READERS COMMENTS

For a couple of decades I and a group of friends would camp at Hermit Lake Shelters or Harvard Outing Club Cabin for a winter summit trip on New Years Eve, trying to be the first climbers to summit on New Years Day each year. We made it up about half the years. Other years the weather was bad (we'd have to wait a day or 2)or someone got sick. Another good tip: don't attempt Mt. Washington unless everyone is feeling 100% healthy!
Posted: Jan 20, 2012 Russ Natualist

For a couple of decades I and a group of friends would camp at Hermit Lake Shelters or Harvard Outing Club Cabin for a winter summit trip on New Years Eve, trying to be the first climbers to summit on New Years Day each year. We made it up about half the years. Other years the weather was bad (we'd have to wait a day or 2)or someone got sick. Another good tip: don't attempt Mt. Washington unless everyone is feeling 100% healthy!
Posted: Jan 20, 2012 Russ Natualist

about 20 years ago my best friend asked me to go with him to hike mt. Washington. At the time I hiked a lot in pa. Where we live near blue mt. Ski area. I said yeh sure why not, I knew a little about the mountain but turns out not enough. We were lucky because it was july but it was not like the july we knew on the summit. The weather turned to crap at the bottom of tuckerman with misty rain n light wind all the way to the summit. We made it but wet n tired, wayne wanted to hike back down and I talked him out of it.
We sat inside n warmed up and the wind out
Side hit speeds I have never seen in my life ever. We took the shuttle off the mountain. Best 15 bucks I ever spent! Since then I have hiked there 4 more time and skiing tuck's but we were well geared up. I still to this day tell people that mountain can kill u if u r stupid or think u have big balls!
Posted: Jan 17, 2012 randy neiser

it doesn't take a real man to hike mt Washington in January in shorts. it takes an idiot.
Posted: Jan 12, 2012 smarter than a 5th grader

it doesn't take a real man to hike mt Washington in January in shorts. it takes an idiot.
Posted: Jan 12, 2012 smarter than a 5th grader

Is it really that dangerous? I just watched a video of some girl who did a solo, night ascent of Mt. Washington:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4housdZL4s
Posted: Jan 03, 2012 Todd Mulligan

For your safety dont overextend yourself and be in shape many people have died from pride and from failing to return to ground below the treeline in bad weather the deaths will continue on mount washington people making bad judgements and there continuing to trust lady luck will add more names to the death list its tradgic and most could have been prevented by being prepared and using common sense and having respect for a mountain that has taken so many lives
Posted: Oct 28, 2011 craig calabrese

For your safety dont overextend yourself and be in shape many people have died from pride and from failing to return to ground below the treeline in bad weather the deaths will continue on mount washington people making bad judgements and there continuing to trust lady luck will add more names to the death list its tradgic and most could have been prevented by being prepared and using common sense and having respect for a mountain that has taken so many lives
Posted: Oct 28, 2011 craig calabrese

For your safety dont overextend yourself and be in shape many people have died from pride and from failing to return to ground below the treeline in bad weather the deaths will continue on mount washington people making bad judgements and there continuing to trust lady luck will add more names to the death list its tradgic and most could have been prevented by being prepared and using common sense and having respect for a mountain that has taken so many lives
Posted: Oct 28, 2011 craig calabrese

For your safety dont overextend yourself and be in shape many people have died from pride and from failing to return to ground below the treeline in bad weather the deaths will continue on mount washington people making bad judgements and there continuing to trust lady luck will add more names to the death list its tradgic and most could have been prevented by being prepared and using common sense and having respect for a mountain that has taken so many lives
Posted: Oct 28, 2011 craig calabrese

For your safety dont overextend yourself and be in shape many people have died from pride and from failing to return to ground below the treeline in bad weather the deaths will continue on mount washington people making bad judgements and there continuing to trust lady luck will add more names to the death list its tradgic and most could have been prevented by being prepared and using common sense and having respect for a mountain that has taken so many lives
Posted: Oct 28, 2011 craig calabrese

Im planning on hiking nov 26/27. Im expecting it to be cold. Im on a solo mission. Is this wise. Driving from canada. Cant find any buds to go with. I will take 12hrs up boott spur n down lions head?? What ghe funnest n challenging routes up with rocks??
Posted: Oct 26, 2011 cosman

Im planning on hiking nov 26/27. Im expecting it to be cold. Im on a solo mission. Is this wise. Driving from canada. Cant find any buds to go with. I will take 12hrs up boott spur n down lions head?? What ghe funnest n challenging routes up with rocks??
Posted: Oct 26, 2011 cosman

Only an inexperienced backpacker/hiker would attempt to go up Mt. Washington unprepared. What is this "pride" thing, anyway? Do you really think it's pride or is it just ignorance? In either case, I would not want a hiking partner afflicted with one or both. Chose your trails wisely, your gear wisely and your partners wisely.
Posted: Sep 15, 2011 anonymous

We just got back from there and Saturday, 8/13 was a perfect day on the summit of Mt. Washington. I have been up there many times and rarely do you get clear weather for the entire day without something else going on. Clear skies and very slight breezes for the entire day got sandwiched in between 4 day spells of tough weather.
Sometimes you just get lucky!
Posted: Aug 15, 2011 Rich

I spent a day near the summit of washington years ago counting hikers and goofers for the AMC. this was in the late July at a trail junction. I was wearing a down jacket, winter hat and gloves because it was snowing prety hard for a few hours. There were lots of walking idiots who did not belong there.
Posted: Aug 11, 2011 VT Hiker

I did Mt. Washington in Feb 2008. Blue sky lower, but it was a full storm by the time we hit the summit: socked in with 60 mph wind, as per the Observatory, but "warm" at only 14F. It must have been 80 mpg lower along the ridge. Had the correct winter gear, so no problem, other than the near white-out conditions. Lot of fun.

Some earlier posters mention the Knife's Edge. If they mean Katahdin in Maine, that is more a blunt edge. The crux there is the 30' notch you have to navigate at the north end. The actual Edge is nothing at all. Capitol Peak in Colorado is the real Knife Edge, where you can literally straddle it, with 1,500 feet shear on both sides - hold on! But I really enjoyed Katahdin, and if you chose the right trails, it is a good workout.
Posted: Aug 11, 2011 Thop

I did mt. washington in january with shorts on. Not too many people can handle this, but I can. It takes a real man to do it.

Clayton Kern - I hiked Knifes edge with a BAC of .2. ohhh, knifes edge, aahaha!


Posted: Jul 24, 2011 JD

I agree with you Frank, I think Knifes edge is considerably more dangerous than several of these hikes. Also the official land speed record is now claimed by Barrow Island Australia since 2010. I've climbed Washington once during the summer and it was a cake walk, but after 2 failed winter summit bids I finally made it on my 3rd attempt in 2010. It was one of the toughest but most amazing things I've ever done.
Posted: Jul 19, 2011 Clayton Kern

dsf
Posted: Jun 19, 2011 Anonymous

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