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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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ambler
Jan 16, 2004, 7:36 PM
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In reply to: 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 16, 2004, 8:22 PM
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^^
I would hate to see someone die of exposure because all we did was call them a troll.
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fryinbacon
Jan 16, 2004, 8:29 PM
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Pdoidy - Good Call, nothing about this thread is trolling - it's a very serious question and shouldn't be taken lightly.
That said I'll post back with pictures and a trip report when I get back from Mt. Washington - leaving tonight.
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pdoidy
Jan 16, 2004, 8:34 PM
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Good Luck, wear those layers!
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climbforchrist
Jan 17, 2004, 5:05 PM
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Ok not to knock mt washington. but all this talk about it claiming countless lives has nothing to do with how difficult it is. The reason it claims so many lives, is its close proximity to population centers on the east coast. Lots of gumbys go climbing/hiking there, no offense!!
In all seriousness, the only thing that makes Mt washington a serious attempt is the weather at times. But you can find any bad weather on mountains out west or in the Canadian rockies any day, the only difference is that you dont have weather stations at the top reporting conditions.
In terms of just alpine climb, Mt Washington is a joke. None of the routes to the summit are that hard, and the approach is hardly a hike. For Gods sake there is a road to the top!!!
Now saying all that, it is a serious climb for your average hiker who wants to bag a peak. Otherwise, yes its a joke
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pdoidy
Jan 17, 2004, 5:30 PM
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So whats your point - is it a joke or should it be taken seriousely?
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orangekyak
Jan 17, 2004, 5:52 PM
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In reply to: 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.
For the former, the typical errors are taking it too lightly. Anyone considering a winter trip on Washington should make at least a mental note of who is calling the endeavor casual, and make sure they're not in your crew.
Seriously, to an in-shape human in pleasant conditions it is a winter hike.
In crappy conditions, it's a killer. I've bailed off it in the Summer.
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climbforchrist
Jan 17, 2004, 7:56 PM
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Of course u should take it serious any outdoor adventure should be taken seriously, its just people make it sound like its K2 or sumtin its not!
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skiclimb
Jan 17, 2004, 8:57 PM
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Yeah right now it's colder than K2 is when most peeps attempt K2...
Personally I don't consider it a challenge ...but i have the gear and experience ..I also know that the weather could turm me around and or strand me for a few days ...not a big deal to me...but most people are not prepared for the extreme cold that the mountain is experiencing right now....and if you have to ask questions about it in these temps you have NO business there.
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pdoidy
Jan 17, 2004, 10:21 PM
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In reply to: Of course u should take it serious any outdoor adventure should be taken seriously, its just people make it sound like its K2 or sumtin its not!
Whos doing this? All I hear is good advice being given about not taking it lightly. I think all the people with experience on that "hill" would agree.
Zero hasnt been back once on this thread, so we got a bunch of people who do know better arguing about weather its a serious climb or not?
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ambler
Jan 17, 2004, 10:49 PM
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In reply to: Zero hasnt been back once on this thread, so we got a bunch of people who do know better arguing about weather its a serious climb or not? |
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mojorisin
Jan 18, 2004, 1:05 AM
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It is nothing to take light hearted for sure. Most of the deaths are from lack of knowledge for winter climbing, combined with the worst weather on earth. A good book to read is "Not Without Peril". It goes thru the years of mishaps.The mountain itself is a day hike for an average hiker. The ravines are where you get into technical difficulty, with avalanche's and everything. Alot of "experienced" climbers have died, but they die on other mountains too. I think, in my opinion, the reason the death toll is so high here is because you can park your car and hike two hours and be exposed to deadly condition's. Where as other more remote mountains you have to work to get there. I have seen in the past 25 years, more than a few unprepared hiker's going up the headwall or trying to get down one of the ravines with no ice axe or crampon's. Its a bad place to make a misatke for sure. If you plan on going there you should contact a local guide service(if you have no experience). There are plenty in the valley. If you know what to expect, have a good time.
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rossgoddard
Jan 19, 2004, 4:41 AM
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in response to the recent death in the whites...
during the first weekend of november, i was hiking in the same place this guy just died. We spent a night at zeland hut, and the waterfall was nearly 100% frozen the first weekend in november. There was 6-8 inches of snow, and temps were dipping to the 10 degree mark, the first weekend of november.
Moral of the story...
Dont Fu*k around in the whites, and especially dont fuck around on washington
PS-read Nick Howes book, "not without peril" to learn of the many people that have died in the presidential range, especially washington
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cfnubbler
Jan 19, 2004, 8:12 PM
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In reply to: bear in mind that although Mt. Everest is nearly 5 times the height of Mt. Washington and more than 150 climbers have perished on its flanks, Mt. Washington has claimed the lives of over 130 people since 1849
Oh please. How many folks hike Washington in a year? And how many attempt Everest? Now dig deep for your junior high fractions and percentages. There. Do you feel silly yet?
In reply to: there are dangerous crevasses in Tuckerman Ravine. Exactly how much time have you spent on Mt. Washington?
*sigh*...Just when I thought this thread couldn't get more absurd. Exactly how much time have you spent on glaciers? Do you know what an actual crevasse looks like? Yes, the odd little 'schrund appears, generally in the spring. But your image of menacing crevasses lurking unseen beneath the slopes of Tucks is a joke.
Mt. Washington can be dangerous. It has some very bad weather. But it's image as a "killer mountain" is silly. Exercise conservative judgement. Turn back if things are too cold or windy. Turn back if the visability goes to hell. Check the avi forecast at Pinkham. Then go have fun. Given good conditions, it's a pleasant winter hike. In bad conditions you shouldn't be there.
-Nubbler
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jhump
Jan 19, 2004, 8:31 PM
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A killer mountain...no. A joke...nope, much closer to a killer mountain than a joke. Is El Cap a joke because you can do a walk up to its summit? Is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison a joke because you can drive to its rim? Does easy access to a mountain's summit make the mountain a joke? You can get in pretty deep on Mt Washington. Try Pinnacle Buttress in full conditions jokers. Check out some of the steep rock buttresses in Tucks mid winter (bring beacons). Lion's Head is a joke technically, but I have never been closer to frostbite (hands, toes, face) than on that route. You folks who insist the mountain is tame must have hiked it in spring. Trust me, you can find the bidness on that mountain and you need not look very hard.
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nicdumesnil
Jan 19, 2004, 8:39 PM
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Yes, mt Washington had the strongest wind and yes, people die on this mountain ( from exposure during bad weather ), but it's not a killer mountain..
Mt Washington, because of its geographical situation, has its home climat and the temperature can change in 30 minutes or so...
But if you are cold, go inside the observatory at the top, or the cafeteria, or the houses... The big parking lot at the arrival point of the hikers REALLY sucks, but the climb is really nice ( except this point ) and if you countinue on the trail, you can do the Presidential range, a really, really nice 3 days trip..
Also, if you are an experienced backcountry skiier, consider the Tuckerman Ravine as your way down...
have fun and don't go out if the temperature say so.
nic
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cfnubbler
Jan 19, 2004, 9:01 PM
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In reply to: I'd love to be on MRS hauling your frozen smartass off the slopes.
Ouch! Now that hurts! We disagree and you wish me physical harm. I guess I touched a nerve.
Not to worry though...you (or anyone else) hauling my "frozen smartass" of Mt. Washington is not very likely. One never knows, I suppose, but if I was a betting man I wouldn't put any money down.
Personally, I hope I never have to haul your ass (frozen or otherwise) off Washington or any other peak.
As for the remedial math lesson, I disagree. I think it's very relevant. Comparing the number of fatalities on Washington and Everest is misleading at best and just plain stupid at worst.
Have a nice winter.
-Nubbler
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cfnubbler
Jan 19, 2004, 9:21 PM
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In reply to: I said that with your attitude, MRS would be looking for you before too long.
No, that's not what you said.
What you said was:
In reply to: I'd love to be on MRS hauling your frozen smartass off the slopes.
Whatever. This is dull. I'm through.
-Nubbler
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taualum23
Jan 19, 2004, 9:27 PM
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OK, OK, everybody, stop being stupid. You may know me as my screen name, I know, because I usually hide this fact from the public...but here goes. My real name is Mt. Washington. I am indeed a dangerous place to be for the inexperienced. There are indeed dangers that even a well prepared experienced person may get hurt or killed by if unlucky. There is risk involved in the moluntains, whether on my seemingly harmless slopes onr on a walk-up 14'er in colorado. I am here to make an announcement. Mountain climbing is dangerous.
I am not a "killer mountain" that is just silly. The weather that I have no control over may kill people, but I didn't do it. No, I do not have the oxygen depriving heights of my proud bretheren in the west, or in the Himalaya, but there are dangers to be found on me by the stupid, the inexperienced, and the cocky alike. Many an expereinced individual has found him or herself in trouble on my flanks.
I hope that my "coming out" will lessen the lieklihood of anybody's frozen ass being hauled off my slopes.
Thank you,
Mt. Washington
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craggincragin
Jan 19, 2004, 10:27 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: I said that with your attitude, MRS would be looking for you before too long. No, that's not what you said. What you said was: In reply to: I'd love to be on MRS hauling your frozen smartass off the slopes. Whatever. This is dull. I'm through. -Nubbler
Ok, technicality aside, 'nuff of this - I've had my coffee and am in a better mood. Say, want to hook up sometime and do a winter jaunt up Washington? :lol:
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craggincragin
Jan 19, 2004, 10:28 PM
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In reply to: OK, OK, everybody, stop being stupid. You may know me as my screen name, I know, because I usually hide this fact from the public...but here goes. My real name is Mt. Washington. I am indeed a dangerous place to be for the inexperienced. There are indeed dangers that even a well prepared experienced person may get hurt or killed by if unlucky. There is risk involved in the moluntains, whether on my seemingly harmless slopes onr on a walk-up 14'er in colorado. I am here to make an announcement. Mountain climbing is dangerous. I am not a "killer mountain" that is just silly. The weather that I have no control over may kill people, but I didn't do it. No, I do not have the oxygen depriving heights of my proud bretheren in the west, or in the Himalaya, but there are dangers to be found on me by the stupid, the inexperienced, and the cocky alike. Many an expereinced individual has found him or herself in trouble on my flanks. I hope that my "coming out" will lessen the lieklihood of anybody's frozen ass being hauled off my slopes. Thank you, Mt. Washington
Nicely said.
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pdoidy
Jan 20, 2004, 12:26 AM
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And this whole stupid thread was started by someone with little to no experience asking if it was climbable in the winter. People said yes it is but take it seriousely. End of thread. Then the weekend warriors started chiming in that Mt.W is a joke. Statements like that just prove ignorance. This was never a which is harder Mt Everest or Mt Washington thread.
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micahmcguire
Feb 3, 2004, 2:58 AM
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meh, hills. all hills! hahahahaha! Mt. W is cool. from what I hear it gets pretty windy there. I'd still say Marcus Baker makes for a more daunting climb.
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micahmcguire
Feb 3, 2004, 3:04 AM
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nevermind, it is the biggest whore of a wuss mountain west of the Pyranees
http://www.4x4abc.com/Carlos_adventures/Mount_Washington.html
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harrisha
Feb 3, 2004, 3:16 AM
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I was just there this summer. It is a great area but during the winter don't underestimate it or your skills. The mountain being a joke is no joke. Fact: Huntington Ravine Trail is the steepest established and maintained trail in the world. If you like to ski the ravine headwall fills up will snow that blows over the summit every winter. Also check out some of the overlooked peaks even in the Presidentials. On Maddison it is possible to do most of your hiking under boulders or above ground-can't remember the trails. Also hit Frankonia Notch and do the Falling Waters/Bridal Path Loop over Mt. Laffeyte and Little Haystack-this ridge walk really depend on what the jet stream is doing because a lot of it is exposed alpine zone which could really dangerous if the jet stream is raking the top of the ridge. In summer this is probably the best hike in the whole White Mts.
Have fun wish I was with you.
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micahmcguire
Feb 3, 2004, 3:45 AM
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"steepest established and maintained trail in the world." Isn't that kinda like saying "the stongest non-alcoholic beer ever?"
any mountain you can drive to the top of doesn't seem quite right
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chugach001
Feb 3, 2004, 3:59 AM
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Oh my, even I have to hop in and call some smelly BS when I see it...
In reply to: , but it is no less ferocious than Denali. Mt. Washington is no joke. _________________ Craggin' Cragin
Geez, you must have has a sweet weather window on your Denali trip! I've been on Washington in winter but am such a wuss I waited until june to freeze my a** off on Denali. Also, I found the air a bit thinner on Denali, how about you?
In reply to: Rainier has lovely weather compared to Washington's average.
Well I did attempt Rainier in winter. It took us five days just to get to the trailhead due to about 10' of new snow clogging the roads. Having lived in New Enland, I don't remember many ten-foot dumps - did I miss something? We got knocked around just trying to reach Camp Muir, holed up in a cave for the night and skied out the next morning in a blowing whiteout. Ok, I'm not Mt. Washington material, I admit it.
I guess only God is to thank for providing me with nice weather everytime I've visited the Whites. Perhaps, he shined on you equally during your Denali and Rainier summits?
Look, I'm into hyperbole as much as the next guy but, please show some self restraint. It's not like they were dissing your mother, just a windy mountain.
Cheers,
Jeff
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harrisha
Feb 3, 2004, 1:32 PM
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the trail rises between 400-500 ft. in .3 mile at one specific point and the rest is going up the ravine and pretty darn steep.
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micahmcguire
Feb 3, 2004, 5:14 PM
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bwahahahaha, except that on washington you don't have glacier travel to worry about. on washington you can drive, well, to the summit (muffling the laughter roaring within). on washington you don't need to pack for three weeks. on washington its very difficult to find a crevasse to fall into. on waashington you don't have to ascend over 13000 feet. and what I think takes the cake is the fact that washington is an appalachian, and hence was probably cool about 250 million years ago but has been rounded and eroded into a hill.
today it is decidedly a windy hiccup. wear a windbreaker. windchill is a joke if you wear the right clothing. its just a relative measurement that people invented to make the cold sound scarier. when you wear a good shell layer, the wind-chill is always null. this is not to say that stupid people can't die on an easy hill due to general unpreparedness. Hell, people here in Alaska die on the side of the road all the time for the same reason. Car broke down, have to hike for help, not enough clothing...
One of the hot spots for deaths here in Alaska is a short waterfall called Thunderbird Falls. Stupid people try to climb around them because they don't realize the falls are slippery and the rock is loose. Does it demand as much respect as Denali? I would have to say no.
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edge
Feb 3, 2004, 6:10 PM
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In reply to: Cockly little bastard, eh? Have you ever been on Mt. Washington?
Obviously he's using the size of Denali to compensate for some personal shortcomings... :roll:
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deleted
Deleted
Feb 3, 2004, 7:18 PM
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(geez, loran ... the wind's blowin' a lot harder in this thread than it [i:4b9fbcb320]ever[/i:4b9fbcb320] did on mount washington, wouldn't you say? :lol: how the hell are ya'?)
to the naysayers: speaking as a coloradan who gets up fourteeners [i:4b9fbcb320]several[/i:4b9fbcb320] time a week, winter or summer; who has [i:4b9fbcb320]been[/i:4b9fbcb320] on denali multiple times; and who has [i:4b9fbcb320]been[/i:4b9fbcb320] on everest (going again as expedition leader/lead climber, spring '05; www.everest-expeditions.com) ... please allow me to chime in here.
there really is no one mountain more "killer" than another. there are, however, stupid people who do stupid things at the most inopportune times, and get reaped as a result. if you are not prepared -- physically, mentally, or lack the proper equipment and experience -- you will eventually be skimmed from the gene pool. perhaps not tomorrow ... perhaps not in the next decade ... but, keep rollin' them bones of fate and playin' them odds and eventually you will fall throught the cracks of the old "god looks after those who cannot look after themselves" thing. after all, if the likes of greg lowe, mugs stump and john harlin can die in the mountains, don't you think regular people can, too?
stupid people die on all kinds of mountains -- whether they be in the rockies, sierras, alaska range, appalachians, whites, andes or himalayas.
to the experienced mountaineer, mount washington (or any mountain) can be a walk in the park ... or a fight for life itself. throw an inexperienced, ill-prepared noob into the same situation, and it can be the last breath they'll ever draw.
on mount washington, i myself have experienced a 4th of july snowstorm while eating lunch at the summit; avalanches in the ravines; and an unexpected 3-day tent-bound episode outside the observatory, complete with -80 degree windchill, tent-leveling winds and the constant pummelling from ice chunks breaking off the instrumentation tower.
many times in my guiding business, as i've quizzed potential clients about their experience, the ones from the northeast have apologized, offering outings in the presidential range as their magnums opus. i've always told those folks to hold their heads high next time they talk about those experiences. a bad day in the whites is a bad day indeed.
you people need to cease yer pissin' contest and wake up.
but back to mount washington: you don't have to believe [i:4b9fbcb320]this[/i:4b9fbcb320] old blowhard. call rick wilcox, brad white, marc chauvin or uwe schneider -- all members of mountain rescue service, and all consumate mountaineers who have been to the great ranges of the world -- and ask [i:4b9fbcb320]them[/i:4b9fbcb320] about that little hill. :wink:
carry on.
geo
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edge
Feb 3, 2004, 7:33 PM
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Thanks, Geo, for what should surely be the last word in this thread (my own excepted).
I'm not bad, by the way, thanks for askin'.
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micahmcguire
Feb 3, 2004, 8:29 PM
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Alright, if it makes you feel any better, be proud of your east-coast bump. I guess its the best you've got to work with. I'm just glad to be nestled in the Chugach.
and mtngeo is definitly right. the difficulty of a place changes with the conditions and the person. I'd rather be in the Death Funnel on Baleful Peak in the Chugach after a heavy snow than on Mt. Washington in 230 mph winds.
You know what makes an even more dangerous hike than that? Any highway during rush hour. But you'd feel pretty silly comparing that to Mt. Washington wouldn't you? That's what "Mt. Washington demands as much respect as Denali or Everest" souds like to me. In that sense, doesn't everything, provided the conditions are crappy enough, "demand as much respect as Denali or Everest?"
The Chugach just lost a great climber and a valuable avalanche researcher named Jeff Nissman. This summer he fought a bear for an hour with a stick and won (by which I mean he didn't get eaten), he climbed on Denali and many other mountains in the area, and he operated Chugach National Forest's avalanche website. He died because a slab of ice fell from his roof and struck him as he was leaving his Girdwood home. I guess his front door "demanded as much respect as Denali or Everest." I suppose everything does. If you're at the wrong place at the wrong time and are ill-equipped to handle the circumstances you find yourself in, you are in "the most dangerous place in the world"-for you.
The wind and weather on Mt. Washington is pretty gnarly. That doesn't put it up there with Denali or Everest. Seems like as many people die on Flattop (the bump near Anchorage that everyone climbs) as on the Great One. That doesn't make it as dangerous overall. It makes it dangerous for the stupid person who wanders into in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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climbforchrist
Feb 5, 2004, 12:46 AM
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Craggincragin posted:
But are 10' drifts the "average"? One word: snowshoes Without out them, you'll catch "my drift". Mt. Washington receives an average of 256 inches of snow annually. In the winter of 1968-69, it received 566.4 inches. And not all of it packs down, so snowshoes are a necessity for the approach.
Uh dude in case u didnt know this, Mt rainier, and many other mountains in the coast range of BC and Washington get some of the most snow in the world. try 1000 inches over your measly 256 inch average! just setting the facts straight. I believe it was a few years ago that Mt baker set the world record of over a 1000 inches in a season.
Ok we all know mt washington kills, being anywhere outdoors can kill you if your not prepared. In that regard Mt Washington deserves its props!
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treeman
Feb 16, 2004, 9:17 PM
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yes, its doable i was up there last tuesday. but you have to watch the weather. you can't just say lets go on sat or sun since your off from work. you must pic your day. i was up there for a week so we watched the weather and decided on our attempt that way. if the weather was real bad we would not have even tried. we did it car to car in 6 hours. get an early start and if things look bad turn back, it's not going any where.
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