Mt. Washington Hike

Exhilarating hike up Mt. Washington Sunday up the Ammo trail and descending along the Cog. Hardpacked snow up to the hut and then glare ice and rocks up to the summit. Nice lunch inside the hut! Sunny & calm winds at the hut but then conditions deteriorated in the early afternoon as the winds ramped up to 65MPH with 90 MPH gusts. Summit temp was 2F with -30F windchill. The wind pushed me over once while on the rockpile! Very windy & some whiteouts for the descent along the Cog. Conditions improved when we reached treeline. Sledded the last third of the route making for a quick descent!

It's Washington's Birthday Weekend!  So we will hike Mt. Washington!  We will hike up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail from the Hiker Parking Lot at the Cog Railway.  The hike is about 3 miles to the Lake of The Clouds Hut & then another 1.4 miles to the summit. We will descend via a path next to the Cog Railway (about 3 miles).  The hike is easy initially following a stream  but then becomes steep about half way up to the hut.  Microspikes or crampons are necessary for the hike.  A face covering is useful in addition to the usual winter gear if it is breezy up there. Please let me know if you have any questions about preparing for this hike. Winter hiking experience required for this hike. The hike will take about 7-8 hours including lunch at the summit.  If we only go to the hut & back because of extreme weather conditions, it will take about 5-6 hours.

The section of the hike from the Lake of the Clouds Hut to the summit is very exposed.  If it's too windy & cold, we will just hike to the hut and not continue to the summit.  I will check the Higher Summits Forecast on Friday (2 days before the hike) & send an update in the comments about the weather conditions.

After the hike, hikers are welcome to come over to my house in Sugar Hill, NH for and apres-hike Happy Hour or Potluck.  BYOB. Hot showers and lodging available at the house Saturday and/or Sunday nights.   If you would like to stay over, please let me know.