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

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.