Lauky finishes winter 48 on Washington/Monroe

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Ed'n Lauky

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Blairsville GA ......... Avatar-- On top of S
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It was supposed to be Duffy my Airedale. Back in the early 2000s my wife gave me snowshoes for Christmas with the message "I'm giving you these so you will have something to do in the winter like hike the back woods and you won't have to do any winter mountain hiking. That was the beginning of my winter hiking. :D

The first winter I just kind of dabbled in it then we got serious. The next two winters Duffy and I finished off 32 of the winter 48. Then in the summer of 2007 he died very suddenly of a malignant tumor of the spinal cord. The next winter my heart wasn't in it and I didn't do much but the following winter I took off with Lauky to finish my winter 48 which we did. The following winter we got going to finish up his winter 48. That brings us to this winter. I laid out the list of peaks he had left and with the first day of winter we got started.

There was no plan concerning the finish. The big obstacle was the Washington/Monroe hike. I wanted a day when I could safely get him up there when he wouldn't get cold. Everyday since the beginning of winter I have studied the the weather reports for Washington. Everyday it was either too cold or too windy. I wanted one of those days when the sky was clear and the wind was low. I had already told my colleagues that when that day came I was gone and they could cover for me.

All winter I waited and while waiting we ticked off the other peaks. Last week we finished off the last of the peaks except for those two. Then to my delight the day popped up on the screen. Thursday was the day. It turned out to be everything I had hoped for. It was foggy at the trailhead this morning but by the time we reached Lakes of the Clouds the sky was a pure blue. The temperature at the shelter was 32* but the sun was intense. On the way up the temperature rose to 35* and I could tell that Lauky was having a great time and was very comfortable. It was 30* on the summit with only a light wind. The views were gorgeous. We even chatted with a Forest Service worker for an extended period and he never got cold.

The trail above the treeline had drifted over but if you could stay on the trail it was solid underneath. The snowbank was not frozen so passage over it was very easy. When we got back to the hut after summiting the temps were in the upper 40s. It was an incredible day and an incredible way to finish off Lauky's winter 48. He was able to do what fate didn't allow his big brother to do. Duffy the Airedale never made it but Lauky the 22 lbs Welsh Terrier did. So we dedicate this accomplishment to Duffy.

The 4000 footer committee doesn't recognize winter hiking by dogs, but I now proudly 'wear' MY winter patch on a bandanna that hangs around Lauky's neck. :)
 
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Congratulations! And I am wicked jealous 'cuz I want one of the days you had except now it has to be on a weekend :(

Here was today's forecast, and while good, it sounds like it was on the better side of good!

Today:

In and out of the clouds under increasingly cloudy skies w/ a slight chance of afternoon snow showers.

Highs: lower 20s; Wind chills 5 below to 5°F

Wind: W shifting SW 5-20 mph increasing to 25-40 mph


Tim
 
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Way to go!

Way to go Ed and Lauky! I was thinking today would have been a great day to get up there for Washington, but I had a VA appointment this morning which was cancelled twice, had to go. I hope I can get this done on a similar day soon! Glad Lauky got these done, I'm afraid we waited too long with Emma, at 12yo I no longer feel the need to try, she has 38, that might have to do. She sends a high paw to Lauky, and doggie kisses!

KDT
 
Way to go, Ed. That sure is a great picture of him with the Obs tower in the background.
 
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The 4000 footer committee doesn't recognize winter hiking by dogs, but I now proudly 'wear' MY winter patch on a bandanna that hangs around Lauky's neck. :)

How sweet it is!:)
A hearty congratulations to both. To Duffy for the valiant effort and completing 38. To Lauky for his 48 finish!
And last but not least to "DAD" who made it all possible! :cool:
 
Thanks for all your kind words. The website I was using was giving temps in the lower 20s with a bright sun and clouds moving in around noon. Wind 10 MPH in the morning increasing to 20 MPH in the afternoon. The temps were a bit warmer and the clouds you could see coming in from the west really didn't arrive until around 3:00 PM. It was the perfect day. For the sake of the snow you really didn't want it any warmer and actually not really any colder. It was PERFECT.

By contrast, here is a picture taken March 17,2006 when I was up there with Duffy. The Mt. Washington website listed the windchill that day as -40. I came back with frostbite on my face as my goggles had frosted over and I had to move them in order to see under very difficult conditions. I don't think it was actually snowing that day, but with the wind stirring up the snow, it appeared to be snowing. The cairns were very difficult to follow.

I never ever saw Duffy shiver, not even that day.

Wahsingtonsummit.jpg
 
Do you still keep Lauky on a leash all the time? That would surely make it tougher for both of you.
 
Great summit shot of Lauky - he looks psyched and ready for more. Just like everyone who arrives at the summit of Washie. ;)
Congrats!
 
That little rascal has a mind and a nose of his own. After hitting the summit he would have taken off for a drink at the Common Man in Lincoln and left me standing there. :D

When he picks up a scent he's gone so I have to keep him on a leash because I never know when that will happen. We've been doing it for four years now so we pretty well have it down. It has saved his life at least once. This summer he stirred up a bear cub that he wanted to go after. Thanks to the leash I was able to make him go with me in another direction and mama left us alone. It has also kept him from several porcupines he wanted to attack. We have on a number of occasions been followed off in the woods by I don't know what, but he did. I've been able to hold him under control.

I will say also, that there have been a number of people out on the trails who have thanked me for having my dog on a leash. I will confess here that I didn't always admit that it wasn't because of them that I had him on the leash. :)
 
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