Labor Day weekend: Mt Washington and Wildcat

[TigerMouth61]

My family joined me for a couple of hikes over Labor Day weekend. On Saturday we hiked Mt Washington and on Sunday we hiked Wildcat.
We enjoyed great views on both days. After the trip, friends with vacation homes in NH informed us that the 125-mile visibility was not normal. We were fortunate to be hiking on a weekend of unprecedented clear skies, sunny but cool.

I'm including some pictures with this post. For my complete photo journal of the hikes follow this link.

Day One – Mt Washington via Lion Head Trail and Tuckerman Ravine Trail


We got a late start after driving from Boston to Pinkham Notch that morning. Driving past Dolly Copp, our intended campground, we saw the "FULL" sign, so I spent a half hour at the Visitor Center trying to find a campground with space for us. We were finally on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail by 11 o'clock, and soon passed this scenic little waterfall.

After an hour-and-a-half walking through the woods, we reached the Lion Head Trail and the path got much steeper. We had to climb some steep sections, but I told Nick I was pretty sure the trail didn't go up this rock face. He had to give it a try anyhow.

ChiChi, the honkin' big Chihuahua, is a great hiking companion. He can scramble over or around most of the rocks, but he's 12 years old now, and sometimes prefers to ride in my backpack when the going gets tough.

Julie and Phillip on top of Lion Head, with Boott Spur in the background.

The climb up the cone to the summit of Mt Washington is very rocky. In the midground you can see Lion Head and the trail leading up from it to the rocky cone. In the background, across the valley you can see the trails of Wildcat Ski Area. We will be hiking that ridge on day 2.

We made it! As we approached the top, the wind picked up so we donned jackets, hats, and gloves. Even though it was only a breeze, the windchill was 31F. Julie is squatting in front of the sign. Behind the sign (right to left) are son Nicholas, nephew Chris, Phillip (me), nephew Eric, son Michael, and some random photo interloper looking at his cell phone.

There is a long ribbon waterfall that drops all the way down the Headwall. My photos of it did not capture how pretty it is, but I liked the little water features like the one below almost as much.

The boys perched on one of the famed "Lunch Rocks" in the bowl of Tuckerman Ravine. Their Grammy declared this video "YouTube-worthy" so I'm including it.

I wore my Vibram FiveFingers (aka JJ Casuals) for the Mt Washington hike. They are a great way to get in touch with your feet and the trail, but after eight-and-a-half hours of walking over nothing but rocks, my feet were bruised and sore. At least I didn't keep stubbing my toes, like I did when I wore the FiveFingers on my Pemi Loop hike. Nonetheless, I opted to wear my trail runners on Wildcat Ridge the next day.

The rest of the family slept in tents, but I wanted to try out my new Byer Easy Traveller hammock. I usually sleep in a Hennessy Scout hammock, complete with mosquito netting and raincover, but it weighs over 2.5 pounds. This Byer hammock weighs under 1 pound. It is a bit odd to sleep in the open without the enclosure of netting and raincover, but I was very comfortable even though the temperature dropped below 40F.

Day Two – Carter Notch via Wildcat Ridge Trail and Nineteen Mile Brook Trail (continued below)

 

[TigerMouth61]

Day Two – Carter Notch via Wildcat Ridge Trail and Nineteen Mile Brook Trail

Day Two – Carter Notch via Wildcat Ridge Trail and Nineteen Mile Brook Trail


Everyone was tired on the second day. After the Mt Washington hike, the boys fell asleep while I was preparing dinner (chicken pot pie baked in our Lodge Dutch Oven). Rousing them to eat was difficult, but they all agreed the chicken pot pie was worth waking up for. The next morning, I had a minor mutiny on my hands, Julie and the younger boys did not want another long hike. Michael saved the day by suggesting they take the gondola to Wildcat Peak D. Meanwhile, Michael and I walked along the Lost Pond Trail and then hiked up the steep Wildcat Ridge Trail and met the rest of our crew at the top of the gondola.

Yes, that is the trail.

Even the easier sections of the trail were steep enough to leave me sweaty and winded. Climbing up to Peak E was like doing hundreds of one-legged squats. Our quads were still sore two days later. I actually enjoy the physicality of climbing up the mountains. Going down is harder and takes its toll on my feet and ankles. Especially, when I forget to trim my toenails and suffer bruised toes. When I got home, I added "Trim toenails" to my backpacking prep list, then soaked my feet in a big wooden tub full of Chinese herbs. My feet are are still bruised, but really soft.

The payoff was the view from the open ledges. We looked across the valley to see where we hiked the day before, Tuckerman Ravine, the Headwall, and the cone of Mt Washington.

We met up near the top of the gondola, and had lunch on the rocks.

Julie at the overlook near the summit of Wildcat Mountain. What a beautiful view! Carter Notch is pretty, too.

Deep moss and trees hide the actual summit at Peak A.

The rocks are hard on more than just our feet.

ChiChi (and Julie) relish the sections of smooth path on the way down Nineteen Mile Brook Trail.

We aren't getting all mushy, we are just propping each other up.

Boys take a boulder break by the brook

Five-and-a-half hours after we left Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, we finish at the Nineteen Mile Brook Trailhead. Once again we do the first half, the climbing, in under book time, but the descent takes us about 50% more than book time. Once again, the boys fall asleep immediately after the hike (in the car this time) and have to be shaken awake for dinner. The Tilt'n Diner is nice, but we all agree that their chicken pot pie pales in comparison with Julie's.