Summits: Mount Washington (6,288')
Trail route: Up and down beside the cog railway
Trail conditions: Several inches of fresh soft snow with mud and water at lower elevations
Weather: Overcast sky with low cloud cover at Marshfield Station and in the clouds at the summit with howling wind and subzero windchill
Total miles: 6
Total time: 6:30
A trail report indicated good conditions going up beside the cog railway to the summit of Mount Washington. The forecast was calling for a window of partial clearing this morning after some fresh snow overnight. As I've said before, I take the weather report with a grain of salt. Our plan was to hike both Mount Washington and Mount Jefferson. I felt confident that this was a doable hike and would be joining Jill, Larry, Marty, Scott and Lisa on this adventure.
I was hoping to get by with my summer pack but after reading the current weather conditions on the summit of Mount Washington I decided to bring all the winter gear and my winter pack. On my way to the hike I could see that the high summits were in a low cloud cover but at least there wasn't any precipitation. I pulled up to the ticket shack to pay my $10 and was told that it is now $10 per car and not per person. This was a change since the last time I was here.
We parked just below the Marshfield Station building in a parking lot beside the tracks. Marty reported that he had hit a turkey on his drive up and had the cracked bumper with turkey feathers embedded to prove it.
The snowshoes stayed behind and we carried microspikes. As we started our hike the cog train was getting fired up to bring tourists up just past the Waumbek water tank. A very careful walk across an icy bridge over the Ammonoosuc River and we were on our way up.
The fresh, soft snow hid old snow that we would occasionally posthole through along with sections of mud and running water. As we got up to the Waumbek water tank the cog train arrived. There were two guys on the front of the train and each one had a broom clearing the snow off the tracks as the train came up. Further up we crossed under the tracks and up the other side. We were starting to get into the cloud cover.
As we got to Jacob's Ladder it was becoming apparent that the hike over to Mount Jefferson would not be easy. When we arrived at the trail leading to the summit of Washington we decided to continue along the tracks to the summit. The hike to Jefferson would not happen today. The visibility was very low and we could not see from one cairn to the next. We took the safe route to the top of Washington. There was a few snowdrifts that we broke through just before arriving at the summit.
The visibility was very bad on the summit and we were unable to see from one building to the next. The wind was howling and it was very cold. I quickly went up to the observation deck and took a picture of the railing covered in rime ice and then we all gathered at the summit sign for a photo. We sought out some shelter or at least some structure that kept the wind off from us. We found it underneath the end of the cog tracks. It was a large enough area for all of us to stand out of the wind. If necessary we could have gotten in further.
We took a short break and I had something to eat. Rime ice was covering all of us. We were soon starting our three mile descent back to Marshfield Station. Just before Jacob's Ladder I started to develop thigh cramps so I slowed down then stopped for a few minutes. While stopped I removed a layer as I was starting to sweat after coming down off the summit and the wind was diminishing. I caught up with the group as they were stopped waiting for me.
As the Waumbek water tank came into sight we could see the train coming up. It stopped at some buildings and the tourists got out and played in the snow. We continued down into softening and melting snow that created slippery conditions. A look back up the cog tracks saw the clouds lifting but the summits were never in the clear.
This was one of those hikes with conditions that were worse than expected. We came prepared and persevered. It was another great hike with this fun group of hikers. After a long season of winter hiking I would now like a warm Spring day hike. After all it is the end of April!
Enjoy the photos and video!
Our hiking route can be seen in the distance going up into the clouds
Starting our hike at Marshfield Station
Leaving Marshfield Station
Crossing a very icy and slippery bridge over the Ammonoosuc River
Ammonoosuc River
Fresh snow and cloud cover ahead
Waumbek water tank
A welcoming snowman
Buildings await the tourists
Here comes the train
Sweeping the tracks
This is as far as the train was going
Not a good place to cross the tracks
Fresh snow
Scott passes under the tracks
Jill maneuvers under the tracks
Heading up into the gray
Larry is down below in a thick haze
Jacob's Ladder
Rime icicles
Train trestle from below
Rime ice
Marty and Lisa head up further into the cloud cover
Scott comes into sight as he gets closer
Larry and Jill just barely visible
Here is where we decide to continue along the tracks to the summit instead of the trail cairns
The next cairn is barely visible
Marty and Lisa getting closer to the end of the tracks
Scott along the end of the tracks
Very low visibility on the summit
On the summit observation deck
Larry frosting up with rime ice
Rime ice on my backpack
Taking a break out of the wind
A refuge from the elements if needed
Time to go back down
Starting our descent from the summit
A brief stop beside the tracks
Clouds are starting to lift
We just passed under the tracks
Clouds continue to lift
Marty goes down
Marty gets up
Train full of tourists coming up
Back down at the Waumbek water tank
Bretton Woods in the distance
Tourists enjoying the snow after a ride up on the cog train
Crossing back over the bridge to Marshfield Station
Ammonoosuc River
A look back up the cog railway
Clouds lifting as we reach the bottom
Having Fun in the Great Outdoors!
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