[Mike P.]

If you are asking the questions, it's very likely you aren't ready to tackle it solo.

Have you been up Washington before? How many times? How much winter experience do you have? How much solo experience & how much winter solo experience?

I like to think I'm not crazy since I did solo last March, that said, that was my 14th time up Washington, I had decided not to do it on other days when the weather was bad & had been up twice in November & the previous March went up Monroe on the same trail. To date, I've done roughly 20 solo winter 4,000 footers & a bunch in November & April too. It wasn't my intention to solo the day I did Washington but the weather was perfect (mid 20's barely a breeze most of the way) and people backed out the last minute.

The traditional way is up Tuckerman's & the Winter Lion's Head Trail. That said. I prefer the Ammonoosuc trail from the Cog. This approach starts about 500 feet higher but has more exposure to the weather which typically comes out of the West or Northwest. You need to be very familar with the mountain & know the escape routes (& what are not escape routes) very well.