Black Fly Season Blues

Black Fly Season Blues

(sung to the tune of Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash)

I hear the black flies buzzing, they're swarming round my tent,

and I've been out of bug spray, since I don't when.

I'm stuck in black fly season, and getting feasted on.

But those suckers keep on biting, the whole way to Gorham.

When I was just a baby, my Momma told me "Son,

Always wear your head net, and put some bug spray on".

But I swatted ten in Conway. Just to watch them die.

When I feel the suckers biting, I hang my head and cry.

I bet there's rich folk dining, up in a mountain hut.

They're probably watching croo skits, and sleeping in warm bunks.

But I'm down in black fly heaven, mosquitoes whining by.

I know I need some sleep now, but I can't shut my eyes.

If they moved me from this campsite, if the whole forest was mine.

Well then I'd move my tent up, a lot closer to tree line.

Far from black flies breeding, is where I want to stay.

And I'd let the alpine breezes, blow my blues away.

dedicated to CJ the caretaker at Nauman Tentsite and the '19 Hut Croo at Madison Spring

Bugged Out! the Whites Mountains in Black Fly Season

Bug Out: def. 1) to flee in a panic 2) to loose one's mind

Some readers may recall that I estimate the White Mountains to have 10 seasons. The 6th season commences in the middle of May, Black Fly Season. But a colder than usual May this year has meant that flying insects stayed dormant for an extra week or so. If it were named accurately this season would be Black Fly/Mosquito/Gnat/& Tick season since all of these pests emerge about the same time. When delayed by a few weeks the ravenous insects seem to explode from the forest floor like a Biblical plague.

Indeed this Black Fly season has been close to an Old Testament smiting. The mosquitoes are like a zombie horror movie; kill one and three more pop up to feast on your blood. The black flies have been just as hungry and almost as numerous. But the ticks are truly legion. Ticks also carry the most dreaded diseases. Friends of mine came home from an afternoon of trail work with a dozen ticks on their person. Almost every day we've been out the past few weeks someone finds a tick during their shower. Of the many ways to lose a nights sleep finding a tick crawling on my body after I've tucked in to bed is in my top 3. I had the misfortune to reaffirm this last Sunday.

So what is an intrepid mountain traveler to do? We could wait for the first hard frost, but that is a good 4 months away. Although swarms of blood thirsty insects do make me wistful for snow & ice, hiking in sunshine & shorts is too pleasant to pass up. At some point we must confront these swarms. This is a reminder of methods to keep the bugs from making you bug out.

1) Out run them. Black Flies and Mosquitoes are actually slow but persistent creatures, again much like zombies. When moving faster than 10 mph they cannot touch you. Even at 3-4 mph an hour they have a hard time keeping up. I've heard some folks joke they sprint up to treeline where they can then enjoy a leisurely hike. But not all of us can run that fast over rooted muddy trails, and most of us need to stop sometime. When stopped, even for a few seconds, the bugs will start biting.

2) Pick your Days. Biting insects are sensitive to the weather. Cold and rainy days are not mosquitoes favorite. If the winds are high black flies cannot fly. Ticks begin to die off if the weather is hot & dry for a stretch. But not all of us prefer to hike when it's rainy and windy just to avoid the blood suckers.

a head net can make all the difference

3) Dress for Success. Those grey haired old time hikers wearing long sleeves, long pants, and big brimmed hats in June; they know something about keeping the bugs away. The standard advice for keeping ticks & biting insects off when I was a Boy Scout included tucking your pant legs into your socks and buttoning down your sleeve cuffs. That old advice still works. Add a head net to the ensemble and the bugs can't close enough to bite. Philip Werner wrote a great article on dressing for bugs this week. I have and cherish an Original Bug Shirt from my guiding days. Just a head net and a loose long sleeve shirt can be enough insect deterrent on many days.

gaiters work for ticks as well as mud and snow

Not everyone wants to keep the shorts in the drawer until August. A US company has engineered insect repellent clothing. Supposedly these garments are coated with a secret sauce that keeps ticks and other nasty critters away. I have not tried any of the Insect Shield items from Ex Officio or Outdoor Research. But some folks swear by them.

4) Practice Good Scents. The other old time technique is to apply scents that bugs find offensive. Several companies make herbal insect repellent. Most are combination of citronella oil, cedar, peppermint, and/or Geranium oil. Recently I read about a study that Lemon Eucalyptus oil is as effective as DEET in repelling mosquitoes. Some folks still swear by Avon Skin So Soft, but I have never had much luck with that lotion. The other effective scent I've heard of recently is putting Bounce dryer sheets under one's shirt collar. But again this is a technique I've not tried. My personal choice has been White Mountain Insect Repellent, usually available at the local Tractor Supply store. But I may give something with a high Lemon Eucalyptus Oil concentration a try soon.

5) If you can't beat them, Nuke them. If all else fails most folks grab the heavy weaponry, chemical warfare. DEET works, but it is toxic and absorbs through skin. Permethrin treated clothing also works. But the reason it is used only on clothing, not directly on skin, is that it may be more toxic than DEET. Personally I will try everything else before resorting to DEET. If you do use DEET consider spraying it on clothing, not on skin. I only consider using Permethrin when I'm going to be moving slowly in tall grass areas like on trail work days, i.e maximum tick risk days. 

Frankly I go with a combination of strategies during Black Fly season. If it is a windy day on the ridge, I'll sometimes race up the trail trying to outrun the blood suckers. This time of year I usually keep a head net in my front pocket until needed. If I'm in a tick prone area I will wear long pants and gaiters. I carry my Bug Shirt in my pack until August just in case. I often use my favorite herbal bug dope on my neck and face. But if the mosquitoes or ticks are very bad, I'm not above spraying my pants legs with DEET.

Regardless of the combination, we do not need to be thwarted by the insect hordes. Dress right or slather on your favorite lotions or just race up above the trees, but find your peace one way or the other in the mountains. 

A Bad Walk Improved: the difficulties of White Mountain Trails

“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than trees.” – Henry David Thoreau

Mark Twain supposedly quipped "Golf is a good walk spoiled". Apparently it was a common sentiment in his day. It is also one with which I entirely agree. While I have many family members who enjoy their time on the links, it is not my game. I can think of dozens of activities I'd rather devote myself to than slashing at a little white ball with a very expensive stick. No matter how serene the setting I realize that the frustration of playing golf ultimately could ruin an otherwise pleasant day.

Straight up the fall line with my 2 mountain goats

No my preferred outdoor activity is scaling mountain peaks. In most ways hiking is the polar opposite of golf. Instead of expensive clubs a hiker can be content with almost any found stick. Rather than complicated rules, the climber simply seeks to reach a peak safely. While golfers enjoy riding in a cart between shots, a hikers one requirement is that they walk every mile. While golf courses are carefully designed & landscaped, the mountains are as we find them.

Perhaps that is the one aspect of golf that stirs a small amount of envy, grounds keepers. While courses themselves do not impress me, the grounds keeping crews do. Golfers enjoy the constant work of grounds keepers trimming and maintaining their outdoor playgrounds. Hikers on the other hand often do much of this work themselves. Even where professional trail crews maintain certain paths, their work is seasonal and devoted only to the most needy areas. Would that we had full time grounds keepers on the hundreds of miles of White Mountain trails.

a river runs down the trail

But we do not. In fact compared to other regions, White Mountain hiking trails are terrible. They are terrible because the frequent violent winds drop trees across our paths. The trails are horrible because many of them were cut a century ago when the idea of getting to the top meant going straight up the fall line. Trails in the White Mountains are rough because their geography puts thick snarls of tree roots at the bottom, countless water crossings in the middle, and chunky granite scree fields at the top. Much as I love these hills the trails through them are often terrible footing; a knee crushing, hard scrabble, heart pounding, ankle twisting bad walk.

But that is also the challenge of reaching all the White Mountain peaks, it is overcoming those high natural barriers. To climb any New Hampshire 4000 foot peak is no casual walk in the park. Like many experienced White Mountain hikers I am confounded by folks who come to the trails dressed for a mild stroll. These mountains mean business when one gets up close to them. The trail obstacles often makes getting up and down a test of fortitude. AT thru-hikers will half their daily mileage in the Whites due to the severity of the terrain. Whether you are undone by the distance, scared of slippery water crossings, gripped by exposed rock scrambles, or caught off guard by high winds & snow up high, these mountains have something to put the fear into you. By overcoming all these challenges one gains a true sense of accomplishment.

still snow between the peaks

Because of the rigors on these trails, I must devote my full concentration to hike them. My attention is required from the moment I begin to prepare at home to the minute I am back at the car. I find a sort of zen in walking these trails. I can not think too much about anything off the trail while hiking. But my focus on the mountain has a different quality than attention to work. Instead of being wearied by this concentration I am invigorated. I feel my mood and mind improved after devoting myself to the trail for a day.

do not trip in the root traps

Last Sunday I hiked the Hancock's with my two regular companions, a.k.a. my little mountain goats. The Hancock's have a little bit of most things that the White Mountains offer. The beginning is pleasant, then the water crossings and mud are a little tricky, then the tangles of tree roots cross the trail, then it starts getting steep, then rocky, then extremely steep, and across the top it can be windy and/or snow covered. On a clear day the view of the Osceola's from North Hancock is spectacular. On Sunday we had all those things except the view which was obscured by fog. But we did find a spruce grouse on North Hancock who squawked and strutted around us for 10 minutes while we ate lunch.

The mud and slick rocks and steep slides and crumbling snow on the ridge made for one bad walk. Yet because we were out in the woods, met some other happy hikers, indeed just for the 9 mile effort, I came away improved. I expect I will find all that again on my next "bad walk" in the White Mountains. Lucky me.

and yet no place makes me feel this content

No Trophies Up Here: humility in the mountains

No one can say that weren't warned going above tree line on Air Line

There are no trophies in hiking. At least not like there are in competitive events, the sports that are on TV, or in the Olympics, or that we played in school. Yes there are the various peak bagging lists, and the patches or certificates for finishing them. But these modest tokens are not even as flashy as the trophies for winning in beer league softball. Mountain sports are different that way. They have no championships, no podiums, no medals. It is usually just you, your honor, your partners, and your own sense of accomplishment.

That does not mean that no one is keeping score. This is still a human endeavor. Between the multiple peak bagging lists, FKT's, first ascents, winter ascents, and other challenges we have ways of measuring our accomplishments in the hills. Ego and ambitions are not absent from those of us who play in the mountains rather than on a ball field. Most of us who climb have objectives in mind, peaks to reach, and goals we seek.

All those mile for a patch

These goals are almost incomprehensible to people who are not hikers or climbers. The incredulous question from some folks when I mention finishing the 48 White Mountain peaks is "you hiked all those miles for just a patch?" When the risk level is higher the lack of comprehension is greater too. "You've already climbed Mt. Washington, why would you do it in winter?" or "How could he/she leave their family just for a mountain, didn't they know it could be deadly?" "You do what with your kids? Don't you think that's dangerous?"

We know of course that climbing can be lethal. While it is easy to quote accident statistics, how it's more likely to die on the highway driving to the trail head than on the mountain, that is a blithe argument. The risk of death in the mountains is very real, and it is an overwhelming risk for the vast majority of people. Until 200 years ago that risk kept all but a very few lunatics from climbing the high mountains. The highest peaks are still fearsome places when the weather turns. Each of us who regularly play in the mountains do what we can to mitigate the risks. I often read and discuss incident reports with my son as a way of learning how mistakes occur, so that we can avoid those errors.  We train our selves physically. We equip properly. We go with experienced partners. We become students of the trails, terrain, and weather. We exercise the best judgement we can. 

The deadliest cue in the world, South Ridge Mt. Everest

However the risk always exists at some level in the mountains. This year has been particularly hard both in my local mountain range and further away. In the past week 11 people have died on Mt. Everest. While the pictures show a dangerously crowded route on the fair weather days, that is not the only reason for those deaths. When ambition outruns awareness and judgement in the mountains the outcome is often lethal. Too many people with too lofty goals and too little restraint at 8000 meters is a recipe for disaster. Locally we have also seen fatal accidents this season. Three people died in the White Mountains from December to April this year. Each was a very different sort of accident occurring to experienced people. While it can be easy to criticize the choices individuals made afterwards, their errors are ones that I can imagine most of us making. We shouldn't need helmets for walking the approach trail should we? Do we need to rope up now or can we a little climb higher? This slope almost never slides, I can ski it solo. Yet each of these simple mistakes led to someone's death this year. No matter how strong I feel I also realize that one slip resulting in a broken ankle or a quick accumulation of freezing fog and the mountain can become very serious.

The strength required to climb mountains is not only physical, but mental and emotional too. That emotional strength is not only pushing through fear or discomfort, but also understanding when to reduce ambition and retreat. There are days when the decision to turn back is more important than to push on, when continuing only leads to a dangerous situation. Humility is subtle sort of strength. Attempting to climb mountains will eventually humble almost everyone, when the wind picks up and the cold exposes your vulnerability above tree line there is no where to hide. The mountain has been here for millions of years before you or I, and it will still be there for millions of years after we are gone. The mountain always wins.

heading up to Edmands Col

Last Saturday I took my son and his best friend (co leading with her mother) on an ambitious route for 12 year olds. We planned to traverse the Northern Presidentials, the higher half of the full Presidential Traverse. While we started early, made good time up Airline, and felt fine on Mt. Madison, it was clear after Mt. Adams that we were not moving fast enough. We did go the harder path up Mt. Adams via Star Lake Trail. We also lingered too long at the Madison Hut. By the time we reached Mt. Jefferson we were 2 hours behind my plan and feeling fatigued. But it was a perfect weather day, so we were tempted to follow the plan and summit Mt. Washington. However that would get us down the Jewell trail close to dark, and home at 10:00 p.m. We also knew that a rain storm was forecast for 7-8 p.m. Once we rounded Mt. Clay the kids decided to descend. We skipped Mt. Washington rather than push on for another 3 miles. Half way down the ridge both kids said that their feet hurt, their energy was waning. They confirmed that was the right decision for this trip. 

last peak of the day

Perhaps that is the most important skill in mountaineering; assessing your present capacity and the conditions to decide when to descend, i.e. how to be humble. The phrase I've drilled the kids with all winter is "reaching the peak is optional, coming home with your fingers and toes is required". I expect that my little mountain goats will climb many many more mountains. We all love traveling in remote wild places too much to avoid them. I hope that when I no longer go with them on every trip they continue to make good decisions, that while they seek their goals it is always with humility towards the mountain.

Trail Head Parking Problems & Solutions

One great challenge in hiking the White Mountains during the fair weather seasons can be finding a place to park. For several years now the trail head lots at Lafayette Place & Pinkham notch are full to overflowing every weekend from June to October. I've often seen while driving through Franconia Notch dozens of cars on both sides of I-93 dangerously parked in the ditch. The New Hampshire State Troopers warned that they would begin ticketing or towing cars parked on the highway for the last 2 years. This past weekend they started issuing those tickets. Next weekend expect the same and roped off breakdown lanes.

cars lined out illegally on the Franconia Notch Parkway

But there are solutions to this parking problem. Below are my 7 ideas to beat the rush to the trail head lots. Of course the most obvious solution is to get there early. If you are at the trail head before first light you will likely be fine. Most weekend days I can find a spot until 8 a.m., but not always. If you are not inclined to true Alpine start times, read on,

1) Go Late. All those hikers who jammed the trails at 8 a.m. are typically done mid afternoon. If I arrive at a popular trail after 2 pm I usually find a parking space without problem. As June and July come around there is enough daylight to hike for 7 hours on this "second shift". Starting late though has risks. You need to be a speedy hiker to have time to reach the higher peaks. If you are delayed you will likely hike out in the dark so bring a fully charged headlamp. Any rescue situation may mean being out all night. This is not a good strategy for folks new to hiking the White Mountains or unprepared for walking in the woods at night.

Back Country camping to reach distant peaks

2) Stay Over. The best way to get an early start on the trail is to be there already. Whether you stay in a hostel, camp nearby, or backpack to a shelter/tent site you'll be closer to the trail. Lots of options exist for those willing to sleep near or on the trail, from the Notch Hostel, to the AMC Highland Center or Joe Dodge Lodge, to the Lafayette place campground or multiple WMNF campgrounds, to the AMC back country tent sites. Pick your level of comfort and luxury in accommodations. 

3) Take the Shuttle. The AMC has run a shuttle service from the Pinkham Notch Center and Highland Center for several years. Last year the New Hampshire State Park Dept. started a shuttle in Franconia Notch going from the Cannon Tramway parking lot to the trail heads, and it's only $5 round trip. If you don't want to meet the shuttle schedule you can also book a private shuttle through Trail Angels.

4) Ride your Bike. This is my favorite way to get to popular trail heads in fair weather. I sometimes park at Great Glen or Cannon and ride my bike to the more crowded trail heads. Bike racks at Pinkham Notch and Lafayette Place make this very convenient. But I've never had a problem stashing my bike behind a tree at other trail heads either. The distance from those large parking lots to most trail heads in less than 3 miles. In Franconia Notch there is even a dedicated bike path. I do carry a dry bag to stash my helmet and bike shoes which I attach to the bike cable lock.

5) Choose a Different Path. If you want solitude but still get to the more popular peaks choose the paths less traveled by. Go up Greenleaf or Skookumchuck to Lafayette rather than Falling Waters Trail. Take the long route up Great Gulf or Davis Path to Mt. Washington. Access the Presidentials by Edmands Path or the Castle Trail rather than from the notches 

6) Discover Other Peaks. The original goal of the AMC 4000 footer list was to reduce traffic on the Presidential Ridge and the Franconia Ridge. It is still a valid goal. Perhaps this is the weekend to make the drive up to Mt. Cabot? Or maybe it's time to do the long trek out to Mt. Isolation? If you want to take in the views of the most peaks a hike up Mt. Carrigain is always a treat on a clear day.

7) Carpool/ Car spot. If you are hiking with a group try to use a single vehicle. This requires coordinating plans, but one less car is more space for another party. If you have hiker friends doing a different route, perhaps you can arrange a car spot or car swap. A car spot is similar to taking a shuttle, but without the fee. Of course it is up to the goodwill of your friends to drive you to your favored trail head. A car swap takes a little more organization. If you know another set of friends is hiking one direction on a trail and you are coming up the other, swap keys and meet back in town. This can be complicated to plan but allows you to take more distant trails to get to the same objectives.

I have no expectation that the popularity of hiking the Franconia Ridge or the Presidential Peaks is going to diminish. Nor do I expect the WMNF to add more parking spots in sufficient numbers. In order to start your day out on the right foot, plan to get the trail with a minimum of frustration by having a parking strategy in mind. With that, walk in peace friends.

May is the Cruelest Month: the White Mountains between Seasons

Last snow. That’s what we’ll think for weeks to come.

Close sun sets up a glare that smarts like a good cry.

Last Snow - Heid E. Erdrich

In the White Mountains May, not April, is the cruelest month.

In April the snow is still thick to the trail head most years. 
You may have bare ground at home, but the mountains are still cold and deep in snow. It is in May that the transition begins, bare rock and mud appear at the start only to relinquish the trail to icy monorail or softening snow pack higher up. For those of us that love winter it is a time to mourn its inevitable loss. For those eager for summer it is a time of frustration at the lingering snow. Nothing is consistent or easy in these mountains in May.

Since my son decided to seek the grid, and his best friend now is interested in that goal for herself, we must get out when we can, regardless of the month. We thought that the snow will still be firm enough for a quick loop of the Tom-Field-Willey ridge last weekend. But May conditions are often anything but quick. We started out on bare dirt for the first time since last November. Just half a mile up the Avalon trail we found the monorail. While it was thick and flat at the start once the snow filled in the woods beside, the mono rail became balance beam narrow. The sides of the trail were littered with 3 foot deep post holes. The width of the mono rail kept shrinking until in sections it was like walking on a tight rope. Snowshoes were as useless as clown shoes would have been. I stepped side foot just like traversing a slack line top stay on balance. One slip off the hard rail meant sinking in to my hip.

slipping off the monorail can be perilous

But we were hiking. And the air temperature was warm enough to strip down to t-shirts on the way up. Winter is receding though not without a fight in the White Mountains. While Mud Season is in full effect and Black Fly Season is just around the corner in the valleys, the snow and cold are weathering the siege in the high peaks.

The lingering winter conditions are a cruel surprise to people from further away this time of year. We crossed paths with less prepared folks on each hike we've been on this month. The shivering and deer in the head lights look in their eyes was a dead give away that someone did not read the latest trail reports. I've seen too many guys in trail runners and shorts struggling down the trail in the snow. Their expectations of fair weather and bare trails ran ahead of reality. In fact there were two separate rescues of solo hikers in sneakers this past week alone. While flowers are likely blooming in your back yard, it is a different world above 3000 feet in the Whites.

mud, ice and deep snow are just steps apart at 4000 feet.

The cruelest part of May is how rapidly the conditions change. We've hiked up cement hard monorail in the morning only to return on melting lemon sherbet in the afternoon. I imagine that a few days after I post this cautionary missive folks will go up trails completely free of snow and ice. Then again, we could have a foot or more of snow hit the high peaks the following day too. The trail conditions sometimes change by the hour in this transition from deep winter to something like summer over the next few weeks.

still goofing means still enjoying the trail

So if you're anxious for summer, practice patience. If you yearn for more snow, be grateful for what is left. This is the season for being focused on the now. Prepare for everything, expect nothing, hike in the present. With that thought, friends, walk in peace, joy, and laughter.



The Mt. Cabot Deep Freeze. meeting new old friends

My two little mountain goats are not accustomed to Alpine starts. As growing 11 year old's I like to let them sleep in. But sometimes an opportunity presents itself that must be taken. Ella, her mother and I had all read Trish Herr's book "Up" about her hiking the 48 White Mountain peaks with her then 5 year old daughter Alex. We could relate to the stories of their first time treks. Alex and Sage have gone on to greater goals in the mountains since that first round of peaks. When Trish contacted me to invite us along for a trip up Mt Cabot we immediately said "Yes!" The compromise was that since the Herr's had an afternoon commitment, we would need to meet them at the trailhead at 6:30 a.m.

heading up to Mt. Cabot in the snow

Did I mention that our kids rarely get out of bed by 6:30 a.m. on the weekend? Also the primary Cabot trail head is the furthest drive of all the White Mountain peaks. From our house to the Berlin Fish Hatchery trail head is a good 1:45 drive. None the less they were eager to hike with the Herr's. We set our alarm clocks for 4:30 a.m., packed up the night before, and prepared an in car breakfast. We even arrived (almost) on time.

The other complicating factor was the cold. While winter conditions had been in full effect for several weeks, I was not entirely prepared for -8F at the start. I've skied & climbed in colder weather, but the first below zero day on a trail is always a shock. I've certainly never gone out in this deep a freeze at the beginning of December. Still we had plenty of layers and we moved briskly at the start to get warmed up. Indeed we had on too much so we stopped several times in the first hour to adjust clothing and snowshoes.

a quick break before the summit push

The trail was quite and empty in the early morning light. A purple glow reflected off the distant ridge line as we walked up the Bunnell Notch Trail. As the morning brightened and we began to climb we also started to chat. It was easy to find things in common with Herr's besides our love of the White Mountains. Since we had the trail to ourselves we could talk about anything or nothing at a pace of our choosing. By the time we got to the first lookout the sky was bright and blue. The sunshine made air feel 20 degree warmer. We stopped to enjoy the lookout and take a few photos.

enjoying some sunshine at the look out

But the summit still loomed ahead. We climbed the last steep section of trail and crossed the glade at the ridge to Cabot Cabin. The snow had drifted enough that we all used snow shoes across the ridge. Trish noted how often hikers reach the cabin and fail to realize that the summit is another 300 meters away. We climbed the snow drift up the trail to the true summit. There we took several pictures around the summit tree since the small cairn was well buried. Nicholas and Ella were giddy at getting so close to completing the 48 peaks.

Nicholas and Ella at the Cabot Summit

We returned to the cabin for some lunch. After fiddling with my snowshoes to get them off I went inside. The Cabot Cabin is worn and spare. But it does offer some shelter on a windy day. It also gave us a chance to chat with Alex and Sage for a while. I forgot that the air was just above 0F. After eating with bare hands for 15 minutes my fingers went numb. After getting back into my snow shoes I could not zipper up my jacket. I put on my heavy gloves and started jogging down the trail to get circulation back into my hands. Unfortunately I let my fingers get frost nipped by waiting too long. On a colder day it would be a dangerous mistake to make. One can only get frost nip a few times before permanent damage is done.

checking in at Cabot Cabin

We trotted down the trail at a good pace. We only slowed when passing several groups who started at a more reasonable hour. Even at our pace the Herr's were running behind to make their afternoon commitments. They took off at high tempo with a few miles left and were driving away from the trailhead just as we finished. But I'm certain we'll get a chance to hike together again. We all live too close by and spend so much time on the trails not to run into one another by chance or design.

A Magical Day in the High Mountains: Madison & Adams

As a wrote about this summer, some days the weather forecast is too good to miss going up into the mountains. When the sun is bright and the wind is low above treeline all us mountain goats are eager to climb. Those days are "Presi Days", the best times to ascend the tallest peaks in the Whites.


My son still had Mt. Madison and Adams to check off his list for the White Mountain 48. While his best friend has already been up them before, she was eager to go up in the snow. I was happy to have her mother come with us for safety sake. In fact this was the first time Nicholas and Ella had been above tree line in full winter conditions. After we had climbed Madison and were traversing to Mt. Adams Nicholas said "now I feel like we're really mountaineering!".


He told the truth. With the deep snow, the sky radiating through mountain haze, the steep approaches above tree line, we were really mountaineering. We were far from alone. The relative warmth and calm wind that day brought dozens of others up the northern Presidentials. The company only added to the feeling of being on a high Alpine slope. We had the chance on top of Mt. Adams to meet Sandy Price, one of the grand elders of White Mountain hiking. It was a magical day, one better chronicled in pictures than my poor words.

heading up Valley Way

lunch at the Madison hut

Climbing the col to Mt. Madison

my favorite view of Mt. Washington

ascending Adams

Summit of Mt. Adams

enjoying the mountain top

It's a long way down Air Line

King Ravine will wait for another day