Lucky Laura
Active member
Always looking for a non threatening forecast for Jefferson. Of all the Presis, I have the most respect for Jefferson due to the infamous incident in January '94. Having only 2 years of White mountain hiking experience back then, the incident with Derek T has always given me a sober respect for hiking in adverse conditions on the ridge-and particularly Jefferson.
Ryan finally came out with the MWO forecast just as I was nearing Twin Mountain and deciding whether to go for Jefferson or head up to Cabot. There were no winds down low and the forecast sounded "ok".
Up at the base station, went looking for the relocation to the Jewel Trail- thanks to Unadogger's mention of it a couple of weeks ago. It was just a short jaunt up the south side of the cog. There is blue flagging tape which leads right to the trail before Clay Brook crossing.
Snow shoes were not needed on the Jewel trail but I was glad to be able to use mine with the televators due to a tight calf muscle. Above tree line, took them off until Gulfside Trail. Surprisingly, Gulfside Trail had a lot of deep snow drifts all the way to Sphinx Col so I put the snow shoes back on up there. No ice flows anywhere.
Ahead, a lenticular cloud was hovering over Jefferson. Winds were still light and the temperature was ideal. There was less snow after Sphinx Col so snow shoes were better off on the back. The pretty lenticular cloud earlier had become a massive gray blob which settled down the entire Jefferson cone and lower. At the summit, there were no views until back on Monticello Lawn. From there, an eerie sight- the needle poking up through another big gray blob all over Mt. Washington. It looked really cool.
Put the snow shoes back on at Sphinx Col for the mile back to Jewel Trail before taking them off again. Saw a group of 6 or so heading down off Clay toward Jefferson- they looked like they were trucking at a good clip.
That first mile down Jewel always seems so tedious until you reach the trees. A feeling of safety in the woods once I reached the trees- always think of the Wizard of Oz song at times like that- "you're out of the woods, you're out of the dark, you're out of the night..."
Great day out, great mental therapy.
Ryan finally came out with the MWO forecast just as I was nearing Twin Mountain and deciding whether to go for Jefferson or head up to Cabot. There were no winds down low and the forecast sounded "ok".
Up at the base station, went looking for the relocation to the Jewel Trail- thanks to Unadogger's mention of it a couple of weeks ago. It was just a short jaunt up the south side of the cog. There is blue flagging tape which leads right to the trail before Clay Brook crossing.
Snow shoes were not needed on the Jewel trail but I was glad to be able to use mine with the televators due to a tight calf muscle. Above tree line, took them off until Gulfside Trail. Surprisingly, Gulfside Trail had a lot of deep snow drifts all the way to Sphinx Col so I put the snow shoes back on up there. No ice flows anywhere.
Ahead, a lenticular cloud was hovering over Jefferson. Winds were still light and the temperature was ideal. There was less snow after Sphinx Col so snow shoes were better off on the back. The pretty lenticular cloud earlier had become a massive gray blob which settled down the entire Jefferson cone and lower. At the summit, there were no views until back on Monticello Lawn. From there, an eerie sight- the needle poking up through another big gray blob all over Mt. Washington. It looked really cool.
Put the snow shoes back on at Sphinx Col for the mile back to Jewel Trail before taking them off again. Saw a group of 6 or so heading down off Clay toward Jefferson- they looked like they were trucking at a good clip.
That first mile down Jewel always seems so tedious until you reach the trees. A feeling of safety in the woods once I reached the trees- always think of the Wizard of Oz song at times like that- "you're out of the woods, you're out of the dark, you're out of the night..."
Great day out, great mental therapy.
