Mount Washington
New Hampshire, United States
Sunday, September 16th, 2018
A photo journey of my hike to Mt.Washington’s Summit via Tuckerman’s Ravine trail.
4:15 a.m: Checked the weather, double checked my supplies and headed out the door.
>>Fast forward 4 hours of driving and 1 large iced coffee later.
9:15 a.m: Starting at the Pinkham Notch visitor's center I bought a waterproof map for $3.95 and read the warning signs for increased black bear sightings. Decided if I'm going to suffer fatal injuries from a bear attack, today may be the day.
9:45 a.m: Let the hike begin!
This is where I discovered Snapchat is perfect for tracking elevation gain.
^^The Beatles were wrong.
This is when I realized I should have gone on a few more jogs back home before taking the hike.
Shoutout to the guy behind me in line that took my photo. He rode his motorbike up the auto road and I just might have to add that to my bucket list.
Clear skies for the win!
Total hike: ~7.5 hours including 45 minute break spent at summit.
What I learned: Being prepared is key, especially when hiking solo. Do your research:
Check the weather report before you leave your house. Find the Mount Washington weather report here: https://www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/mount-washington-weather.aspx
Research the trails. I decided on Tuckerman's Ravine by reading other people's experiences and deciding what was appropriate for my skill level.
Be aware of the local wildlife. It can help to know what animals (especially predators) you might encounter. Read here on what to do if you're approached by a bear (HINT: Don't Run!).
Be up to date on trail conditions. Make sure you are aware of any warnings, detours or closings on your planned route.
Also don’t forget to account for exhaustion on the climb down. I grossly underestimated how tired I was once I got to the top. It took a long water break and mental will power to convince myself to start the 3+ hour descent back down.
What I brought:
Day pack (30L)
2L H2O
Compass
Whistle
Waterproof map
Protein bars/nuts
Extra phone battery
Headlamp
Hiking boots
Thermal layers
Extra pair wool socks
Fleece sweatshirt
Rain jacket
What I wish I brought:
Bear spray/mace: A little extra protection never hurt, especially when hiking alone. When you hear something in the woods on your hike down and haven't seen another human for twenty minutes, your imagination kicks in and those bear warnings you read start to seem like a reality
Cash: Good to have as backup for shuttle at summit, however it's not a reliable back up plan as there's limited space & availability and you should be prepared for both hikes up and down.