Mount Washington Hike Winter 2018

A lovely winter day on Washington
A challenging winter day on Mt. Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

Cade, Jeff & I discussed the idea of summiting Mt. Washington in winter, and while March is technically late winter, the weather on the summit would not discriminate against a few days.  We knew we would have to plan for extremely tough conditions, and our planning paid off.  It was extremely windy, and cold, with a biting wind chill; as we inched towards the summit, the blowing snow and rime-ice producing fog continued to diminish visibility.  The hike certainly put our physical and mental endurance to the test as we made it to the summit;  it was an exceptional experience and something I look forward to doing again!

Weather:

  • Temperature:  6 – 12°F
  • Wind: W 37 – 82 mph
  • Wind Chill: -22°F
  • Visibility:  1/16 mile (very limited)

Hike Metrics:

  • Summit height: 6288 feet
  • Elevation gain: 4286 feet
  • Distance: 7.99 miles
  • Moving time: 4 hours 18 minutes
Avalanche danger! We'll take Lion Head route instead!
Avalanche danger on Huntington and Tuckerman!  We’ll take Lion Head Winter route instead!
North America Public Avalanche Danger Scale
North America Public Avalanche Danger Scale
A brief rest after a steep climb in deep snow
A brief rest after a steep climb in deep snow
Over the lion's mane!
Over the lion’s mane!
Beard not quite frozen enough yet
Beard not quite frozen enough yet
That was fun!
That was fun!
Some were turning back, others were hunkering down...
Some were turning back, others were hunkering down…
Visibility was limited as we headed toward the summit
Visibility was limited as we headed toward the summit
Goggles - essential for protecting from projectile ice on the summit. Also helps with snow glare
Goggles – essential for protecting from projectile ice on the summit. Also helps with snow glare
We made it to the summit!
We made it to the summit!
Battle bruise from the icy rocky summit
Battle bruise from the icy rocky summit

Various attempts were made by others, with many turning back due to the dangers:

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