February is the peak of winter in New Hampshire’s Presidential Vary and it may be tough to discover a climate window the place the temperatures and wind velocity are secure to climb the upper peaks. I’d handed up a number of alternatives the week prior when the wind speeds had been too excessive for my liking and I used to be resigned to ready till subsequent yr with the intention to climb Mt Adams (5793′) and Mt Madison (5367′), the second and fifth highest peaks on the White Mountains 4000 footer listing.
So after I wakened on Monday morning (Washington’s Birthday) and noticed that the wind velocity on Mt Adams was forecast to be 11 mph the subsequent day, which may be very low, and that it could be within the 20’s (F) and sunny, I made a decision that I’d climb the Adams and Madison, that are adjoining, then. I texted my buddy Lynn to see if she wished to return and she or he responded by inviting me to affix her, our buddy Rick, and his buddy Al, since they had been planning to climb the peaks too.
Lynn, like me, is engaged on the White Mountains 4000 Footer Grid, a peak listing the place you climb all 48 of the White Mountain 4000 footers as soon as in every calendar month (48 x 12) for a complete of 576 summits. Rick and Al, have already accomplished one spherical of The Grid and are engaged on their second spherical. I’ve recognized Rick and Lynn for nicely over 10 years and regarded ahead to assembly Al as nicely. You couldn’t ask for a greater and extra skilled crew to climb Adams and Madison in winter.
We met the subsequent morning on the Appalachia Trailhead at 7:30 AM which is a really civilized time to start out a winter hike (which regularly begin at 5:00 or 6:00 AM when the times are brief). We determined to climb the Valley Approach Path to treeline as a result of we’d learn experiences on NETrailConditions.com that the path was damaged out with a floor of packed snow and ice. That meant we may depart our snowshoes within the automobiles and climb with Hillsound Path Crampons, with full crampons in reserve, in case they had been wanted within the alpine zone to summit the peaks.
Adams and Madison By way of Valley Approach Tr
The forecast known as for deteriorating circumstances within the early night with elevated winds and snowfall, however we had a nice-sized time window to complete the hike and get under treeline once more earlier than the climate blew in. The plan was to climb to the ridge and Madison Hut, ascend Adams, backtrack to the Hut, then climb Madison, after which descend again to the Appalachia Trailhead. The entire distance of our route was 10.4 miles with 5050′ of elevation acquire, however we anticipated to get again down under treeline by mid-afternoon. We’d nonetheless have a multi-hour hike downhill however we’d be protected by mountain vegetation and be out of the wind as soon as we dropped off the highest of the ridge.
The path circumstances had been ideally suited as we began our climb, sporting Hillsound Path Crampons for traction all the best way to treeline, and the Madison Hut shortly thereafter. The hut is closed in winter, however it’s a great landmark within the col between Adams and Madison and may be an vital windbreak relying on the wind path. It took us just below 3 hours to make the ascent.
After consuming some meals and water, we set off the climb Adams first as a result of it’s the hardest of the 2 peaks and would take essentially the most time to climb. If for some purpose, we wanted to bail early, we’d get Adams, however may depart Madison for one more day. Madison is way simpler to summit than Adams and fewer depending on climate circumstances.
From Madison Hut we climbed the Gulfside Path which was a combination of ice and frozen snow to the Airline Path which we adopted as much as the Adams summit. The ultimate part of that path is a big, steep boulder discipline. However winter makes it quite a bit simpler to climb as a result of the gaps between the rocks are stuffed by ice and snow. You continue to must be cautious when climbing it to keep away from an uncontrolled slide, however you possibly can enterprise to the left and proper of the cairns marking the “path” to search out the simplest terrain and slope angle to climb.
As soon as on the summit, we paused for images and took within the grandeur of close by Mt Washington and Mt Jefferson. Rick, Lynn, and I turned into full crampons for the descent, however Al opted to remain in his Hillsounds.
We reversed course and hiked again all the way down to the Madison Hut, the place the Osgood Path begins and climbs Mt Madison. Whereas the ascent from the hut to the summit of Mt Madison is simply about 500′, the route was a lot icier and I used to be glad I used to be sporting my Grivel G1 Crampons as a result of they penetrated the steep ice and offered nice traction. We climbed slowly although as a result of we had been feeling the pressure of climbing some 5000′ with full winter gear, meals, and all of the water we wanted to get by the day.
It was sunny and heat on the summit however a financial institution of clouds was blowing in from the northeast, as predicted. We nonetheless had time earlier than it arrived, however it was time to get going. We began our descent, first to the hut, after which down the Valley Approach Path which we’d climbed earlier within the day.
After we handed the Valley Approach Campsite, which is a brief distance under treeline, we modified out of full crampons and again into our Path Crampons, that are extra comfy to put on. You may as well zone out when sporting path crampons, that are simply aggressive microspikes. When mountaineering in full crampons, it is advisable consciously increase your ft every time you are taking a step so the spikes don’t catch on the snow or ice and journey you up. With path crampons, you possibly can simply shuffle alongside and ignore your footwork as a result of the spikes are a lot shorter and fewer penetrating.
By the point we go all the way down to 3000 ft, we may begin to hear the wind blowing more durable above treeline. We’d timed our hike completely. This was additionally a particular hike for Al and I as a result of we each completed mountaineering all 48 of the White Mountain 4000-footers within the month of February (over a number of years) for our Grids. Adams could be a very tough peak to climb in February, however we’d lucked out and had pristine climate.
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