March 2007 Presidentials Traverse
On March 12, 2007 NYSection members Ron Bixby, Bill Eldridge, and Vic Benes climbed the steepening 3.9 miles from Appalachia to Gray Knob cabin (RMC) with 35-40 lb. packs. The previous week's -30 deg.F freeze had solidified the local spring, so they chopped and melted ice. A trio returned from a climb of Jefferson, describing the wind as horrific; however the caretaker came back a bit later from a jaunt (13 m.) to the summit of Mt. Washington, saying it was not too bad, he had only been knocked over a couple of times. On Tuesday, March 13, they made a 6:20 am start from Gray Knob, with Sphinx Col or Red Pond by Eisenhower in mind as possible bivvy spots, depending on how far they got. Coming into Edmands Col on the Randolph Path at sunrise, they saw a fleeting but cheerful alpenglow on the side of Mt. Jefferson and in Edmands Col itself. The wind in the Col was strong but bearable. They started up Mt. Jefferson on the steep snow of the Gulfside Trail into a whiteout, following cairns nearly buried in drift. Passing the Jefferson summit loop turnoff and the Six Husbands Trail, they emerged onto Monticello Lawn. The whiteout broke apart occasionally, showing sunlit snapshots of Mts. Adams and Madison. Sphinx Col passed by at 9 am ! Then up the long climb bypassing Mt. Clay, under the Cog Railway trestle to the Westside Trail; strongest winds encountered here. The trio faced down a momentary temptation to go go to the summit of Mt. Washington a mile away. Another 0.9 miles brought them to the Crawford Path; then it was downhill to Lakes of the Clouds Hut (AMC) at 11:50 am, where the filthy "emergency shelter" was eschewed for lunch break outside. Then around the steep eastern shoulder of Mt. Monroe, past Mt. Franklin, down to the Edmands Path at Mt. Eisenhower. Camping at Red Pond was declared otiose. To stay in shape, they elected to go over rather than around Eisenhower, and with the packs increasing shoulder pain on the descent from Mt. Pierce, reached Crawford Notch at 5:05 pm, for a total of about 14 miles for that day. The other car was recovered by a shuttle, and they were enjoying beer and hamburgers by 7:30 pm. A good time was had by all. Ho hum.Vic Benes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
