Mt. Washington Van Questions

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by pcmc

I would love to hike Mt. Washington but it sounds intimidating.
What does it take to prepare for an under taking like this?
Are the physical demands similar to Mt. Major?

Hardly.From the Pinkham lot its about 3 1/2 times the vertical of Mt Major (1200 vert).From the Auto road its about 4 times higher.The shortest hike is from Jefferson Notch Road at about 3200 ft gain.

[pcmc]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Hardly.From the Pinkham lot its about 3 1/2 times the vertical of Mt Major (1200 vert).From the Auto road its about 4 times higher.The shortest hike is from Jefferson Notch Road at about 3200 ft gain.

Sorry, I realize its a much longer hike. Do you need any specific gear to ascend and descend or are the trails manageable by foot alone.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by pcmc

Sorry, I realize its a much longer hike. Do you need any specific gear to ascend and descend or are the trails manageable by foot alone.

From NH Fish & Game
http://www.theheartofnewengland.com/...ashington.html

Please make sure you follow the advice. If by chance you need emergency assistance and F&G feels you have not prepared for the hike, you may be facing a huge bill for rescue efforts!

Even in the middle of the summer, it can get below freezing with damaging wind chill factors.

I don't plan a day to hike. I watch when the weather will be clear at the top and go. The top is almost always in the clouds.

[Happy Gourmand]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

From NH Fish & Game
http://www.theheartofnewengland.com/...ashington.html

Please make sure you follow the advice. If by chance you need emergency assistance and F&G feels you have not prepared for the hike, you may be facing a huge bill for rescue efforts!

Even in the middle of the summer, it can get below freezing with damaging wind chill factors.

I don't plan a day to hike. I watch when the weather will be clear at the top and go. The top is almost always in the clouds.

Right on about the temperature change. The day we went up on bikes, it was in the 90's at the base, it was 32 at the top.

[pcmc]

Originally Posted by The Phantom Gourmand

Right on about the temperature change. The day we went up on bikes, it was in the 90's at the base, it was 32 at the top.

We have driven up twice. Once a few years back we took my parents up to get away from a brutal humid July day. The observatory area had a small pile of snow hiding in the corner. We were pleasantly surprised at how cool it was up there. Bring a lite coat when you go. Definitely a very interesting place to visit, a clear day at the top is a must.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by pcmc

Sorry, I realize its a much longer hike. Do you need any specific gear to ascend and descend or are the trails manageable by foot alone.

You don't need any special mountaineering gear, it's really just a long walk in rugged terrain with potential for craptastic weather.

Good shoes and socks are a must. I like light-weight hiking shoes by Merrill. They need little to no break-in and seem ruggedly made. Polypropylene sock liners and wool blend hiking socks round out the foot gear nicely.

Avoid cotton clothing and layer up so you can adjust clothing for 90 degrees and sunny down to 30 degrees and windy/wet.

You can get water and snacks at the AMC huts and at the summit so you don't need to carry vast amounts of either. That said, I still think it's hard to beat a Camelback and some easy to access trail mix. I also bring ibuprofen and 5 hour energy. Those two things can convert a miserable descent into a walk in the park.

For a laugh, bring some apples and give them to people you are hiking with while your are climbing (not during a break). It's funny to watch how quickly a person can get out of breath trying to eat an apple and climb steeply at the same time.

[pcmc]

Fantastic, a huge thankyou Dave!

Love the hikers humor.lol.

Originally Posted by Dave R

You don't need any special mountaineering gear, it's really just a long walk in rugged terrain with potential for craptastic weather.

Good shoes and socks are a must. I like light-weight hiking shoes by Merrill. They need little to no break-in and seem ruggedly made. Polypropylene sock liners and wool blend hiking socks round out the foot gear nicely.

Avoid cotton clothing and layer up so you can adjust clothing for 90 degrees and sunny down to 30 degrees and windy/wet.

You can get water and snacks at the AMC huts and at the summit so you don't need to carry vast amounts of either. That said, I still think it's hard to beat a Camelback and some easy to access trail mix. I also bring ibuprofen and 5 hour energy. Those two things can convert a miserable descent into a walk in the park.

For a laugh, bring some apples and give them to people you are hiking with while your are climbing (not during a break). It's funny to watch how quickly a person can get out of breath trying to eat an apple and climb steeply at the same time.