Summits: Mount Adams (5,774'), Mount Madison (5,367')
Trail route: Valley Way, Osgood Trail, Gulfside Trail
Trail conditions: A variety of Spring conditions with bare ground, mud, water, icy, narrow monorail, bare rocks above treeline
Weather: Cool temps to start then warm later, sun and blue sky
Total miles: 10.4
Total time: 9:23
With a favorable weather forecast and hopefully semi-tolerable trail conditions I saw an opportunity to hike a couple of grid summits today. I was glad to have Robin and Amy join me for this hike. The last time I hiked to these summits was this past February, it was a cold, windy and lonely solo winter hike.
Robin and Amy arrived at the Appalachia parking lot a few minutes after me. We left the snowshoes behind and started out on a bare Valley Way trail. There was remnants of ice and snow after about a mile and a half. The trail then turned into a variety of conditions with sections of ice, snow, mud and water. After about two miles we put on microspikes when the snow was consistent. As we continued up a monorail was emerging and at times was very narrow creating a balance beam.
We arrived at Madison Hut and decided to hike Mount Madison first. We dropped our packs at the hut and kept the microspikes on for about 50 yards until there was no more snow or ice. We stashed the spikes under a rock and bare booted to the summit. There was a breeze blowing but it was quite tolerable. A few photos and we were on our way back down to the hut. We stopped and got our microspikes and carried them down. While we were taking a short break a helicopter flew up and dropped off a load of scaffolding not far from the hut.
We got our packs and put the microspikes on again for the trek up Gulfside Trail to Mount Adams. This was short-lived since there was only a short section of snow and it was back to bare boots. Our route took us out to Thunderstorm Junction rather than straight up Air Line. It's a little longer but a more gradual ascent. We reached the summit and enjoyed the panoramic views. We then retraced our route back down off the summit.
Back at the hut we put on trail crampons for the hike down Valley Way. Not a hundred yards down from the hut one of my crampons broke. I would have to do the descent with microspikes. The trail snow had softened and made for a slick monorail. The microspikes were doing a fair job of handling it but the trail crampons would have been better. When we reached the trail where there was more rocks and dirt than snow we removed our traction. There was still a few tricky areas but not a problem and better than dulling up the spikes.
We arrived back at the parking lot at 5:30 PM, a long, tough hike done. I was so glad to have these summits checked off for April. My grid hikes are done for this year and I will have eight more summits in four more hikes to complete the grid next year, current count 568/576. A big Thanks to Robin and Amy joining me for this hike today!
Enjoy the photos and videos!
A view of Madison and Adams on the way to the trailhead
The hike starts here
Bare trail to start
A variety of rotting snow, water and mud
More snow on the trail
Deep but firm snow
Narrow monorail
Right into the danger zone
Arriving at Madison Hut
Mount Washington seen between Madison and Adams
Mount Washington and Mount Adams
On top of Mount Madison
Wildcat Ski Area now closed for the season
Amy and Robin enjoying the views
On our way to Mount Adams from Mount Madison
Robin and Amy descending Madison
Heading back down to the hut
Helo delivers scaffolding to the hut
A look back at Mount Madison and Madison Spring Hut
Pausing to look up at our next summit
Thunderstorm Junction
On the summit of Mount Adams
Mount Washington and Mount Jefferson
Mount Washington from Thunderstorm Junction
Mount Madison
Pausing at Madison Hut before continuing our descent
A final view before entering treeline
Descending on the monorail
Monorail becomes narrow
Soft ice
Back at the trailhead
Having Fun in the Great Outdoors
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