Hiking in the White Mountains: Last Call for Bowl Pawtrol on Mount Washington

Date of Hike: 7/12/23 & 7/14/23

Tuckerman Ravine Trail: 4.2 miles / Crawford Path: 0.6 miles / Southside Trail: 0.4 miles / Tuckerman Ravine Trail: 3.6 miles

Total Miles: 8.8 (4,300' elevation gained)

Trip Report:

- On Wednesday the 5AM crew headed up Mount Washington to beat the heat (Kristina, Todd, Andrew Drummond, Andrew Soares, myself, and two dogs, Sarge & Bennett). Adrew S. just completed a 110 mile fast-pack with Philip Carcia traversing all the wilderness areas in the White Mountains over flooded trails, disgusting humidity, and rainstorms, so this morning would be a piece of cake for him. Meanwhile, Andrew D. was on day 52 of summiting Mount Washington for 100 straight days. Needless to say, some heavy hitters were heading up the Rock Pile on Wednesday morning, A few days later, Sarge and I would fly solo using the same route so this will be a combined trip report.

- Just before we started on Wednesday a Moose ran across NH16, through the parking lot, hurdled a rock wall ten feet from our cars and headed towards the Shelburne Ski Trail. On Friday, Sarge and I saw a big black bear just before second bridge, 1.5 up trail. The bear saw us, turned around and disappeared around a corner and off into the woods. It was a little nerve racking for me, ever since my run in with a bear on mile 45 of 53 on Owl's Head in 2019 (trip report), I get a little freaked out even though every other experience I have had with a bear has ended with them running away quickly or looking at me with a sad face and slowly sauntering away off trail.

- Other than the excitement of the early morning animal sightings the run up into The Bowl went quickly. Once past Lunch Rocks we admired the waterfalls and the last of the snow arch which was going, going, and gone by Friday!

Sarge poses for a picture at the floor of Tuckerman Ravine

Sarge cools off at the foot of the headwall before the steep climb out of the ravine

The last of the snow arch on Wednesday which fell about two weeks ago

Sarge devours the last of the snow arch!

All gone. On Friday the last of the snow was one small piece which Sarge broke into pieces and started to eat. Yum!

- After passing by the last of the snow we made the steep climb out of the ravine to Tuckerman Junction and eventually up to the summit. Weather was spectacular on both days with a nice breeze and temps in the low 50's. It was still unseasonably warm for a summer morning before 7am, which usually is light jacket and hat and glove weather during a normal summer morning. But 5am starts this summer sure beats heading up late morning and early afternoon when it is oppressively hot with the threat of thunderstorms rolling in.

The gang makes their way out of Tuckerman Ravine

Sarge tops out of the ravine

The final half mile up through a field of boulders

Sarge takes a break, sniffing in the wind

Sarge really loves sticking his face directly into the wind!

Andrew makes his way up to the summit. Day 52 of 100 consecutive days hiking to the summit of Mount Washington

Sarge with Boott Spur behind him

Sarge looking majestic with undercast blanketing the valley

Sarge and Bennett

Sarge charges up the stairs to the summit

Summit Sarge!

- There was no lounging around the summit as the heavy machinery was going in full force at 7am. We ducked back down from the summit and headed south on Crawford Path enjoying the views as we descended a half mile before cutting across the Southside Trail to Tuckerman Junction.

- As we closed in on the junction, we made a short side trip off trail to what looks like a random big cairn, this cairn used to have a cross on top of it and is the site of where Simon Joseph perished in 1919. He missed the turn to Lakes of the Clouds and continued on before succumbing to exposure just before reaching the Southside Trail. There is a little confusion on whether this is the actual spot or if this is a memorial for another hiker who fell to the elements in the early twentieth century. In Not Without Peril, the Nicholas Howe states that he died within sight of Lakes of the Clouds Hut on the old Crawford Path, but the map of where he is placed to have died in the book has him a few yards away from Southside Trail about a mile further up. More online and book research will have to be done to figure out this mini mystery. UPDATED, mystery solved. This was the place of the Harry Hunter Monument (image below), where the twenty-year-old perished from exposure in September of 1874, although his remains were not found until six years later.

- After hooking back onto the Tuckerman Ravine Trail we trail ran back to Pinkham Notch, trails were quiet until the last two miles when we passed by a few dozen enthusiastic hikers heading up. We made it back to the cars by 8am, got cleaned up, and relaxed until heading our separate ways, all of us making it back home in time for the start of the work day at 9AM. :)