8/24/23
Tuckerman Ravine Trail: 4.2 miles (4,200' elevation gained)
8/27/23
Tuckerman Ravine Trail & Lion Head Trail: 4.3 miles / Cog Railway Path: 3.0 miles / Jewel Trail & Gulfside Trail: 4.4 miles / Cog Railway Path: 3.0 miles / Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail & Crawford Path: 4.1 miles / Tuckerman Ravine Trail: 4.2 miles
Total Miles: 23.0 miles (11,500' elevation gained)
Trip Report:
- As summit #250 for Mount Washington approached the game plan was to get up with Sarge before work on Thursday for #247, take a few days off, and triple up Washington on Sunday with Todd for both of our 250th summit.
- Thursday morning the weather was beautiful early in the morning as Sarge and I started at first light (5:45AM). I followed him as he zoomed up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the bowl, stopping to take standard Sarge posing on the rock at the floor of the ravine.
Sarge at the floor of Tuckerman Ravine
- Sarge at this point in the summer is getting a little shaggy, a little goofy looking, and is in need of a puppy cut. He runs a little hot when he's shaggy, so he makes sure to cool off anywhere where there is enough water, lucky for him since it has rained almost every day this summer water is plentiful, so he was able to easily cool off.
Sarge cools off before tackling the headwall
- After many dips in the water, Sarge headed up past Lunch Rocks as I followed behind. Above Lunch Rocks we hit the switchback and made our way over the lip to Tuckerman Junction, all while enjoying the quite morning on trail while taking in some fantastic views.
- Once above Tuckerman Junction we easily made our way up to the summit in the cool crisp morning air arriving at the top at 7:30AM.
Sarge heads up the steep rock steps as he passes by the ravine waterfall
Sarge posing for a picture above treeline just past Tuckerman Junction
Sarge with Lion Head and Boott Spur behind him
Washington #40 for Sarge and #297 for me
- After summiting we took it nice and easy on our way down. It was a who's who of locals early in the morning as we descended, passing by Spencer who was doing a timed run of Washington, with a blazing speed of 1 hour 45 minute round trip (1 hour 5 min. up 40 min. down). Sarge and I then stopped to chat with Andrew Drummond who was on his way up for day #95 of 100 consecutive days of summitting Mount Washington. He would successfully finish on Tuesday, August 29th.
- After chatting, Sarge posed for a few more pics and we made our way back down to Pinkham Notch. Trails were still quiet until the last mile, over that stretch we saw about two dozen hikers all happily making their way up.
- We made it back to the car around 8:30, got cleaned off and relaxed for about fifteen minutes before heading home to Gorham just in time to start work at 9AM while Sarge snoozed the day away!
Sarge with Mount Monroe and Lakes of the Clouds Hut lurking below the summit cone of Washington
Sarge takes in the big views before we drop back down into Tuckerman Ravine
- On Sunday, Todd and I were joined by Kristina and Nate as we went up and down Washington three times, once from the west, and twice from the east. Our first lap was up Tuckerman Ravine and Lion Head trails and down the Cog Railway Path, which is the open swath that parallels the railroad tracks.
- Weather was all over the place on Sunday, as we made our way up to Lion Head it was hot and humid at 8AM, however once we hooked back up on the upper part of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail it was cool and comfortable.
- We hiked mostly in the clouds above 5,000 feet with some views here and there but they didn't last long. We motored up to the summit making it to the top in 1 hour and 50 minutes before booking it down the Cog in just over 35 minutes.
On Lion Head looking at the clouds swirl around in front of the sun
The gang heads up Lion Head Trail during a short-lived stretch of the clouds breaking apart
Todd and Nate run by the Cog
- Above treeline the Jewel Trail has great views but on Sunday we were blanketed in the clouds so there were no pictures to be taken. There was also zero wind above treeline so I was not too upset with the lack of views as the cloud coverage meant I wouldn't take a beating and get physically drained from the heat.
- As we got within a hundred feet of the summit, we ran into our friends Marilyn and Ashley who were on an extended Presi Traverse. We chatted with them as we took a ten minute break to refill our water and refuel before taking back off down the Cog.
- The second time down the cog was basically the same smooth sailing as the first time down, making it to Marshfield Station in about 40 minutes.
The gang makes their way to Waumbek Station
That is quite the pollution from the old steam train!
- Lap 3 was up the tseep Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and Crawford Path with a descent back to Pinkham via Tuckerman Ravine Trail.
- Originally, I had expected Lap 3 to be around 1 hour 30 minutes but after lap 2 I figured we'd be moving and we sure did, making it back to the summit in 1 hour and 55 minutes which included a five minute stop at Lakes of the Clouds Hut.
- It was definitely a grind at times for me but I kept up by cooling off at any of the water crossings and picking at one of the many different snacks I had brought along for the day to stay energized.
- At Lakes of the Clouds Hut we took a five minute break before continuing on, I went in the hut to see what they had for baked goods but was left disappointed, all that was on the table was free cold oatmeal from breakfast. This summer has been lacking with baked goods and lemonade at both Lakes and Madison Springs. Hopefully next year will make up for it!
- Once past Lakes of the Clouds it started to rain and got a little chilly so on went my Houdini jacket and gloves for about a mile before the rain stopped when it warmed up quickly just below the summit cone.
- #250 was reached and luckily we only had to wait in line for a minute or two before we snapped a few pics. It was a great feeling to accomplish this with Todd at the same time while with Kristina and Nate who had also joined us on dozens of Washington summits over the past several years.
- After pictures we easily made our way back down on Tuckerman Ravine Trail, catching some obstructed views as we lost elevation.
- Once we reached Pinkham Notch we relaxed for awhile and got cleaned off before heading our separate ways.
Gem Pool
Last stretch up the summit cone
Nate, myself, Todd, & Kristina
Descending the upper section of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail
Over the lip and into Tuckerman Ravine
- #250 W's was a pretty cool achievement, I'm sure I'll get to 300 in a year or two but I am looking forward to a summer with dry weather like last year so I can explore a little more in the Pemi, Dry River, and Wild River where I have only been sporadically over the past few years. Last summer I was focused on Grid #2 + Washington #200 and this summer has been all rain and most trails below treeline are waterlogged, muddy, and buggy so when the weather was good above treeline was the only place I wanted to be.
- Some stats from W#250; 41 summits before moving up to Gorham, NH from Lincoln, RI in October of 2015, 199 summits since. It's pretty easy when you live ten minutes away and can cherry pick your days!
- Some memorable hikes that come to mind; 1997 when my dad and I drove up in August with Teddy the Golden Retriever and did Huntington Ravine. The clouds were so thick once above the ravine that I didn't see the summit observatory building until I was within five feet of it at the end of the Nelson Crag Trail.
- Two years later in the summer of 1999, dad, myself, and teddy went up with my high school friends during college break and again we hiked up Huntington Ravine Trail. Teddy had trouble on the first steep exposed scramble so I was pushing his bum while my dad pulled him up by the collar above. Now 24 years later I would never be able to do that as that first exposed section gives me high anxiety.
- 2016, Kyle and I hit the summit around dawn on our Presi and Great Range in a calendar day adventure (Trip Report). We had perfect weather and it was also the day of the Road Race, it was so very quiet on the summit where in just a few hours it would be a mad house of runners with their friends and family cheering them on.
- 2019, Todd joins me for the Presi traverse part of my 24 4K's in 24 hours. We hit the summit cone around the golden hour, great views and company, then we caught fireworks being shot off in Littleton while on Jefferson's summit as it got dark. (Trip Report)
- And of course my first time up in 1988 with mom, dad, and Joe-Ben. I don't remember much but we stayed at Lakes of the Clouds Hut, (Up Ammo, night at Lakes, and down Jewel). I was too lazy to be bothered to do the short out and back to Monroe, and my old man promised me $10 if I didn't whine over the two days. My brother, Joe-Ben, scribbled in the hut guest book, which once a year I make sure to find the entry in the old hut books that are stacked on a bookshelf inside the hut. A good memory of my brother who is no longer with us. Hopefully he is smiling down on me every time I pass by Lakes of the Clouds on my way to or from Washington. :)
#1 August 31st, 1988 / #250 August 27th, 2023
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