A Winter Trek Up New Hampshire's Tallest Mountain
Kyle Lawson
Mt Washington
Mt Washington, NH
Last summer I set a goal to climb to the summit of Mt. Washington in the winter. Mt. Washington is the tallest mountain in New England standing at 6,289 feet. It is also home to some of the world's worst weather with the world record wind gust of 231 mph being recorded at its summit. Due to these factors, it is no walk in the park when climbed during the winter months. The climb requires mountaineering crampons and an ice axe is recommended. During my climb in late January, I was lucky enough to experience 20 degree temperatures and light wind. I set out just before dawn and broke through tree line right as the sun peaked out over the horizon. Due to the warmer temperatures the clouds had lowered and created an undercast which made the view spectacular. The whole climb took about 8 hours and was well worth it. However, do not attempt to summit this mountain in the winter unless you have all of the necessary equipment and have been tracking the weather.
Leave a comment