What is your "White Whale?"

[Bobby]

I'm sure that all of us have that one peak that eludes us. There are countless reasons, but whatever it is, you just can't get there.

For me, it's been Mt. Adams. Four times now I have been at or near Thunderstorm Junction and the weather turned me back. The last time was last weekend on a moonlight Presi Traverse. When we got to T-Storm, the fog was billowing in. Adams will always be there, I just have to get there.

I have had remarkable luck in my quest for the NH 4K's. In fact, the only peaks I had to turn back on were Jefferson (1) and Madison (1).

Which peak was the most difficult for you to finally get to?

 

[vegematic]

In NH I have Whiteface-Passaconaway, Owl's Head, and Carragain to finish up. Carrigain will be my final peak (after I complete all the ME and VT peaks as well), but I never quite get around to the other three NH peaks. They're just a seriously long drive and when it's good hiking weather I always opt for the 30-minute drive that puts me at trailheads in the Mahoosucs, Evan's Notch, or northern Pres.

One of these years I'll just pitch a tent at one of the WMNF campgrounds on the Kanc and stay down there until I finish them all up.

-vegematic

 

[NewHampshire]

Resolution. Twice up to Mt. Crawford I have said I am going to Resolution while I am at it. But both times it never happened (though the second time we came close but had to turn back for reasons other than mine.)

Brian

 

[Tom Rankin]

Resolution. Twice up to Mt. Crawford I have said I am going to Resolution while I am at it. But both times it never happened (though the second time we came close but had to turn back for reasons other than mine.)

Brian

Couchachraga took 3 times in Winter and Cliff took 3 times as well. Must be the C's!

 

[dentonfabrics]

The closest I have to a white whale is Washington. I've summited it twice but the weather has turned me back four, maybe five times over the years.

 

[MichaelJ]

It was Boundary. It took forever just to be able to schedule the logistics to get up there, and then we got turned back and I had to reschedule it all over again. It was a great relief to finally stand on the summit!

I'm sure an ADK peak will now step up to be my next whale.

 

[Silverfox]

Liberty is the one for me..

for the winter list it took me four times this winter

Once..breaking out knee deep snow with too small a group..we made it to the campsite but called it a day..just doing our part

Twice..High winds evident in the Notch and above sent me to Tecumseh

Three..Light snow turned to blowing snow snow on a fairly packed base...solo that day so down we go..not quite to the campsite..that spruce forest just below..

Four..Beautiful crisp bluebird sky cool but not frigid..someone was up before me that day so freshies were broken out..excellent..and stayed awhile

Looking across from that angle Cannon looked like the White Whale...

just one of those things..but it did take 4 times in a period of a month or so to summit this year..
or maybe the trail just kicked my #$&&*$

 

[una_dogger]

Couchachraga took 3 times in Winter and Cliff took 3 times as well. Must be the C's!

Oooh...Couchie in Winter...don't know if I'm brave enough! (but have to say its one of my favorite Daks hikes in summer!!!)

I've really been pondering this question since Bobby started the thread...I made two attempts of Passaconnaway this past winter...finally got it on the third try but not before the snow went away....but I don't think it was the toughest...

I had to make "alternate plans" en route to Isolation, and had to skip Skylight and Gray altogether after getting stormed off Marcy -- guess those count as "turn backs".

The day that MJ and I had to abort our plans for Boundary was a tough day....I nearly had a meltdown near the base of E Ken D ---just one more spruce and I'd have lost it! Guess that would make Boundary my white whale too! Phew, glad that ones over. I have a feeling that Vose is going to be a "do or die" kinda day!

Maybe I tend to look back on hikes through rose colored glasses ?? Its all good.

 

[poison ivy]

It was definitely West Bond & Bond in winter... took six tries for me to finally get them (usually due to a giant cold front that rolled in right before our long-ago planned overnight trip...) We tried a variety of routes, knowing that the mileage was too high for me to comfortably head there for a dayhike in winter.

Finally got lucky with the weather and managed to finish my winter 4Ks on Bond in January. I'm not sure whether I was happier to finish the winter list or because I didn't have to plan another Bonds winter trip anymore.

- Ivy

 

[dr_wu002]

The Captain. So far I'm 0/2.

But there's a really easy way to get to the Captain... go to the summit of Mt. Carrigain and bushwhack down the ridge to The Captain. The woods are fairly open until you get to the pond area.

-Dr. Wu

 

[focusonbalance]

ISOLATION in the winter

 

[chipc]

Adams for me too, I have had good luck with the other 47. (I can see that winter will be another story - took me three tries for Lafayette.)

1) Skipped as part of traverse from Madison to Lake of the Clouds during my second mountain hike ever. High winds and inexperience kept me from any of the summits during this trip in 1992 - of course lists didn't matter to me back then.

2) Tried in late Spring 2001 on a foggy wet morning. Got to the top of the Airline and was tired, soaked, and couldn't see much. Might as well wait for another day.

3) Tried again in Aug 2003. Again winds were high and we decided to summit Madison, call it a day, and come down the Howker Ridge.

4) Tried again in Nov 2003. A beautiful trip up King Ravine. Unfortunately too tired to go for the summit.

5) Finally, done in Sep 2004 combined with a loop over Jefferson.

 

[RoySwkr]

I got Adden in VT on the 5th try. Drove to all 4 approaches and when it wouldn't look good hiked something else in that area. On 5th day went back to 1st dir and just did it. No, it's not worth climbing anyway.

After 2 successful hikes up Beaver Brk Trail in winter, had 3 turnarounds before finally getting up it again.

 

[WSC]

Believe it or not Nancy Pond is my "white whale".
The first time I wanted to go, I started on the trail and was turned back by extreme wind and cold which I was not prepared for. Next time I went I included a Bemis Bushwhack. I did the bushwhack but It took longer then I thought and I had to leave. I have been planning to do Mt. Nancy and hit the pond then, but I keep having to cancel due to poor weather or hiking buddies being unable to go.

 

[giggy]

Jefferson in winter turned me back somewhere b/t 7 and 10 times (never really counted)

This was before the base road was being plowed, so had to come up via edmunds col. This was back in the early 2000's and used to hike up to grey knob late on friday or early sat (used go nearly every weekend up north back then), drop gear and then go for the peak. I just picked the wrong weekends and weather always turned me back and at the time, I would have rather tried and turned back then did mt willey or something below treeline in those days, though I have broadned my horizons somewhat since then.

I used to use the same plan for adams and madison and always lucked out with weather on those.


staying at the knob back then was always a fun 2 days anyway. I got some good cold weather, above treeline training slogging to the col and then getting pummled by wind blowing snow, etc...



finally did jefferson in winter in 2006 by the dreaded jewel trail. I called it the "pussification" of jefferson in winter.

 

[roadtripper]

Waumbeck is the only mountain that has ever turned me away. I still feel angry about the $55 in gas I spent that day!

We did try to hike it after a 20+ inch snowstorm last year, though. We watched as hiker after hiker turned away after getting lost in the deep snow on the ridge between Starr King & Waumbeck. We had to turn around within 1/4 mile of the summit since it took almost two hours to go 3/4 mile up until that point. Two hikers did continued on ahead of us, but I'm not sure if they made it or not.

 

[Paradox]

Redington ME, and Mansfield VT.

 

[Rob S]

Jefferson in winter turned me back somewhere b/t 7 and 10 times (never really counted)

I've tried Jefferson in winter a few times in the late 90's. Never made it. I think it was SherpaKroto who, like Giggy, needed a half-dozen attempts or more before he made it as well. I have a feeling I'll be skunked again. But that's ok, makes the eventual victory all the more sweet.

 

[Whiteman]

In NH I have Whiteface-Passaconaway, Owl's Head, and Carragain to finish up. Carrigain will be my final peak (after I complete all the ME and VT peaks as well), but I never quite get around to the other three NH peaks.

-vegematic

Vegematic: I'm saving Carrigain for last two, but I have about 8 in NH and the whole lot in Maine. I was thinking it would be the way to top off the NY/NE 115, but we'll see if I just use it to wrap up the NE peaks.

My White Whale is Gray in NY. I walked by it when I was a teenager when it would have taken about 15 minutes to get to. Now, almost 40 years later, it sits, waiting a long way down the trail. One of these days . . .

 

[sapblatt]

Well, the one hike that everyone tells my you "have to do on a nice day" is the Balfaces - 3-4 times I have had it planned and on came the monsoon - still have not been there.

I am still holding out hope, but BSP is looking like a White Whale too - last time I had it booked my wife had health issues (that ended up being nothing) and I (gladly) had to cancel. September's trip is similarly threatened...the mountains are not going anywhere soon - I'll get there.