new to hiking...advice? (mt. washington)

hello,

i am a 32yo guy that has been skiing since like age 6 and recently started hiking. i like a challenge and was thinking of mt. washington. is this too much for a hiking beginner? i mean, i am in extremely good shape and so is my wife as we are in the gym 4-5 times a week. both very athletic.

we're kind of both adreneline junkies and i know we'll grow bored of long flat boring hikes.

thoughts?

DISCLAIMER: i like a challenge but i'm not insane and know my limits!!!

EDIT: when i say "bored" of long flat hikes i don't mean to sound cocky as we both love nature and scenery. what i mean is that we would love a challenge AS WELL AS hikes that are very easy with beautiful scenery.

if hiking to the summit of mt. washington is too much for a new hiker then i just need to be told by more experienced people. i don't want to head up there, start hiking, and end up in a sh!t load of trouble!!!

coming from a person that choose to begin his hiking pursuit on mount washington, i wouldn't recommend it. big george was my first hike about 5 years ago when i was in nearly the best shape of my life. i figured why not knock off the big one first for some odd reason i can no longer remember. i quickly found out that hiking uses completely different muscles than running which i frequently did. as i ascended the summit cone coming up the tuckerman ravine trail, my leg started to cramp up. by the time i got to the summit, i was walking around with a slight limp and my leg was rather sore. i ended up taking the stage coach down the auto road for a fee. could i have made it down on my own? likely yes with a lot of pain, and likely slowly and not until after dark.

not using my first experience to scare ya, just putting some perspective on an eight hour round trip hike up one of new england's roughest peaks. could you hike mount washington without any hiking experience? sure, people do it everyday during the non-snowy months. would i recommend it? nah.

if you do decide to tackle mount washington first, and if you are planning on doing it soon, be aware that the weather up there is down right mean. it is particularly deceiving during this fall time of year in which you'll likely face below freezing wind chills on the summit. you will want lots of warm lairs including gloves and hat and be ready for snow as it's just about that time of year up there. i would also recommend getting a compass, topo map, and AMC's white mountain guide and getting familiar with them. 2-3L of water and plenty of snacks and a sense of adventure required, sense of amusement highly recommended.

if you guys are looking to climb a big mountain just because you are bored of long flat hikes, have you considered the dozens upon dozens of other 4k+ peaks in new england? osceola, liberty, and pierce would all get you up fairly high with great views without the exposure and rough footing and high vertical gain that washington has.

Trying not to sound blunt here...but when it comes to the Presis, being 'in shape' just does not cut it. Do you have the necessary equipment for such a trek? Do you understand the weather and risks that this poses? Do you know the land? Have you experienced bad weather, exposure, long distance hiking, and fatigue all wrapped into one? Do you know basic first-aid skills and what to do in an emergency? On a fair-weather day, Washington from any approach is a serious undertaking, but going into Mid-September and the beginning of a long winter, simply striking out for what Sir Hillary dubbed, "the deadliest mountain in the world" with not much experience is not a good idea.

I concur with riverc0il...get some experience before hitting Washington. Work your way up there. Try hiking Cannon, Moosilauke, or as mentioned, Osceola. On Cannon you have the tram if you need to bail...all of these hikes offer great views, strenuous exercise, and will gradually ease you into the region and the sport...simply striking off onto the highest and most difficult mountain is not prudent, especially this time of year.

I strongly urge you to do some research, develop some other necessary outdoor skills (besides being in-shape), do some other shorter hikes, and ease yourself into it. Maybe aim to do Washington next summer instead.

Welcome to the boards and to hiking! I'm sorry if I sound like a naysayer, but I just want to be honest and keep you around! :wink:

In MA, the Wapack Trail in S NH and Monadnock are also great assets and are good to break you into mountain hiking. I'd also suggest a WOFA course or at least basic first aid and CPR.

thanks!!!

that's kind of what i was thinking/assuming but i don't know a lot about mt. washington so i wanted to get your advice. i think if it was early summer when i started then i would be hiking it this fall. with the weather so bad this time of year then it might be kind of stupid to tackle it without some smaller peaks under my belt.

as far as my experience...

-i'm a long-time skier so i'm used to cold and rough terrain
-i'm in surgery so i have the medical experience
-i used to be a student pilot so my map skills and sense of direction are very good

my only major flaw is my own head!!! i tend to bite off more than i can chew in everything i do, which is both good and bad. i'm a nice guy but i have an ego that can get me into trouble and i have to learn to listen to more experienced people like you.

i think i'll do monadnock this fall and tackle mt. washington next summer when i know more.

thanks!!!

Bender,

I have to concur with the advice of others and suggest you attempt other hikes first.

Couple of things....

1) Weather - The AMC White Mountain Guide notes that once there were 4 different rescues on Mt. Washington in a 48 hour period for hypothermia. This was in August. The Presis really do have an entirely different climate above treeline. It can be as lovely as your backyard on the rare day. One day out of three, visibility will be awful and wind will disorient quickly.

2) Extended Amount Above Treeline - It is also hard to explain how bad the footing can be up there and how hard it can be to stay on trail and choose the right trail at intersections. Better to learn the ropes on mountains where you can get above treeline and back down in the shelter of trees with a higher degree of safety. This way you can work out the kinks in clothing and technique before tackling the Presis.

3) Trailfinding - Trail finding below treeline can be tricky when there are lots of trails to choose from. Again, better to start in places where the number of intersecting trails is less to get a feel for how to read what you see.

If you are fit and looking to get above treeline, I would suggest the following.
+ Garfield
+ Little Haystack (via Falling Waters)
+ Osceola

NOTE: if you go in October, be prepared for snowy conditions

thanks!!!

clearly there is a lot to learn than just walking/climbing from point A to B!!!

i'm gonna do monadnock in a few weeks and some smaller hikes with the goal of more hikes in the whites next summer.

i need to get a little more experience under my belt.

sh!t, the guy at EMS today talked of mt. washington like it was everest.

while the general advice you have and likely will continue to receive will advice of caution, don't get discouraged and sell yourself too short. if you are in fit condition and work out regularly you will be able to easily hike most of the higher peakers in new england. the whites are a fantastic place and many first time hikers climb any number of the highest peaks on any fair weather day. at over 4000 vertical feet, above treeline hiking, and horrible weather, mount washington (along with the other peaks of the presidential range at slightly less vertical gain) presents some fairly unique obstacles to over come during a mild early spring, especially for a first time hiker. mount washington certainly is no mount everest as it's ease of accessibility and vertical gain is much less, not to mention the mountian peak is snow free a few months out of every year. but the weather above tree line is certainly no joke and folks planning to tackle big mountains like everest use places like mount washington as training grounds.

just wanted to pipe in again advising caution on mount washington but definitely go for it in regards to the majority of peaks in the white mountains (even some of the bigger one's) that are not so quick to punish lack of experience.

There's nothing wrong with hiking some of the other New England classics before going to Washington...Monadnock, Osceola, Lafayette Loop, Adams, Madison, Eisenhower, Garfield, Camel's Hump, etc., etc. are all very, very scenic and great hikes. I hiked about 4-5 years before finally hitting Washington...and out of all the hikes I've done, it was probably the worst weather-wise IN JUNE.

To give you an idea of what the June 2000 trip looked like: about 3500 vertical feet (Jewell Trail--Summit--Down Crawford Path to Ammo Ravine Trail back down). Mileage was about 10 miles, so that should have taken me about 5-6 hours. WRONG. Factor in 90 degrees at the base, a cold front that stopped us at treeline for about 90 mins, fog and rain that further slowed us, some time at the summit and Lakes of the Clouds, and this trip turned into a 10-11 hour trek We started late and made it down just before sunset. Oh yeah...4 foot visibility, 55 mph winds, and temps falling through the 60's to the 50's.

Oh...welcome again to the boards! Feel free to use us for questions/hike ideas and use our great Hiking Trip Reports Section to get good ideas for treks. I wrote several reports on my hikes on the Wapack and one recently about Camel's Hump and Monroe. :wink:

Great to have you hear and I'm looking forward to hearing about your hiking adventures!

i wouldnt do it unless you can find someone to hook up with with some experiance. I think your phyisically fit enough(I think anyone in decent shape and a whole day ahead of them can do it) but not having any hiking experiance is the major problem.

thanks so much again guys!!! you're all very welcoming and i think i'll hang around as i grow as a hiker.

my plan right now is to head up to monadnock in a few weeks, pitch a tent overnight with the wife (that didn't sound good...LOL), and head for the trail in the morning. this should make for a fun introduction to real hiking rather than the flat trails here in massachusetts we have done.

then its ski season and i'll start up more serious hiking next spring.

mt. washington will be my goal and i wanna do it right. i have to build up my gear as well. i've got some pretty solid mountain hardwear outerwear and stuff but i need more of the basics for the trails.

oh, do i need anything special for monadnock?

aside from my tent, sleeping bags, food, water, good hiking boots (i have scarpas), a pack with some meal bars, and a camera...is there anything monadnock will require other than my 2 legs and time?

Monadnock: pick some good hikes that's all. There's tons of them and the atmosphere on the top is similar to the Northern Whites. I recommend the SPNHF's Monadnock Guide which may be loooonnnnggggg out of print or the AMC's Southern NH Hiking Guide which will give you lots of hikes. The state operates a campground at the foot of the mountain which should not be too expensive. The leaves will be beautiful as well. Try some different routes...a longer hike that begins at Dublin Lake is the 10 mile rt Pumpelly Trail...I really dug it, but it was a long route. You can make dozens of different routes, especially if you're starting from the campground. White Dot, White Cross, etc. Be sure to check out some of the historic landmarks and items on the part of the mountain near the old Halfway House. Cool mountain...be prepared for cold winds at the top...good place to start imho.

Monadnock may now be the most hiked mountain in the world. It was second to Mt Fuji

You won't regret Monadnock. Big mountain with lots of great views and feels like a northern White Mountain but is close to home.

Another good book for Southern NH which lists hikes on the Wapack as well as some lesser known mtns in the area (including the famous Monadnock) is Adamowciz's Hiking in the Monadnock Region which features many great hikes and extensions. Good descriptions and maps :beer:

Bender,

Overnight equipment such as bag and tent are not needed for day hikes generally. Exception here is for winter above treeline where bivy gear may (or may not) be carried.

Google on the term "10 essentials" and you will find a variety of forms of the Seattle Mountaineer's original list.

IMO, the best overview of equipment for hiking can still be found in The Complete Walker, IV by Colin Fletcher. Any of the books by Chris Townsend are also great. Check your local library. These books will fill your head with too many choices but will give you the fastest access to tried and true knowledge. You can then use this forum to help pare things down and sort through it all.

As for Monadnock, I think the challenge of that hill is different from others. The big challenge there is sorting through the trails, not in the climb itself. There are a boat load of intersecting trails on that mountain which is good in terms of learning how to deal with that.

Some of the other hikes mentioned will give you more of a physical challenge and less of a route finding challenge. Garfield and Osceola would be examples.

Monadnock in the fall is very pretty (and often very busy). It's a great first hike.