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

Returning to Zealand: a little winter makes all the difference

While my two little mountain goats were not disappointed to skip Mt. Zealand last weekend, I was. I have a difficult time lowering my ambitions sometimes. But climbing mountains is frequently a lesson in humility. Especially in the deep seasons one must be honest in evaluating how much energy and daylight are needed to complete a route. So skipping a run out to Mt. Zealand after trekking over Mt. Hale was a good choice, but that meant we still had another peak to claim.

heading back up the Zealand Trail

We enjoyed the sometimes muddy walk out down the Zealand Trail last Sunday. The conditions this weekend were a few degrees closer to full winter. Where there had been leaves and bare ground at the trail head prior there was now ice and snow. We bare booted the first mile up until we found a solid sheet of flow ice covering the trail. The spikes went on at that point and stayed on for the rest of the day. We walked confidently on frozen ground instead of sliding across the mud as we had 8 days earlier. The kids stopped to see how much ice had formed in a week on Zealand Pond.

Zealand Pond was iced over

We arrived at Zealand hut still full of energy, a sharp contrast to the prior week. A large group of Boy Scouts were making their way slowly down from the hut after a night out. We took off our spikes to go in for a snack. The hut was near empty and the quiet of almost  winter had settled in. After double checking the weather forecast we geared up for the ascent to Mt. Zealand. The creek crossings were also radically different than the prior week. The water was lower at each and ice had formed thick enough to stand on some banks. The boy took a courageous leap across White Wall Brook into a snow bank.

The route up to Mount Zealand is not difficult but for one stretch. Immediately after crossing White Wall Brook the trail climbs 800 feet in the next mile. While that is not severe in the White Mountains, the gentle grades of the Zealand Trail can lull a walker into a false sense of ease before climbing this ascent. I got into a steady rhythm kicking steps into the snow and ice. To my surprise the kids were struggling to match my pace, so I slowed the tempo. Then it struck me, neither of them had hiked in crampons on a sustained ascent before. We spent a few minutes learning the basic techniques for walking with crampons. Once we practiced a few steps they were right with me.

the look at the top of the A-Z ascent

After topping out on the Twin Way we took the short diversion to a look out over the notch. A pair of young men were relaxing on the open ledge and enjoying the view. A solo hiker came up as we headed back to the Twin Way. The final spur to the Zealand summit itself is underwhelming. A few short steps from the main trail with minimal elevation gain and we arrived at the summit sign. After a few pictures we sat down for lunch, watched over by a pair of grey jays.

the view from the hut

The kids practically skipped down the trail on the way back. By the time we returned to the hut we all needed a little rest. While the kids sat on the porch I enjoyed one last good view down the notch to the east. The cold start to November means that winter has come early to the White Mountains. And up high, a little winter can make all the difference.

When to Say When: Cutting the Route on Mt. Hale

Climbing mountains is always an exercise in judgement. In order to reliably reach a peak one must first research the route, the terrain, and the hazards. Then one should always read the weather forecast and recent trip reports to estimate the trail conditions. All of that information is merely background for what one will find on any given outing. The critical skill for trips during the "serious seasons", between mid October and mid May, is using that information to make good choices. While fatal incidents occur every month of the year in the White Mountains, the margin for safety is much lower when snow or ice covers most trails and nights are below freezing.

heading up Hale Brook Trail

This is the first year that my two little mountain goats want to climb peaks during the serious seasons. They have been back country skiing on some very cold days in past winters. But traversing the higher mountains is a different endeavor. I have been drilling them for a few weeks on my serious season mantra: "coming home with your fingers and toes is required, reaching the peak is optional". The vital part is learning to evaluate options while out on a trek.

With winter conditions coming fast to the White Mountains I expect that the Forrest Service will be closing the seasonal roads soon. This means that access to certain trail heads is gated off, and the routes to those peaks are longer. I scanned my son's list of remaining peaks last week to check for possible road closures. Based on access to trail heads we decided to attempt the Hale and Zealand loop on Sunday. I realized that this is a long route, but I hoped that an extra hour of sleep would have the kids charged up for a 13 mile day.

Even with an extra hour of sleep we somehow got off to a late start. Partially it was coordinating to bring the girl's little sister along too. Partially it was my lack of packing the night before. We got going onto the trail an hour later than I had planned. We did bring a bike to be able to shuttle down the Zealand road to the car at the Hale Brook Trail parking at the end of the trip. But with stashing the bike, driving back down to the other trail head, and gearing up all 3 kids, we didn't get on the trail until 10:00 a.m.

Crossing Hale Brook

The initial mile of the Hale Brook Trail was easy enough. At the first water crossing however we became aware that this might be a more difficult day than I had planned. The heavy rain during the week had swollen every creek in the mountains. Options for easy stepping were limited by the rushing water. The adults shared their trekking poles with the kids for safety at the higher water crossings. While the view of the Mt Hale col can be intimidating I was looking forward to getting across the creek for the last time and onto the ridge. Once we got up to the ridge the trail was coated with snow & ice. We passed a woman hiking solo who stopped to put on her trail spikes. We chose to bare boot the climb since the snow as thin and the ice avoidable.

The summit of Mt. Hale was fully dressed in winter white. We took a few pictures, added some layers, and ate a quick snack. We kept to our plan to have lunch at the Zealand hut, but it was already 11:30 when we started down the Lend A Hand Trail. We also found the going on this trail slower than expected. The snow quickly dissolved into a mix of thin ice, slush, and mud. In several sections we rock hopped over standing water on the trail. Still the ice was too thin for trail spikes even though some slabs were coverd. We slid down the trail carefully, sometimes on snow, sometimes on mud, sometimes on both. The sea-saw of Twig Season trail conditions was in full effect.

a little of everything on Lend A Hand Trail

We got to the Zealand Hut at quarter past one, much later than I expected. While the girl's mother and I checked the next high water crossing the kids checked out the hut. As soon as we sat down to lunch I pulled out the map to double check the distance to the Zealand Peak. I figured that even if my two mountain goats & I went quickly, with no more difficult conditions, we'd end up spending an hour in the dark on the walk out. I shared my calculation with the kids and gave them a choice, we make a dash for the peak at maximum effort or call it a day and comeback for Zealand another time. The two looked at each other and said coming back another day would be fine. They honestly seemed more relieved than disappointed. While we finished our lunch I overheard a man describe the trail conditions up to Zealand peak to his wife who had waited at the hut. He said that it was a slushy mess in sections and icy in others. I was glad the kids made the choice they did.

We enjoyed much easier footing on the Twin Way back to the Zealand Road trail head. The snow/slush/mud subsided and the trail was mostly dry. The sky was clearing and we could spot a few peaks down the notch. The kids laughed and played as we passed by the ponds. I was happy to ride the bike back to my car in the daylight. Most importantly the kids learned a vital lesson in mountain climbing, sometimes your agenda is thwarted by the conditions. When the weather or incidents turn your plans upside down it is best to know when to say when.

Almost Winter Already? Snow shoeing down from Mt. Pierce

Heading down from Mt. Pierce

As I've mentioned before, I estimate Northern New England has ten seasons: Winter, Thaw, Still Winter, Sugar, Mud, Black Fly, Tourist, Foliage, Twig (Shoulder), and Almost Winter. Last week I wrote about how I've learned to love Twig Season. I expected it would last another few weeks. But Mother Nature has other ideas about the length of our 9th season this year. Mount Washington got 15" of snow last Wednesday night and 29" for the week. Wildcat Ski area has enough for its earliest opening ever. But we are still a few days from Halloween. Its not really Almost Winter already, is it?

near the Pierce Juncture on Crawford Path

My two little mountain goats would not be deterred though by some early season snow. Both have been skiing since shortly after they could walk, so the idea of trekking up into winter conditions caused them more delight than concern. I on the other hand had plenty to be concerned about, mostly getting the winter gear out while piles of summer gear still cluttered the mud room. I spent a good part of Saturday afternoon sorting through puffy coats, shell pants, gaiters, snow shoes, trail spikes, fleece jackets, thermal bottles, winter gloves, balaclavas, & goggles. There may still be leaves on the lawn but at least half our winter wear is already accounted for. The first "serious season" trip to the mountains always causes me some equipment anxiety. That anxiety is double when it comes early and I'm taking my son up too.

I picked a route for Sunday that was modest but would get another 4k peak check off my son's list, Mount Pierce. The weather forecast indicated that rain showers would end early in the morning. The temperature up high would be cold enough to retain any new snow. The pictures of trail conditions on other peaks this week revealed deep snow any where drifts could form. I encountered 8"+ depth at the top on my mid week run up Tecumseh. I expected we should find at least that much and maybe more on the Crawford Path. But I also counted on the route to Mount Pierce being mostly sheltered and likely packed.

Deep Post Holes on Crawford Path

I was almost correct. My concern started on the drive up to Crawford Notch. The rain started as soon as we got in the car. It became heavier through Franconia Notch and did not let up much down past Bretton Woods. But as soon as we parked at the AMC Highland Center the drizzle slowed, we shouldered our packs, and headed across Rte 302 to Crawford Path. The lower section of the trail was a thin layer of slushy snow over soaked leaves. After a mile of slick hiking we found snow covering the entire trail and got out the spikes. Some folks had bare booted the entire climb as I could tell from their tread prints in the snow. But I was happy not to slip & slide up the trail. Still there was no ice, just deep soft snow above 2500 feet. The higher we went on Crawford Path the deeper the snow became. The last 1/2 a mile to the Mt. Pierce junction had drifts as deep as 2-3 feet. The kids learned the frustration of walking in OPP, Other Peoples Post holes. Once we made the turn to the Mt. Pierce summit the climbing was easy since the snow was scrubbed hard by the wind.

Already Almost Winter means snow shoes for trackless trails

The morning precipitation and just above freezing temperature meant no views all day. The entire valley was shrouded in snow fog. So we did not linger on Mount Pierce. The kids decided that descending the trackless Mizpah trail would be better than going back down through the post holes on Crawford Path. We switched out trail spikes for snow shoes and readied ourselves for adventure. I broke trail for the first 2/3rds of a mile. The soft snow meant slow going. When we came to the long descent the kids asked to lead. They were all smiles as they slid down the steeper pitches. Both wished they had skis even on these modest slopes. We then talked about our excitement for the ski season to come; which friends will be on the Middle School Nordic team, where we might go back country skinning, what new places we might explore this winter. We were so enthralled by our conversation that we made it down to the Mizpah Hut in no time. On the trail down to Crawford Path we found some dangerous "orange snow", where water is running under full snow cover turning the surface orange. Falling through a patch of this weak surface means soaked boots & pants at best. We also found a very very slow moving toad in the middle of the trail. It seemed that it had been caught out by the early snow fall. We hoped it would find a burrow to hibernate in after we left.

nearly frozen toad on the Mizpah Trail

Once we reached Crawford Path we had a snack and took off our snow shoes. The last two miles back would be too thin to need them. The kids had fun "boot skiing" down some of the slick patches on the descent. While they were frustrated with the slow pace going up, they were all giggles sliding down from our taste of winter on Mount Pierce. I expect a few warm weeks ahead to finish Twig Season chores, yet I was happy to see some deep snow up high too. Almost Winter may not have reached the valleys, but above treeline it's already here. 

Neither Here nor There: Shoulder Season in the Mountains

snow on the mountain over foliage in the valley

Some visitors like New England for the sharp contrast between the four seasons Winter Spring Summer & fall. Folks living here, especially in the mountains, know that New England has much more than those. By my estimation the White Mountains have roughly ten seasons. Each has it's challenges and charms, defined by the substantial shift in weather or daylight. Now is the time when Foliage Season is over but Almost Winter has not yet begun. We are in the 9th season of the year, Shoulder Season.

The trails this time of year are a mixed bag. Gone are the dry hero dirt days of summer. The remnants of foliage season lay half strewn on the ground. Up high the first snow & ice flows can be found. Walking the trails takes extra concentration. The transition from slick leaves to mud to ice happens in a few short steps some days. The most surprising bit is "brown ice" when a wet mud section freezes just solid enough to walk & fall on. In these conditions I always go with poles since slippery trails with no traction devices is a recipe for knee surgery.

"brown ice" lurking on the trail

Dressing for shoulder season is just as tricky. Will it be a light shirt and shorts day in the sunshine? Or will it be snowing sideways on the summit? I don't want to put away the summer clothes, and once in a while during this season I might get to wear them. But this is also the time to get out the down parka, the alpine weight pants, the heavy hard shell jacket, winter gloves and goggles. The toughest days are when it is still almost summer at the trail head, and almost winter at the summit. I sometimes consider using my 65 liter backpack to carry all the layers I might need on a shoulder season day hike. The packing alone can be exhausting.

1st snow on the trail for the season

But this is also a wonderful time to be in the mountains. The leaves are falling away which allows for views of the peaks from lower down on the trail. The crowds thin out rapidly as fair weather hikers decide to stay home. The first glimpses of snow make me excited for the ski season to come. The still autumn conditions in the valley and almost winter conditions at the summits permit me to enjoy both in a single day.

When I first moved to New Hampshire I disliked the grey & rust color landscape in "twig season", the other name for this time of year. But now I embrace the duality of it. This is the season for finishing the harvest that just was and hoping for the joys of winter that is about to be. So don your gaiters and dig out your cold weather gear, dear reader. Enjoy the mud & twigs & falling leaves this Shoulder Season. With all the snow falling on the peaks this week Almost Winter might be almost here.