Advice on Washington needed

Was wondering what to expect if I were to lead a group on Mt Washington in mid October. What kind of weather and temps i would be looking at.

Would I need to be worrying about getting crampons for the group and ice axes or would it still be ok without?

I am expecting temps to be around 30 on top if i were to be there around October 15th. Of course there would be the complete burgalene/polypro layers and full rain layer plus insulate hat and gloves. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks

I climbed Washington via Tucks and Lion's Head last year on Oct. 17th. Click here if you want read the trip report I encountered ice at 3500' and snow on the ground at 4000'. I've only lived in the area for a little over a year, but I think that's pretty typical, though that's also a volatile time of the year and anything could happen, so go prepared.

Did it one Columbus Day weekend it was -4 with 50+ mph winds. We saw a lot of people who weren't prepared for the weater.

While I haven't done Washington in October, a group of us did Jefferson in early October several years ago.
By the time we got to the summit, it was snowing, blowing, and freezing!(wind chill was definitely less than 30 degrees)
Although we all got down safely, many lessons were learned:

1. Make sure that everyone has appropriate gear (fleece, hat, balaclava, mittens, gortex top and bottom, etc.)before leaving the trailhead.
2. Bring a map and a compass (and know how to use them) in case you need to take an alternate route down.
3. Don't be afraid to turn back...the mountain will be there another day.

As for ice axes and crampons, we didn't have them and didn't need them.

I went up the Tuck a few years ago around the 20 th of Oct. It was bright and sunny at Pinkham and 65 deg. At HoJo's it was about 40 and drizzle. Top of headwall it was snow and total fogged in conditions. We had winter gear but in conditions like that you are never really prepared. Visibility was near zero when we hit the auto road. You could hear the generators roaring but it was an errie feeling and totally disorienting. The clouds lifted slightly for the descent but the snow was still falling. There was a couple inches which made the descent a nightmare. People were still heading to the top. Families with little kids in sneakers, light jackets. Kids were cold and crying. I gave a hat and extra gloves to a little girl, but her father wouldn't turn back. I was sure there was going to be a major disaster up there that day. When we got back to Pinkham it was in the 70's and sunny. Certainly check the weather forecast before you head north and then check the top forecast at Pinkham before you head up. Decisions should be made according to the least competent hiker's ability not the most competent. Enjoy

I went up the Tuck a few years ago around the 20 th of Oct. It was bright and sunny at Pinkham and 65 deg. At HoJo's it was about 40 and drizzle. Top of headwall it was snow and total fogged in conditions.

Click to expand...

This is a frequent situation -- it's really hard to get people, especially less experienced people, to believe that even though it's 65 and sunny at Pinkham it may be snowing with a howling wind and windchill -> 0 at the summit!

Structure said:

Was wondering what to expect if I were to lead a group on Mt Washington in mid October. What kind of weather and temps i would be looking at.

Would I need to be worrying about getting crampons for the group and ice axes or would it still be ok without?

I am expecting temps to be around 30 on top if i were to be there around October 15th. Of course there would be the complete burgalene/polypro layers and full rain layer plus insulate hat and gloves. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks

Click to expand...

I'm planning on going up on the 10th or 11th, if the 11th looks clearer. I'm planning on 50 at the base and 20 at the top with wind, snow and ice. No ice axes, but we'll have crampons and poles. We'll also turn back if it looks too bad, as we aren't in any hurry. I'll let you know how we make out.

i'll just second what others have said above. i did the ol' amanoosuc-jewell loop over monroe and washington on june 10th a year or two ago and darn near froze to death it was sunny on the summit but blowin' about 60 or 70 and pretty cold. i put on all my gear and moved quick.

take your winter gear for sure!!

I climbed MT W on a Columbus day week end a feww years ago at Pinkham the Sun was out in the AM by the time we hit te Summit it wasSnowing and visibilty was dropping fast. We saw thease two guys wraped in trash bags and sneakers speaking some language I could not figure out . I know both French and Spansh reasonbly well but not fluent by any means .
But I heared that a lot of hikers went down in the Vans on the Auto Road .,. We stopped and put towo of them in the back of my 1 ton Dump as my smaller truck was in the shop gettin it's tuneup . Brought em back to Pink ham and got a Six Pack of Long Trail Double Bag ! Although I was not expecting anything just wanted to get two cold hikers to a warm place .
So be prepared for most any thing . Warm colthing for a winter day is a good thing to have in your pack maybe light weight Stove and aAdd Boiling watrer meal or two just in case . Most importantly Trun around if it starts getting bad .

To add to all the stories of cold above, I've been on Washington in mid-October watching the smoke from the train rise straight up while standing in shirt sleeves on a cloudless fall afternoon. Do not leave your warm winter gear at home, however, except for the crampons.

All this anecdotal evidence adds up to something close to the answer to your question; this is my take:

==There is no "first snow" in a place such as that; it snows whenever it wants. Same with cold and any/all other weather conditions.

==On the other hand, the almanac view of the thing is that winter arrives in earnest in late November / early December. This is as opposed to the perspective from individual storms or events. On the whole, October will be the first month where cold weather starts becoming the norm and summer conditions become rarer & rarer.

The difference I'm trying to get at is yes, you'll need your winter gear, but it may be only as a back-up. A full-on winter mentality shouldn't really kick in for at least another month.

--M.

This coming time of year is imo the toughest time to hike as far as conditions and there predicabilty. I pack and approach the high peaks in the fall with this mindset, expect and prepare for the worst "possible" conditions, this way your not caught with your pants down Besides I plan my trips to be successfull not just to live, Ive been on Washington many times where people where bailing out and I had enough gear to weather the foul conditions and STILL summit.

Excpect anything on Washington almost any time of the year. This mountain always finds a way to show me its ability to be inconsistent.