[at-l] Mt. Washington via Ammonoosuc

[gaudet@mediaone.net (Arthur Gaudet)]

Like the others I offer advice that's essentially the same. In 
addition I'll let you know that I've climbed Washington three times 
in Winter, also have 20 or so of the other 4000 footers in NH, in 
Winter.

Ammonoosuc Ravine presents a significant challenge because of the 
prevailing winds. I've climbed each time from the protected side: 
Lion's Head, Tuckerman's and even Huntington Ravine (which is 
essentially a technical ice climb in winter, another story).

In your favor you are tree protected until well up the mountain so 
you can decide, if the weather conditions are good, whether to go for 
the top. The trick here is to be willing to turn back if conditions 
are not favorable.

If you have access, AMC published a terrific story in AMC Outdoors, 
November 1995 about a winter backpack the previous winter. With a 
professsional guide the father/son/ made their way up Valley Way to 
Madison, then from Madison Hut Sphinx Col for the night. Next day 
they got to Lakes of the Clouds where they were hit by a major winter 
storm. They huddled in the refuge underneath the hut. The guide 
decided to bail out, at midday, via the Ammonoosuc trail and 
attempted to lead his clients from the rescue shelter to the 
trailhead (a very short distance). He couldn't find it.

 From the story: "Fred and I followed Maury as he plunged over 
wind-scoured crust and ice, sometimes blue, sometimes an evil yellow, 
toward where he thought he'd find the first cairn of the Ammonoosuc 
Trail. Maury hesitated, braced himself against his poles, twisted 
left and right. We saw nothing. Fred and I waited, leaning into the 
blast. Maury doubled back. He slowly crawled for another couple of 
minutes and stopped once more."

The three then decided to go for the trees, making a plunging descent 
in 90 MPH winds. They descended about 1200 feet by dark, breaking one 
pair of snowshoes in the process, and a pair of ski poles. Another 
1200 feet would get them down to the Cog Railway station. They 
camped, melted snow for water, ate the last of their food, and dealt 
with the father's hypothermia. The storm continued.

At daylight they abandoned the tent, sleeping pads, fuel, other gear 
and traveled light. The powder snow meant they were postholing to a 
depth of 5 feet or more. They got back into the ravine and descended 
"for hours". At last they crossed the trail and saw a blue blaze, 2 
hours later they were at the Cog. I bet a blue blaze never looked so 
good!

Sorry for the long post, but this tale is one I've thought of often 
since I first read it. It reads fine the second time too, getting my 
heart pumping at more than a few places. The guide's decision to 
leave the shelter of Lakes in the middle of a storm is suspect in my 
mind. Also the decision to abandon essential gear. But I suspect the 
story isn't providing enough detail to properly evaluate the 
situation. He got them out, in terrible conditions.

The guide later wrote his clients that he was "wrestling with demons" 
over how the trip turned out. No doubt. This was a man who had lived 
on Mt. Washington for 4 years, manning the shelter, in Winter, at 
Tuckerman's Ravine.

RockDancer


>As I'm sure you can appreciate because this is true for many 
>potentially dangerous activities, it would be irresponsible to 
>recommend such an activity as climbing Mt. Washington without 
>knowing a lot more about your background and preparedness.
>
-- 
Arthur D. Gaudet         	"Is walking down called hiking, too?"
(RockDancer)  	                 -heard at the top of Mt Washington, NH