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Trekking up Mt. Washington
Jim's Question:
My friends and I are avid distance runners and, though we have no mountain climbing experience, we have a long-term goal of climbing the highest mountain in the northeast of America. Is this a reachable goal for six, healthy thirty-year old men? In addition, how high is this mountain and what is it's name? I understand that it is in New Hampshire or Vermont. Is that correct? Will we need a lot of expensive climbing gear or can we walk up in good weather? Any advice will be appreciated.
— Jim Townsend
Don's Answer:
Sure, I know the mountain well. Mount Washington in New Hampshire is 6,288 feet above sea level. You can hit www.mountwashington.com for good, specific information.
The climb should be no problem for a fit team of hikers. In fact, my mother and father climbed it as their first hike when they were in their late fifties.
Why, then, does it hold the reputation as the most deadly mountain in America, having claimed well over one-hundred lives? Because people are lulled into complacency, especially because the mountain isn't really that big and when the weather can seem so benign. Yet when the clouds blow in fast and the wind picks up, the climber is exposed to the full fury of whatever Nature wants to dish out. There's no place to hide. It's easy to get lost. The day, which began so comfortably, spins quickly out of control.
This can be true for any mountain, where the elements are exaggerated. It's windier (Mount Washington has the world's wind record of 231 mph), colder, wetter. Things change really fast. Only after you have been caught out in such conditions can you appreciate how quickly you became vulnerable to factors beyond your control. Read Jack London's"To Build a Fire," a classic short story about a man who was too confident in his decision making and too reliant on gear. Though the story isn't about climbing, it drives home the idea that people must not be arrogant about their relationship with the powers of Nature.
Most of us are drawn in conflicting directions; we want to stay safe, but we enjoy pushing ourselves toward the brink. In other words, we enjoy a climb like Mount Washington because of the hazards, not in spite of them. If this weren't so, you would drive up the back side of the mountain instead of hiking it for yourself.
The best starter trail is Lion Head or Tuckerman Ravine. Take Route 16 to Pinkham Notch, north of North Conway, New Hampshire. Get an early start. Carry rain gear, fleece pants and jacket, a hat, gloves, and a flashlight. Check the weather carefully, and heed whatever warnings are posted at the hikers' building. Make a group decision ahead of time that you will turn back if the weather deteriorates. And let me know how you make out. Have fun.
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