Madison and Adams via Valley Way, 10/20/2012

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BIGEarl

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Location
Nashua, NH
October 20, 2012: Madison & Adams

Trails: Valley Way, Osgood Trail, Gulfside Trail, Air Line Trail

Summits: Madison, Adams

Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue) and me



We’re back on the Grid. Our October list is a very short one; we’ll need two hike days to clean it up. This week’s targets were Madison and Adams. The forecast for the day wasn’t great but it was good enough. We started with a very light shower but the forecast was for all precipitation to stop within an hour and gradually improved conditions. The predicted high temperature at the upper elevations was ~45 - 50 degrees with a south wind of 30 – 40 mph, gusts to 50 mph. All of this is well within our comfort zone.

Within an hour the light precipitation had stopped but we had wet, plenty of wet. Valley Way was a running stream in many areas. I’ve never seen as much water on this particular trail and we’ve been on it quite a few times. We had a very sloppy hike all the way to the Madison Springs Hut. Other than the wet conditions and a couple blow-downs the trail was in good shape. Watch out for the surprises hiding underneath all of the leaves that have fallen in recent days.

As we approached the treeline below the hut we started to feel the south wind. Based on wind direction and terrain I was pretty sure the conditions wouldn’t be too difficult. In fact, I was pretty sure we would only be hit with strong wind on the final couple hundred feet of the climb to Madison and the top of Adams.

At the hut we stopped to add a layer before starting up Madison. Both Sue and I had a top layer with a hood. That worked out well because roughly half-way up Madison we both put the hoods up not for warmth but to hold our hats in place. The wind was coming through at a pretty good clip. We had no problems with stability, just our hats – the hoods did the job. While climbing Madison we met others descending from the summit (a solo with a dog, a pair, and a trio). Some of the others hiked up via Howker Ridge Trail. We made our way to the summit, got the usual summit pictures, a few distance view shots, and made the u-turn to descend back to the hut and Gulfside Trail for our hike south to Adams.

The hike from the hut to Adams went generally as expected. We enjoyed sheltered conditions from the hut to the ridge near Air Line junction. Then, we started to get hit by a light wind. We also started to run into more hikers wandering the area. I believe the total hikers we met for the day was over twenty. We worked our way along Air Line to the north side of Adams and were again sheltered from the south wind for the duration of our climb to the summit. Once we reached the summit we were exposed to the full wind for the day, but it didn’t seem as significant as predicted. After checking the weather history for the day it looks like the actual was near the bottom of the range for predicted wind.

Again we went through the usual summit formalities but didn’t stop there for summit cookies; they waited until we climbed back down closer to Gulfside trail. We were able to find a suitable rock in a sunny, sheltered location overlooking King Ravine and sat to enjoy a couple cookies, and the view. We were expecting difficult winds, overcast, possibly some precipitation, and cool conditions. Instead, we enjoyed a mild wind, warm temperature, and lots of sun. These are pretty nice conditions for late October in the Northern Presidentials.

With the cookie break finished we continued our exit hike. We simply reversed our route; hiking back to the hut via Gulfside and then back to the trailhead via the super sloppy Valley Way. Along the way we managed a couple small slips on the wet leaves, roots, rocks, or something else but stayed upright each time. Generally on plan we stepped into the trailhead lot. It didn’t take long to get our things packed, change into traveling footwear, and hit the highway south.

It wasn’t a bad day; it was much better than the experts had predicted, much better than we expected.


Pictures will follow.


:cool:
 
I’ve posted some pictures from the day.

Straight to the album on Facebook

:cool:



Sounds like a good trip - thanks for a fine report, Earl. I'd bet, given that the winds were southerly, that they were higher on Washington and Monroe and that W's cone and Chandler Ridge somewhat shielded both Adams and Madison

You can easily check the weather history for Mount Washington.

From experience, I wouldn't try to link the conditions on Monroe to the conditions on Washington, there is quite a bit of difference in elevation and generally quite a difference in actual conditions - especially wind.

I agree, the terrain was our friend on Saturday. That's what we expected when we left the trailhead.

;)
 
From experience, I wouldn't try to link the conditions on Monroe to the conditions on Washington, there is quite a bit of difference in elevation and generally quite a difference in actual conditions - especially wind.

It being a day of prevailing southerlies, as you and I noted, Monroe, like Washington though 900-ish feet lower, would most likely get a lot more wind than would Adams and Madison, I'm sure you'd agree, and doubtless you don't need an explanation of the topographical reasons why - Dry River Valley and Oakes Gulf as bellows, etc. No question the wind at Monroe would be a good bit slower than up top of its bigger next-door neighbor.

I took a combined meteorology/oceanography class for my major in college and have long been an amateur weather-o-phile and love the treasure trove that is the Obs site. Indeed, it so happens I got to the Lakes hut at 4 pm on Sat 5/12/12, which was the windiest hour of the windiest day of May. My curiosity piqued by my having been blown off my feet a couple of times, I got an extensive acquaintance with their excellent F6 and other reports after that exhilarating hike. You are generous to point me to the Obs and I am pleased to have some familiarity with it and its site. :)

PS: Nice pics - I especially like the one of the big rock just before treeline and the view of Madison on your descent of Adams - such a beaut!
 
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You are generous to point me to the Obs and I am pleased to have some familiarity with it and its site. :)

PS: Nice pics - I especially like the one of the big rock just before treeline and the view of Madison on your descent of Adams - such a beaut!

I don't recall pointing you to the Obs site, and certainly had no intention of doing so. My weather history comment relates to information available at the National Weather Service site.

re: Pics - Thanks.
 
I don't recall pointing you to the Obs site, and certainly had no intention of doing so. My weather history comment relates to information available at the National Weather Service site.

I enjoy both the Obs and the NWS sites - great treasure troves for weather info. Sounds like you enjoy them too! :)
 
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Sounds like great route planning gave you summits with approaches that had least amount of wind. Great choices and as always I love the pics.~!
 
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