Traverse of Determination

It's my life's goal to someday summit Mount McKinley. Someday.

For now the Whites are the closest thing I have to training and conditioning for that day. One year ago, on June 20 I completed my first traverse across the Presidential Range. It was a Thursday, the day after getting off a work shift of working more than 80 hours in the week. The summits were supposed to be trending towards clearing that afternoon and decently high winds around 45mph. It was an intern, co-worker, and I. We packed up the night before and set our alarms for 3:00am. Hoping to hit the trail for 3:30am.

We hit the trail roughly around 4:00am that morning. Taking Hawker Ridge Trail up Mount Madison. With the research we all had done, going North to South was the easier way to do it. Get the hard stuff done and out of the way. We reached the summit of Madison where the winds were blowing pretty good. Good enough to almost take me down, and in the distance there was no other summit to be seen. The fog quickly surrounded us and what I remember most this day was focusing mostly on cairns.

We set out with plans to summit all peaks on the way to route 302. However, we somehow managed to get lost on Mount Adams and ended up going down Lowes Path 1 mile & realized we went the wrong way and had to turn back. Adding 2 extra miles to our already long trek, we all started to feel the effects of how long this day was going to be and started to lose all hope of finishing. Well, we figured just getting to Mount Washington (our escape plan mountain) as fast as we could we be the smartest idea. So, we skipped Jefferson, Clay, and Monroe based on our feelings of exhaustion taken over. Many friends boosted our moral when we got to Washington and said "Just go for it. It's all down hill from here." And so we did. We finished out the southern presidentials and hit every peak except Mount Pierce. Which by the time we had gotten there and saw we had another 3.1 down to the car, not one of us had the energy to even think about it.

Standing happily exhausted on Mount Eisenhower 6/20/12

Almost one year later, here I am writing this blog to share my experience with others. The plans were to hike across the Wildcats & Carters to knock some 4k's off my list. When I checked the weather and noticed what the Higher Summits Forecast was, I couldn't resist. I made the last minute suggestion of hiking another Presidential Traverse to a friend. This time hitting all of the actual summits named after the Presidents. He agreed and we both hopped in the cars at 7:00pm Sunday night to place a spotter car over at the Crawford Path Parking lot on Route 302.

I set my alarm for 3:00am, hoping to get on trail by 4:30. Arrived at the trail head parking lot for Pine Link Trail which we would ascend to the summit of Mount Madison. By 4:45am we were on trail.

One of my favorite signs.

Shortly after starting up the trail, dawn had already set in and the sun was quickly rising. Neither one of us had ever hiked Pine Link Trail and were both in for some serious climbing. The trail started off gaining in elevation steadily and then before I knew it I was using both hands and feet to maneuver my way up the trail for the majority of the way up to the junction of Hawker Ridge. I hated Hawker Ridge last year and this is why I decided to avoid it this time around. When I am climbing, I want to get above tree line as quickly as possible. Hawker Ridge was lots of gain and loss, gain and loss, and so on. So I settled to try Pine Link and just suffer through the last half of Hawker Ridge.

Pine Link Trail

Sunrise

I always find the first 4 miles and the last 4 miles to be the hardest of a traverse. Getting to the first summit and knowing after that you still have 16 more miles to go is mentally exhausting. Also, this is where you gain a good portion of your elevation gain because you are starting from the bottom of the mountain. Whereas the other summits are much less elevation gain when coming from the next peak over. The last 4 miles are typically when you start thinking about a really good meal and how much your feet hurt or your back and some how the trail just feels never ending back to the car.

We finally reached the summit of Mount Madison and made the decision we would quickly take in some awesome views and take our summit photos! On this trek I was determined to find the actual summit markers in the rocks and take those photos.

On the summit of Mount Madison #1

Mount Madison Summit Marker (5,367ft)

Onward we went. I figured stopping at Madison Spring Hut would be a good place to refuel for the long journey ahead. Not to mention refill my water. All set and ready to go, we snapped some more quick photos at the hut and checked the map. Star Lake Trail was where we were headed. I guess we could be called "South Bounders on a mission." 

The direction in which we are headed & my initial.

Star Lake with Washington (background) & Adams (right)

Taking a layer off I had put on while munching on my food at the hut, snapped a few more shots and started up. One mile from the hut to the summit of Mount Adams. Our second presidential we would hit on this seven summit quest we set out for. Adams looks to me extremely daunting and difficult to hike from the summit of Washington. However, this mile was less than difficult. Before I knew it, I was standing on top searching for the next summit marker. 

Mount Adams Summit Marker (5,774ft)

Mount Washington

On the summit of Mount Adams

I quickly finished my apple and decided to keep on moving. Not to mention the black flies were unreal on Adams. No amount of bug spray would keep these bad boys at bay. We connected to Lowes Path to Thunder Storm Junction. Here is were we got lost and missed Gulfside Trail last year. We missed it because the placement of the cairn for Gulfside was no where to be seen if you are standing in front of the sign telling you what direction to go in. We not only realized it was behind us but could not see it on the way down to T-storm Junction because of the thick fog. This time we did not make the same mistake! I met a really nice couple who was staying at Madison Spring Hut and had seen us arrive that morning right before they headed out for a short hike. Turns out it was his birthday! I didn't catch their names, but if you happen to read this.. Happy Birthday & hope you two enjoyed your day!

 

Thunder Storm Junction

Here it was, the third peak. Mount Jefferson. I had yet to actually hike to the summit of this mountain so this was a new one for me. It looked fairly difficult from a distance and from the top of Adams. As it should have. It was 2 miles to this summit and it was a pretty decent trek right up until the junction to which I took the Jefferson Loop to the top. Up I went. For the first time on this trek, this is where I really started huffing and puffing. Great.. I am getting a good workout.. but psh! What the hell was I thinking wanting to do all of the peaks? The first real pushing myself began here. It also included the only snow patch on trail that I would encounter for the entire trek across these beautiful mountain tops.

Snow Patch on Jefferson

On the summit of Jefferson #3

Jefferson summit Marker (5,712ft)

Next up was the one I always dread. Mount Washington. I have summited this mountain 9 times in the last year and I always dread hiking up the cone. Not to mention doing it after hiking 10 miles already. I put the camera away after Jefferson and trekked on towards the infamous 6,288ft peak. We took Gulfside Trail around Mount Clay instead of up and over. The last mile of this trek up the cone was extremely exhausting. My stomach growling, my feet starting to hurt, and my back sore from my pack. Looking ahead we could see a dozen or more people standing at the edge of the observation deck. I sighed. I really didn't want to stand in line for a photo after I worked so hard. As I came up and over the last bit of rock I saw NO ONE at the sign. We both booked it over to take our summit photo. The summit was infested with bugs. The worst one yet. I handed over my camera said "hurry take my photo, this is awful." My friend Mike took one photo told me how bad it came out and asked if I wanted another one. I quickly said "NO!" I grabbed his camera took his photo and booked it into the building to eat my lunch BUG FREE!

Mount Washington #4 Thrilled; but not about the bugs!

Lunch ended. As I packed up my stuff I got this rush of thrill of knowing I am halfway done with this goal and only 3 more summits to go. Again, I started to remind myself of how "it is all downhill from here." I was half right about that. We arrived at Lakes of the Clouds Hut and here is where I realized I forgot to put my sunblock on. WOOPS! I was officially burnt to a crisp. Put some on and up we went to Monroe. Remembering how short it was to the summit from Lakes, I somehow forgot the difficulty. It's probably not for most but I HATE steps. I don't prefer them when hiking and there are a lot of them on Monroe. We finally made it to the top and took our photos!

Summit of Mount Monroe #5

Mount Monroe Summit Marker (5,384ft)

At this point I am pretty much sick of going down big boulders and my left knee, which is my bad knee, started to hurt a little. We had to take the Monroe loop back to Crawford Path and over to our next summit. I enjoy hiking on this section of Crawford Path. It's fairly flat and is a great break for a good 2 miles.

Southern Presidentials from Mount Monroe

 I look up and ahead of me was Eisenhower. I debate in my head on just calling it quits and going around it and skipping Pierce. Something was telling me not to though. Up I went, pushing my legs as hard as I could and myself as fast as I could to just get to the top. Unfortunately, I could not find the summit marker on Eisenhower. I still got a photo though!

Summit of Mount Eisenhower (4,780) #6

One more summit to bag! I am officially hitting my end. I am starting to slow down and start to dread any bit of up I have left. I pull myself together and trek on to the junction of Mount Pierce. Just over a mile and I finally get there. I sat down at the bottom and took my pack off for no more than 2 minutes. My back was screaming. I think it's time I get another pack because this one is not doing me justice. I contemplate on leaving my pack at the junction and just running up and bagging Pierce, however the safe hiker in me said "no that is a stupid thing to do, even for .1 miles." So, I pick my pack back up throw it on and fly up to Pierce. AHH! I can't believe I've done it.

Mount Pierce Summit Marker (4,310ft)

Mount Pierce #7

3.1 miles back to the car. What a long 3.1 miles. My feet were throbbing, my knee in rough shape, and all I wanted was a greasy burger. As much as the last 3 miles of my journey were torture, it still was an unbelievable adventure. An accomplishment I set out to reach and I did it. This was my 7 Summit Quest. This was not just an ordinary day. This was a day that I will forever tell stories about for the rest of my life. 

When I am on trail and especially when I look back on what I've done, I think about how life is not about things you WANT or NEED it's really about finding the appreciation for what you already HAVE. When I find myself on a trail for 20 miles I tend to start thinking about how thankful I am to have a home, a kitchen, a warm bed to sleep in, a car for the days I don't want to walk, and all the wonderful people I've met and have been in my life for sometime now. I hope that if you are someone who is reading my blog and has never stepped foot on a hiking trail that you will try one day. If you start small, and go prepared, you will have the time of your life. 

Until then... 

Hike Safe & Keep on Trekking