The Tallest President

Brian came back to us quickly — he told us he would. His last attempt of Mt Washington was thwarted by dangerous high water crossings, some open, others bridged by deteriorating snow. This time the ground conditions where much firmer, and the water levels more normal, so the mission was a success. The leader of this mission, both times, was Redline Guide Álvaro Marques. Here’s what he had to say about this trip:

Brian and I reached the summit of Mt Washington on a rare blue bird day. Going up the Cog always seems easier than what it really is. The steepness of this “trail” can make it a challenge by itself. Once we reached Jacob’s Ladder the terrain was so icy we had to be creative — a fall there would send us to the depths of Burt Ravine. Only at the top we experienced some winds, but still a lot warmer than what was expected. Not to mention there was a line for photos with the sign. We switched to crampons for the descent. Getting to the Lakes of the Clouds Hut on this day made it feel surreal: bare land of rock and snow. There we stopped to enjoy the sun, and some food [which we heard was amazing] before the final miles down the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. –Álvaro Marques

 

Here are some photos of their trip: