45pm.  Temps in the low 20's, wind chills on summit cones around zero, winds up to 50 mph out of the NW, visibility 100 miles
- All trails had a few inches of snow above 3000 feet. Rime ice was consistant on rocks and there were  snow drifts up to a foot in places around Edmands Col
- Removed gloves on Jefferson summit and my fingers went numb within 50 seconds, took about 20 minutes to warm them back up before I could start hiking down
- First time on Randolph Path, trail wasn't broken past Gray Knob trail junction.  Great views into the Castle Ravine and the Castellated Ridge
- Checked out the RMC's (Randolph Mountain Club) The Perch, which has a pretty cool looking old lean-to and a couple of tent platforms.  It's near treeline and feels like it's out in the middle of nowhere even with all the RMC trails running near by

Pictures: Click here for all pics

Treeline on Valley Valley looking up to JQ Adams Summit

Mount Jefferson from Mount Adams Summit

Great Gulf Wilderness and Mount Washington

Mount Washinton from Mount Adams Summit

South on Gulfside Trail to Mount Jefferson

View from Mount Jefferson Summit

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Sunday Nov. 8th

Mount Monroe & Mount Washington

Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail: 3.1 miles

Mount Monroe Loop: .6 miles

Crawford Path: 1.5 miles

Gulfside Trail:  1.5 miles

Jewell Trail: 3.7 miles

Total Miles: 10.4 miles (4150 elevation gain)

Trip Report:

- On Trail at 8:15am, finished 2:45pm. Temps in the upper 20's to low 30's above treeline with winds up to 70 MPH out of the NW, wind chill around 0-10 on Washington Summit.  Snow above 3,500 feet, drifts up to a foot near Monroe Loop.  Below treeline on Jewell trail temps rose to around 50 degrees. Cloud cover above 5,000 feet until about 11:30 then clear skies and 75 miles visibility

- Used micro spikes on last mile of Ammonoosuc Ravine trail, ice blanketed majority of ledges.  Kept spikes on until Washington summit, although they weren't needed past Lakes of the Clouds hut.

- Checked out the "Dungeon" at Lakes hut, a couple was in there waiting for the clouds to blow over before they hiked up Camel Trail over to the Boot Spur down to PNVC

- On way up to Monroe summit ran into a guy who had blown out one of his micro spikes coming down Monroe Loop, he was heading down Ammo Ravine Trail, he seemed a little bit worried about how he was going to manage the icy ledges

- Ran into a few people on Washington summit, a couple with their very friendly and fun dog who were doing the opposite hike of me.  After they left three guys arrived coming from Lion Head after over-nighting at Hermit Lake Shelter.  Two of them were hiking down the Auto Road while the other was heading back down Lion Head to get their gear

- First mile down Washington was directly into the extreme wind, had to hold my hood pulled over my head so it would stay on protecting my hat from blowing off. I also could not walk up-right or I'd get blown backwords, it was pretty fun!  Once I got to Westside trail junction winds calmed down and it got warmer very fast.

- Majority of the snow on the northern peaks from Saturday had melted away from boulders

- Contemplated hiking along tracks back down to base station but don't know if I'd get in trouble

- Back at the Parking lot I noticed somone had stolen the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trailhead sign that was there in the morning

Pictures: Click here for all pics

Gem Pool

Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail

Iced over ledges

Mount Monroe from Crawford Path

It was her 42 - 4,000 Footer!

One Day Presidential Range Traverse (South to North)

Date of Hike: 8/8/09
Webster-Jackson Trail: 2.4 miles
Webster Cliff Trail: 4.1 miles
Crawford Path: 1.2 miles
Mount Eisenhower Loop: .8 miles
Crawford Path: 1.4 miles
Mount Monroe Loop: .7 miles
Crawford Path: 1.7 miles
Gulfside Trail: 1.1 miles
Mount Clay Loop: 1.2 miles
Gulfside Trail: .7 miles
Mount Jefferson Loop: .8 miles
Gulfside Trail: .9 miles
Israel Ridge Path/Lowe's Path: .4 miles
Airline Trail: .6 miles
Gulfside Trail: .4 miles
Osgood Trail: .5 miles
Watson Path: 1.5 miles
The Brookside: 1.7 miles
Valley Way: .9 miles
Total Miles: Around 23 miles (Whole lotta elevation gain!!)

Trip Report: - Solo hike, Started at 5am finished at 6pm (13 hours). Dad dropped me off at Webster-Jackson Trail and picked me up at Appalachia, thanks old man!
- Incredible day, 45-65 degrees, 20-45 mph wind, clear skies, fantastic views
- Summited Mount Washington just after 11am, had some lunch, relaxed, back on trail at noon
- Ran into a group doing one day traverse in opposite direction around 1:30 between Mount Clay and Mount Jefferson. They started at 5am from Appalachia parking area.
- Met AT through-hiker coming up Watson Path who took a wrong turn at Mount Madison summit. Got out my map and showed him where to go (Osgood Trail). He was going to the Osgood tent site for the night.
- Much more enjoyable than last years traverse because of the views, plus only the last 3 miles is below treeline compared to the majority of the last 6.5 miles going south.

Pictures: Click here to view all pictures

Heading North on the Crawford Path

Mount Monroe and Mount Washington
Lakes of the Clouds Hut and Mount Monroe
Great Gulf Wilderness and Northern Presidential Range
Cog crawling up to the summit

On the Gulfside Trail

Star Lake and Mount Madison from Adams Summit

Video:

365 degree view from Mount Eisenhower

Mount Washington

Date of Hike: 10/11/08

Jewell Trail: 2.7 miles
Gulfside Trail: 1.4 miles
Tuckerman Ravine Trail: .4 miles
Lions Head Trail: 1.6 miles
Tuckerman Ravine Trail: 2.3 miles
Total Miles: 8.4

Trip Report:
- Hiked with my dad and Brad Andrews
- Perfect weather, no wind until summit cone, visibility 75 + miles, Temps 40-60 degrees
- Old man hiked tracks last .4 to the summit, took Cog down and picked us up at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center
- Perfect views of Wildcats and Carter Range coming down Lions Head
- Rocks only had frost and very little ice on West side of mountain, and only on last .4 up to summit
- Cloud cover only came when we were at the summit eating and waiting for my dad to finish summiting
- 50+ miles gust on observation deck but little wind anywhere else
- Had the "Usual" at the cafeteria...hot dog, cup of chowder, cookie, apple, and Gatorade

Pictures:

Jewell/Gulfside Trail Junction

Great Gulf Wilderness
Gulfside Trail looking back at Mount Clay
Mount Monroe and Lakes of the Clouds

Lions Head Trail and Wildcat Mountain

One Day Presidential Range Traverse (North to South)

Date of Hike: 6/28/08

Valley Way: 3.8 miles / Osgood Trail: .8 miles / Gulfside Trail: .3 miles / Mount Adams Loop: 1.0 miles / Gulfside Trail: 1.5 miles / Mount Jefferson Loop: .6 miles / Gulfside Trail: .7 miles / Mount Clay Loop: 1.2 miles / Gulfside Trail: .9 miles / Crawford Path: 1.8 miles / Mount Monroe Loop: .7 miles / Crawford Path: 1.3 miles / Mount Eisenhower Loop: .8 miles / Crawford Path: 1.2 miles / Webster Cliff Trail: 4.0 miles / Webster-Jackson Trail (Including Mount Webster Summit): 2.5 miles

Total Miles: 23ish, elevation gained 10,000ish

Trip Report:

- Solo hike, Started up Valley Way at 4:45am finished down Webster Jackson at 5:45 (13 hours)

- Lots of views until about 9am when clouds rolled in while on Mount Adams summit, no views the rest of the day, visibility around 100 feet

- Weather mid 50's and no wind!

- Went wrong way at Lake of the Clouds because I couldn't see, ended up on Dry River Trail

- Extremely sore for next 2 days!

Looking back at this several years later (April of 2014), this hike still puts a huge smile on my face!  I had no issues with the hike and was physically and emotionally ready for it.  However, I am amazed at how my body has changed over the years when it comes to recovery.  I could barely lift my leg up high enough to get into my tub/shower the day after the hike.  This was my first time on about twenty of the twenty-three miles for this route, since then I have been back over and over again to the point where my feet are used to the knee hammering rocks and I don't get sore anymore.  Every time I'm up there at some point I'm reminded of this hike and how it became the gateway for me to become the hiker I am today. :)

Pictures:

Mount Adams and Mount Washington off in the distance

Madison Springs HutClouds rushing in over Mount Madison

Terrific views from Mount Washington Crawford Path/Eisenhower Loop