Huntington Ravine for STP- Make-up Hike

So as you know from my last post, things did not exactly go as planned for Seek the Peak. Josh was quite bummed about not getting to hike Huntington Ravine. So we made plans for him to take a Wednesday off and we could start early and end early in time to pick up Harper.

Weather was looking somewhat decent and we lucked out that Harper wanted to stay with her mom one more night while they were camping. This meant we had the entire day and no need to rush back down.

We decided no matter what we would start early. We wanted to be on trail by 6:00am. I continuously watched the weather over and over again. We packed up our bags and packed as light as possible. This was not only the first time Josh had been hiking Huntington Ravine Trail, but Mount Washington in the Summer too. Josh had only previously hiked Mount Washington in the winter via Lion Head Winter Route. I was quite excited to spend the day hiking all around Mount Washington with him, showing him all of the different trails, and secret spots on the Mountain I know so well!

The alarm went off, we got out of bed and enjoyed a cup of coffee before packing up the rest of our gear. We hit the road and were on trail around 6:15am. We were off. We started up Tuckerman Ravine Trail. Moving at a good pace we barely stopped. Actually, we stopped exactly one time before reaching the junction for Huntington Ravine Trail.

As we were hiking along Tuckerman Ravine Trail, the rocks were a bit wet, but not so much slick under the feet. When we first pulled into he parking lot the entire lot was soaking wet, as if a fresh rain shower moved through that morning. We discussed our option the entire hike to the junction. We knew this would be our bail out time and just head into Tuckerman Ravine and up the headwall. After the first mile and half, I realized I didn't slip once. The sun was shining directly into Huntington's and I took a chance. I told Josh, I thought it would be fine by the time we made it up to the headwall of Huntington's. He felt confidant in the shoes he was wearing as did I.

We started up the Huntington Trail, with wet roots, rocks, moss, and slugs all over. It was the wettest we had seen yet. This started to concern me a tad bit, but I talked myself out of it by convincing myself that the thick of the forest is always much more damp due to surrounding trees and bushes. It was incredibly muggy and hot as the desert in the heat of the summer. We pressed on, I let Josh take lead so I didn't move to fast. We took a couple stop for a quick snack and to catch our breath.

We crossed over the first Junction of Raymond Path and then the fire road. Shortly after the fire road is where you start to get your first views. It was pretty exciting. We finally making it into the large boulder field beneath, we maneuvered our way in, on, and around massive boulders. At one point coming to this very cool breeze that came up from underneath the rocks. It was like a breath of fresh winter air. It had to of been about 20 degrees coming up from underneath those rocks. We continued a little further, then to discover some ice and snow still left underneath those rocks. Trish and I had not seen or felt this on our trip up.

Within a few few from where we discovered the cold air, I then noticed a beaten up green trash can, full of trash. Not trash that had been sitting in the ravine for many seasons or even years. Fresh trash, that looked as if it was dumped yesterday. However, the trashcan was beaten to hell.

We continued onward, passing through the Krumholz and small bushes that were completely soaking us from waist down. Anytime we stopped I was bitten several times by many black flies. I tried to move as quickly as I could through this section because the moisture was soaking my boots, square, legs, and socks. It was starting to make for a slick hike up.

We finally made it to the first Slab. Here I sat down and quickly change my socks out for fresh dry ones and rang out the others of water. I was so thankful in this moment I carry and extra pair of socks, always. I lead and Josh followed. I took my time heading up and the slab was a bit slick in some sections but also very manageable. Josh followed suit and was right behind me. We continued upward, running into just a few and minor issues because of the wet rock, but all were manageable and we simply took our sweet ass time.

We had a feeling we would run into some of the guys Josh works with at the Eastern Mountain Sports Climbing School in North Conway. They had plans to descend into the Ravine and then Rock Climb up. We eventually passed them, they thought we were crazy for not being roped together, as they were. They were also going DOWN, which I think I will pass on doing.

Within a few more minutes we were onto the last section called the Chimney. We topped out and had a bite to eat. As soon as we hit the Alpine Garden, the clouds rolled in. We decided to hike up to the summit via Nelson Crag Trail. Again letting Josh lead the way, cairn to cairn is about as far as we could see. I do enjoy hiking in the fog, mostly because before you know it you are at the end and had no idea how close or far away you really were/are.

On the way up to Mount Washington, the clouds would rush by, winds blowing in the 40's, and then BAM a view of the building. Then nothing but gray again. As soon as we were about 50 ft from the Sherman Adams Building, the clouds cleared giving us a great view of where we were headed. We spent about 45 minutes eating lunch and making plans for the next move.

I asked Josh if he would be up for heading down to Lakes Of the Clouds Hut to check it out. He had also never been inside of an AMC Hut. He agreed and wanted to check it out. We packed up our stuff, waited 10 minutes too many at the summit of Mount Washington to get a photo together, then hit Crawford Path down to Lakes. 15 minutes later we were there. Josh isn't working on his 4k footers, but he will mark them off for each one he does do, so I told him about Monroe. I told him it would be a hop, skip, and a jump to Monroe and he could quickly knock another one off the list if he wanted. We took a peak into the hut, rested our legs for a few minutes and decided to hit Monroe. We flew up, took photos, and headed back down.

After Monroe we took Tucks Crossover to the Headwall. One of my favorite trails on Mount Washington. Eventually hitting the headwall, I thought it would be a shit show of people coming up. It wasn't too bad. We maybe saw a handful of people coming up as we were the only ones going down. We stopped to take photos of all of the waterfalls coming off the headwall, and then the one thing I had been looking forward too the most, the snow arch that was still in the Ravine. We finally made it to the bottom of the Ravine, stopped for some fresh water at the well pump right before hitting Hermit Lake then hit the trail for the rest of the way down and out.