Mt Washington via Huntington Ravine and... (see post for trails) - 6/15

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NH Tramper

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
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Location
North Conway, NH Avatar: Cannon Mtn.
Date of Hike: June 15, 2013

Trails: Tuckerman Ravine (still closed through the ravine), Huntington Ravine (up), Nelson Crag (down), Lion Head, Alpine Garden, and Jackson Road Trails.

Trail Conditions: The Tuckerman Ravine Trail (which is still closed through the ravine as noted above) was in better shape than two days ago: no real water, no blowdowns, etc. Huntington Ravine Trail had a fair amount of running water on it in places but it was easy to manage; the crossings were easy. The headwall was pretty dry and easy climbing. There was one wet area but it was completely avoidable. Lion Head Trail from Tuckerman to the Alpine Garden junction was wet in places requiring some rock hopping. The Alpine Garden Trail was wet in places as well, though much less so and easy to negotiate. The flowers have for the most part passed. Nelson Crag Trail, above treeline, was pretty dry, below treeline it was wet and muddy in places and pretty brushed-in (needs some work), especially as we got close to Jackson Road. Jackson Road itself was in pretty good shape, the one crossing easy.

Special Equipment Used: None.

Comments: This was a sort of figure-8 hike. Up Huntington and to the summit across Ball Crag, then down to the Alpine Garden Trail, across to Nelson Crag and down to Jackson Road back to the PNVC. It was a great way to hike it. This was part of a Meetup being led by my friend Bill Robichaud, me serving as a sort of co-leader if the group ended up splitting due to pace. And as it was, that's what happened: Jeffrey, Marta, and myself kicked it into overdrive and scampered up the trail to the summit while Bill, Brenda, Leslie, Peter, and Stephanie took things slower and shortened their loop eventually going down Lion Head instead. Then Marta and I split it again and ended up doing the full route as planned -- taking on everything including the steep Nelson Crag Trail at a pretty extreme pace -- while Jeffrey also decided to descent via Lion Head. What a blast this was. For me this was three times up Mt Washington this month (once as part of an extended traverse) so in terms of my grid and peakbagging it was nil, but who cares, it was wicked fun. We also ran into Samantha on the summit, Xar -- who ran the road race -- coming down as we went up, Dan of Buffalo and Tough Cookie fame inside the building, Fred and Linda and Linda on the Alpine Garden Trail, and another guy, a barefoot hiker whose name I forgot (I'm terrible at that [ETA: I think his name was Paul Gagnon]), at the top of the Ravine. He gave us fresh strawberries; thanks, they were awesome. We also ran into some runners descending Huntington Ravine. We warned them to be careful. They said they thought they were on the Nelson Crag Trail but they made it so it's all good!

Mike "Tramper" Cherim
Nottingham NH
 
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