The Mount Washington Auto Road

7.6 miles Elevation gain 4500'

On the way home through Pinkham Notch we took a side trip to the summit of Mount Washington on the Auto Road. I think it was Jude’s first trip up by car, Emma’s second. It was another high pressure day, setting a record for warm October temps. After visiting some friends at the Observatory and the State Park we descended the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, turning east at the Lion Head Trail, then back north on the Alpine Garden Trail. At the junction with the Huntington Ravine Trail we turned west again, essentially back toward the summit, soon connecting with the Nelson Crag Trail which turns to the southwest and after rising over Ball Crag crosses the Auto Road and the Cog Railway as it climbs to the summit. A round trip of 3.4 miles, an elevation gain of about a thousand feet and fantastic views of the eastern side of Mount Washington.

The descent towards Tuckerman Ravine presents outstanding views of Boott Spur which rises above the ravine on its southern side. Turning east along the Lion’s Head Trail provides more views of the ravine and more distant views of the Wildcats and its ski area with the Carter Range beyond. Turning to the north along the Alpine Garden Trail one can see Nelson Crag to the north and the Eastern Snowfields to the west as they rise back to the summit. At the junction to the Huntington Ravine Trail one can see The Pinnacle rock formation which rises out of the ravine as well as a good view down into the ravine.

Turning west and climbing more steeply now on the Huntington Ravine Trail 3/10’s of a mile to the intersection with Nelson Crag Trail, we soon rise to Ball Crag where we run into Kay, the museum attendant, who I knew from volunteering on the summit in September. Where earlier in the year the crags were covered in white blossoming Diapensia the flowers were gone and the low plant that’s left has turned a reddish purple in its autumn colors. Kay wanted some photos of the purple ground cover to show her family, so I obliged. We returned to the summit and said our good-byes before making the reluctant descent. I wish we could have stayed.