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zero
Jan 12, 2004, 3:03 PM
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is it possible to climb mt. washington in the winter?
just curious.
it gets VERY cold and windy there.
peace,
zero
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pdoidy
Jan 12, 2004, 3:10 PM
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Sure its possible, just dont underestimate it cause its less than 7,000 feet. People train on that mountain for big projects because the weather is so bad.
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e_wire
Jan 12, 2004, 3:51 PM
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I climbed it back in Feb. of 2002. Got really windy... wind gust of 92 MPH! But definitely doable. More of a hike then a climb, if you use the normal route. Going via Tuckerman or Huntington ravine will bring you some WI 3 grades. Tukerman has numerous avalanches every year. Be cautious.
You can see pictures of Mt-Washington summit in winter on my website. Simply select Albums - Hiking - Mt-Washington.
Have fun!
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pdoidy
Jan 12, 2004, 3:53 PM
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Until that tornado in OK a few years ago it had the highest recorded wind speed in history. It was like 290 or something.
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fear
Jan 12, 2004, 4:12 PM
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no
-Fear
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e_wire
Jan 12, 2004, 4:42 PM
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Record was 231 MPH in 1934...
http://www.mountwashington.org/bigwind/
e_wire
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powrslave
Jan 12, 2004, 4:46 PM
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Mount Washington as a mountain is a joke, but it has some dismal weather. I would like to give it a go sometime though.
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jhump
Jan 12, 2004, 4:52 PM
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In reply to: Mount Washington as a mountain is a joke, but it has some dismal weather. I would like to give it a go sometime though.
A joke? Because it lacks altitude? So then is Cerro Torre and the Fisher Towers. An ascent of Washington entails about a mile of altitude gain, which rivals about anything in Colorado. For a real joke, get up into Huntington in full winter madness and have a go at one of the harder mixed climbs, or link all of the gullies in an afternoon. This mountain is a far cry from the Himalaya, but a joke it is not.
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deleted
Deleted
Jan 12, 2004, 5:04 PM
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nicely said.
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pdoidy
Jan 12, 2004, 5:15 PM
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Plus your also gaining a true 6000+ in elevation.
Ooops, someone made that point.
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bostonclimbah
Jan 12, 2004, 6:13 PM
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The short answer to the question is yes. It can definitely be done in winter with the proper gear and prep.
To say that it is a "joke" is the exact attitude that lead to countless avoidable deaths on this mountain. I climb MW frequently (just 2 weeks ago in fact) and have witnessed first hand, the tragic toll that climbing / hiking here can exact on the most experienced of climbers. Just the ask the 5 folks that went down in avalanches last year. Sadly, one of them is no longer with us to tell his story. Or you can ask the two ice climbers that fell to their death in Huntington's in the last 3 years (both of which were very experienced, one of them lived on the mountain as a caretaker). Surely you could also look to the countless people that have frozen to death or been lost in crevasses.
I apologize for the rant, but the most hard ass locals and members of the guiding community don't play games with this mountain. Neither should you.
My $.02.
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skiclimb
Jan 12, 2004, 6:21 PM
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Not having been to Mt.Washington but have a ton of experience in winter mountaineering...I'll say this, Mt Washington in Winter is a serious undertaking...weather can always be unpredictable..It is a place where you can get stuck in bad weather and cold temps for a few days..With the right equip and food and the skills and experience to keep yourself from freezing parts of your body ...a bout of bad weather is just a matter of enduring a day or so in the tent...inconveinient and perhaps scary to those who expect you back sooner but not dangerous..One should also have a good backgroung in avalanche hazard evaluation and routefinding.
....however most people who ask these questions do not have the appropriate experience.
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urbansherpa
Jan 13, 2004, 1:54 AM
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The short answer is yes. We climbed its neighbor this past weekend.
It was VERY easy because we were prepared with lots of experience, info, and equipment.
I climbed Mount Adams just yesterday (it's very near to Washingtonand the second highest peak in the area).
The trail we took (Lowes) was packed snow, all the way up to the summit.
We didn't need our crampons, ice axe, or snowshoes. Although the temps were brutally cold, and the wind was about 60+mph I dressed relatively lightly, and stayed warm by moving quickly. (I was actually sweating).
Although I didn't need these items I did have them all in my pack (as did my climbing partner).
Don't take my remarks as flippant, though. If you have never done anything like this then maybe you should go with someone who has.
Mount Washington is very doable in the winter as long as you are FULLY protected from the elements, and have the good judgement to turn back if conditions dictate.
Also remember that many people with more experience than you, or I have died on the mountain
K. Roberts
Urban Sherpa
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sapphire
Jan 13, 2004, 2:22 AM
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A bunch of people in the MASS CLIMBERS group are talking about a Mt. Washington trip soon... you should check out the discussion there (there've been some route suggestions) and talk to them...
don't have a specific link, but if you go to Forums>Partners> East Coast
there's the MASS CLIMBERS thread. I believe we're up to page 168 or so...
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vanny37
Jan 14, 2004, 8:54 PM
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Latest weather from Mt. Washington summit
http://www.mountwashington.org/
14 Jan 2004, 14:00 EST
-36.0 F air temp
75 mph windspeed (not gust)
-82.0 F wind chill
They broke the record low for the date at -41 F this morning.
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skiclimb
Jan 14, 2004, 9:12 PM
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Hmm...colder than the Himalayas in spring....pretty serious stuff that.
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vanny37
Jan 15, 2004, 5:14 AM
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Correction to my previous post:
The low for 14 Jan was -45 F.
But check that site I posted on my previous post, they are forcasting a possibility for -50 F this thursday night. New Hampshire's ultimate low ever was -47 F in 1934, the year I believe the wind record was set.
This mountain is some joke, eh?
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skiclimb
Jan 15, 2004, 5:35 AM
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BTW anything below -30 ambient for extended periods requires very specialized equipment..esp boots but also just about everything else too. If you have never spent any time in these temps do not even consider and extended trip..ie more than a daytrip. Exceptional diligence in keeping body parts warm and unexposed is required...a minor mistake quicly leads to frostbite and then the usual accumulation of difficulties and more mistakes for the inexperienced. Technical gear often becomes brittle and fragile esp tent materials...Be aware thes conditions are extereme and generally not much fun....except for a few of us freaks
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micahmcguire
Jan 16, 2004, 6:07 PM
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I have two words for you bad-weather-seekers: Marcus Baker
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punk
Jan 16, 2004, 6:29 PM
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I have done Washington in the winter several times my word are don’t underestimate any peak in the NE for weather
The weather can be equally harsh as big peaks in the world
As an objective it is not secluded and not high as some mountains out there but boy is this mountain is feisty respect is the word that comes to mind regarding any peak in the NE spatially in the winter make sure you know what u doing and go with more experienced person, turn back if you have to…just last week someone died on this mountain from exposure so beware
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sim
Jan 16, 2004, 6:48 PM
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Well the White Mountains took another life this week. This wasn't on Wahington, but is in the same section of woods. There isn't many details available yet, but it appears this guy died of exposure while backpacking. Not sure what mistake he made, but as cold as it was over there this week it didn't have to be a big mistake.
Check out this link for a newspaper report.
http://www.theunionleader.com/...a.html?article=31764
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pdoidy
Jan 16, 2004, 7:10 PM
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The last temp I heard was -60 below with a -100 wind chill. Hike at your own risk I guess.
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mchatz13
Jan 16, 2004, 7:14 PM
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Made an attempt in january of 2003, Avalanche conditions where high on the Tuckerman Ravine trail so we went up Lions Head Trail. Once we got passed the treeline.... white- out conditions, 90 MPH wings with something like -25 degree temperatures. Had to turn back. A father and daughter team got lost up there that weekend.
Going again in February.
There is a lot of ice to play on in the area as well.
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e_wire
Jan 16, 2004, 7:14 PM
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Let's be clear about Mt-Washington... Unless you go up by Huntington or Tukerman, there's nothing technical there. Neither is there any altitude effect from oxygen depravation...
What kills, not just on Washington, but on all mountains, are errors and weather. For the later, Mt-Washington has a reputation and an history of severe weather change.
Should you do it in winter? Absolutely, as long as you have good judgement about turning back. As long as you have the proper gear.
Any mountain can kill when you make bad decisions...
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wideguy
Jan 16, 2004, 7:21 PM
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Like many have already said or alluded to Mt. Washington, despite it's low overall height sits in the crosshairs of some extreme weather which makes it treacherous at any time. I have seen snow at the summit in August. Granted , not much, flurries etc. but that kind of unpredictability makes it dangerous. That is a big part of the reason they staff an observatory there year round, because it's weather provides an extreme test bed that can only be duplicated on much less accesible peaks otherwise.
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