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North Presidential Traverse 9-9-06
I started my Hike at 3:57AM at the Great Gulf Trail Trailhead. El 1350. I proceeded up to Osgood junction mainly by moonlight. Osgood trail grew very steep towards the tree line. I witnessed and photographed the sunrise just as I got above the tree line. The wind I encountered on the grind to Madison summit was intense, I would say gusts around 50-60 and sustained around 40. This was the hardest wind I encountered during the day. I ended up hiding in a cave as I added more layers. After nearly 2:45 I reached Monroe summit. I proceeded next to the Monroe hut where I got some water and watched people eating yummy pancakes (the smell made me very hungry). I continued past star “lake” and up to the Summit of Adams. The climb up Adams was sheltered and not windy. As I wandered between Adams and Jefferson I encountered my first non-me hiker. He breezed by me. I figured he probably started at the hut with the amount of energy he had. Some other hikers surfaced about ¾ mile behind me. I heard them clearly but after my initial viewing of them I never saw them again.
Jefferson summit was cloudy and cold. There was a real neat cairn up there. I opted to climb the Clay summit which looked big from the north but when you get to the top you realize it is just a puny bump!! I viewed the Cog railway with great excitement as I got ever closer to the rails. One train was going up and one down. As I ascended Washington I entered into the days “permafog” I encountered a lot of coal on the trail from the cog. When I reached Washington my camera threatened “dead battery” so I only took one picture (this made me very angry btw).
In the summit building I bought two of the best tasting pieces of pizza I have ever eaten in my life (not cause they were good, it was cause they were warm!). I did some talc-ing and some mole-skinning on my feet and decided to go for Monroe. I took Crawford trail down to lake of the clouds hut and slowly ascended Monroe which had 2 American flags.
As I descended I noticed rain clouds to the west so I made my escape for Tuckerman ravine. As I entered the fog on the crossover trail it began sprinkling. This did not make me one bit happy. I navigated the fog to Tuckerman Junction and began the sharp descent. As soon as I got to the top of the headwall it happened… A sudden downpour occurred. There I was on the worst trail in the world to be descending wet. I met some people I met earlier on my way down and chatted with them briefly. As soon as I reached the base of the wall the rain stopped. I proceeded to the shelter where I wrung out my clothes. Ultimately I reached Pinkham lodge trailhead and therefore my bike. I rode between trailheads on 16 back to my car as quickly as I could because on the mountains I could see more rain coming.
The second I get to my car (not a second before, not a second after, but the second) the downpour of biblical proportions starts. I disassemble my bike and throw it in my car. A lightning storm blows in and hits the presidentials with great fierceness and volume (a strike every few seconds sustained for several minutes.) I got a nice front row seat to views of some pretty amazing bolts. Boy was I glad I was in my car in a valley and not on the mountains, I really lucked out. Click Here for the Hike Map
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