Sometime this week I’m hoping to hike the Presidential Traverse in New Hampshire, weather permitting. I’m just looking for some sort of reality check on the book times, which are 12-14 hrs for ~20 miles and ~9000ft. I am fit, and have plenty of experience hiking/backpacking. I’ve done the Pemigewasset loop in the Whites, and moved quickly over that ridgeline. I’ve done 20 miles with a heavy pack and plenty of daylight to spare - albeit over maybe easier terrain than the whites. I understand the potential risks posed by the extreme weather, although this week looks good other than cloud cover. Just looking for someone to tell me if I’m grossly underestimating this.
>>2840708*inhales*Mt. Washington can have extremely cold weather, you will die there.
>>2840708Pack for a broken leg and you should be fine.
>>2840708>book timesIn my experience, you can easily go 50% of book time. I've done that trail. It's not easy, but it's not particularly hard either. You don't want to be stuck up there in a hard rain.
>>2840708I'd pick a 2 or 3 day window and only go under great conditions. You're either gonna start or end in the dark, so make a choice there. I'm not fit enough to try the traverse but I wanna give it a shot some day.
>>2840872That's what I was thinking. Thankfully (for hiking) it looks like theres been a drought up there for some time. >>2840891Beautiful country, blessed to live relatively nearby. The day I'm planning there looks to be some clouds but no precipitation and mild wind. Excited to get out there before winter arrives.
As an update/blogpost, I did not die. Completed the traverse (without Jackson-Webster) in 11.5 hrs moving time. With humility, I will admit that this is slower than I expected for myself, although in retrospect I will say I should be more than pleased to have finished in a reasonable time. Although I am fit, I do not hike often if ever, my aerobic fitness from cycling is at quite the opposite end of the spectrum of the strength in my ankles and knees over rough terrain. I moved extremely slow on the descents, more so as the day went on. In addition to the strength/stability problem, descending rough terrain is definitely a skill that I am lacking. As I was crawling down the Crawford Path, I was of the mind to not attempt this traverse again. However, in the light of a new day - despite some truly battered ankles, knees, and legs - I imagine I will make another attempt with a faster time as a goal.
Congrats man, 1/8 of the North East Ultra 8!
gz!Looks like it was an awesome day.Next up, the winter traverse.
>>2841294>>2841296Thanks great pics.>North East Ultra 8Hadn't heard of this list but after doing the presi I'd love to take a crack at these next.>Winter TraverseActually was hoping to take some mountaineering instruction in the whites this past winter but it didn't work out. Hope to get up there this season.
>>2841306You don't need mountaineering instruction for a Mt Washington ascent so long as you religiously, religiously follow the forecast, don't take any chances, and fucking turn around if it's looking worse. They say the weather changes on a dime, but you have about around a 0.5 to 1 hour notice if you see the weather changing once you're past the treeline.I took the ammo trail up since some old forum posts said it was the safest and I didn't need any snowshoes. I struggled on 3/8th microspikes, but 5/8th were doing good for others on the trail when I went up. Photo was from Jan. 6th, 2024 - I only have a Signal backup.
>>2841306>Actually was hoping to take some mountaineering instruction in the whites this past winter but it didn't work out. Hope to get up there this season.Unless you plan on doing something like the flume slide, lions head or huntington you probably dont need a mountaineering course. It builds good skills but there aren't a ton of hikes in the whites that require real mountaineering experience (crampons, ice axe, ropes ect.)like >>2841309 said, common sense and checking the forecast is most of what you need to keep safe. The other part is bringing the right tools, especially traction. Snowshoes, Microspikes and poles ect.
>>2841309>>2841314Yea I was hoping to do the course to build skills to use elsewhere on bigger mountains.Looks awesome in the snow.
>>2841314>Flume slideI was quite retarded.. that was a terrifying hike with no crampon/axe.I dropped my glove and it took 10 minutes to slink down a few steps. I'd do it again though if anyone's interested joining me in this upcoming winter. I'll be spamming the upcoming winter hiking thread probably, I have the 48 peaks in 1 winter planned out.
