Seek the Peak '05 Mount Washington 7/23/05
7/23/05 "Seek the Peak" Mount Washington 6288'
Nelson Crag Trail/ Tuckerman Ravine Trail
9.5 miles 4400’ elevation gain
Kevin, Judy and Emma
This climb was for the Mount Washington Observatory’s annual fund raiser, “Seek the Peak”. Emma and I had participated in all but the first making this our fourth, this would be Jude’s second. Starting at the Pinkham Notch visitors center we started north along the Old Jackson Road. At 1.7 miles and just before reaching the Auto Road the Nelson Crag Trail breaks off to the left (west) and begins its ascent. The trail averages a hundred feet of elevation gain for every tenth of a mile to the summit making it as tough as the others, but what it does provide is way fewer hikers so at times you can feel as though you have the mountain to yourself. It does pass close to the Auto Road a couple of times and drivers and passengers can be found wandering around the trail between Nelson and Ball Crags, woefully unprepared to be out there, yet able to duck back to the relative safety of their cars to escape.
We stopped just below Nelson Crag for some food and a drink. After climbing over Nelson Crag we wandered south off the trail and over the boulders to get some good looks into Huntington Ravine. From here there's still plenty of climbing to get up to Ball Crag. Past Ball Crag the trail crosses the Auto Road then the Cog Railway before making the final hundred feet of elevation to reach the north side of the Sherman Adams Summit Building. We stopped in to the observatory to say hello and have a quick bite and a drink before hiking back down to Pinkham Notch. Emma and Nin did their usual greeting of going nose to nose then ignoring each other.
We hiked back down on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, as always passing folks still on their way to the summit. Climbing over the lip into the ravine is like going from the desert into the jungle. The barren, rock strewn wasteland above treeline gives way quickly to tumbling waterfalls and lush green vegetation dotted with wildflowers. The steep climb down to the base of the headwall revealed what snow was left in the bowl. Broken ice boulders the size of compact cars lay near where the waterfalls reached the bottom of the headwall.
The part of the trail that always seems longest to me is the hike from here to the visible HoJo’s, the Hermit Lake Shelter Huts, that seem just below us on the trail. When the shelter is finally reached the trail out from there is much easier as it is not picking your way over boulders anymore. Tuckerman Ravine Trail below the huts is basically a fire road and seems like walking a sidewalk compared to the hike above treeline. After the hike we took in the barbecue at Wildcat Ski Area where we saw Virginia Moore, publications and graphics coordinator, who posts my photos on the MWO website, and Peter Crane, director of programs. I hope someday to contribute more to this organization as it is filled with fine people and supports a worthy cause.
Read MoreNelson Crag Trail/ Tuckerman Ravine Trail
9.5 miles 4400’ elevation gain
Kevin, Judy and Emma
This climb was for the Mount Washington Observatory’s annual fund raiser, “Seek the Peak”. Emma and I had participated in all but the first making this our fourth, this would be Jude’s second. Starting at the Pinkham Notch visitors center we started north along the Old Jackson Road. At 1.7 miles and just before reaching the Auto Road the Nelson Crag Trail breaks off to the left (west) and begins its ascent. The trail averages a hundred feet of elevation gain for every tenth of a mile to the summit making it as tough as the others, but what it does provide is way fewer hikers so at times you can feel as though you have the mountain to yourself. It does pass close to the Auto Road a couple of times and drivers and passengers can be found wandering around the trail between Nelson and Ball Crags, woefully unprepared to be out there, yet able to duck back to the relative safety of their cars to escape.
We stopped just below Nelson Crag for some food and a drink. After climbing over Nelson Crag we wandered south off the trail and over the boulders to get some good looks into Huntington Ravine. From here there's still plenty of climbing to get up to Ball Crag. Past Ball Crag the trail crosses the Auto Road then the Cog Railway before making the final hundred feet of elevation to reach the north side of the Sherman Adams Summit Building. We stopped in to the observatory to say hello and have a quick bite and a drink before hiking back down to Pinkham Notch. Emma and Nin did their usual greeting of going nose to nose then ignoring each other.
We hiked back down on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, as always passing folks still on their way to the summit. Climbing over the lip into the ravine is like going from the desert into the jungle. The barren, rock strewn wasteland above treeline gives way quickly to tumbling waterfalls and lush green vegetation dotted with wildflowers. The steep climb down to the base of the headwall revealed what snow was left in the bowl. Broken ice boulders the size of compact cars lay near where the waterfalls reached the bottom of the headwall.
The part of the trail that always seems longest to me is the hike from here to the visible HoJo’s, the Hermit Lake Shelter Huts, that seem just below us on the trail. When the shelter is finally reached the trail out from there is much easier as it is not picking your way over boulders anymore. Tuckerman Ravine Trail below the huts is basically a fire road and seems like walking a sidewalk compared to the hike above treeline. After the hike we took in the barbecue at Wildcat Ski Area where we saw Virginia Moore, publications and graphics coordinator, who posts my photos on the MWO website, and Peter Crane, director of programs. I hope someday to contribute more to this organization as it is filled with fine people and supports a worthy cause.
OK, we're on the trail now. Emma cools off in a brook along The Old Jackson Road.
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