Monroe and Washington via Ammonoosuc Ravine 9-7-12

Last time I was in NH weather did not cooperate and I had to change plans. This time weather was good and I was able to do the day hike I had planned. This was my second time to the whites and they did not disappoint. I started at ammonoosuc ravine trail at about 8am with a group of friends. For one (a cancer survivor and recently recovering from back surgery) this hike was sort of a personal goal so that was good to see. I hiked ahead a bit as my pace was faster...not that I am a fast hiker though.

The Ammonoosuc Ravine trail is just beautiful. The water and smell of the woods on the trail in the morning was sublime. It was a beautiful clear day on Friday 9/7. I really din't know what to expect - I was just told it is a nice hike up the Lakes. It exceeded my expectations. Once I hit Gem Pool the real incline started. It was a nice hike up to the hut. I stopped for some cake (mmmmm) and then headed up Monroe. The trails were not crowded but a few people were out. It was good to hike up Monroe and see the southern end of the range that I would have done if I had been able to do the traverse a few weeks ago. The view of Lakes and Washington from Monroe is just beautiful. I headed down and began the walk up Washington. I loved this walk and I just love the way the trails wind around the ridge. Wind was not too bad and I got to the Washington summit at about 12:30. Its a bit of a circus up there but I didn't mind at that point. Everyone I met was very nice and courteous except the two guys who jumped in my picture. I ate lunch and waited for my friends for a bit. It turned out they were taking longer than expected so I decided to begin the second half of my loop solo. Took the Gulfside (awesome view of the Great Gulf) to the Jewel trail and headed down. The Jewel is a little hard to follow in a couple of spots but nothing too bad. Not as pretty as the Amanoosuc Ravine but also gentler and a nice way to end the day. I met my wife and son at the trail head and we went and had dinner with the friends I had started with (they took the shuttle down).

This was one of the nicest hikes I have ever done (outside of Salkantay/Macchu Picchu in Peru) and I must return to do a Presidential Traverse backpack or hut to hut or something like that.

The next day we went to Lost River Gorge and the following day my wife, son, and I took the cog to the Washington Summit (a one time thing). It was a nice long weekend in the Whites.

a g

Thanks for the report. It was nice to "mentally" go along with you. You picked a great hike on a great day to initiate yourself to the Whites.

Hope to see more reports from you in the future.

PS: The "a g" at the top doesn't mean a thing. I don't know where it came from and I have no way of getting it out of there.

thanks - last time I was there when the weather was bad i managed to squeeze in a Franconia Ridge loop - Little Haystack, Lincoln, and Lafayette to Greenleaf Hut and down. The next day in the rain I did Zealand Falls and Hale. So it was nice to get back there and do at least some of what I had originally set out to do. Although both hikes I did on my first trip were great too.

I might just have to move from NJ so I can hike there more often