Part of the reason Mt Washington is so deadly is that it’s “right there.” In other words, it’s so accessible all sorts of people ascend its trails. Many start small, then keep going, incentivized by the occasional views that grow larger and more frequent as they climb. Eventually some reach the alpine zone. And some of these end up on top of a 6288-foot mountain they aren’t prepared for. Most make it, nonetheless, then turn and go home, wiped out by the experience by day’s end. In those cases it’s a good thing the weather didn’t change or something didn’t happen that might have been too much of a challenge. It’s really hard to understand and imagine how terrifying it can be. Some realize there are sides to this mountain they don’t truly understand, they know there’s lots to learn. But they want to go for it anyway, but hire a guide to make sure they, one, maximize the positives, and, two, minimize the negatives.
The guest on this trip was a fit New Yorker, a recreational runner, and experienced hiker. She wasn’t looking for anything extreme, and often hikes alone if a friend isn’t available. But due to the length of this hike, her unfamiliarity with the mountain, coupled with a strong desire to avoid said extremes this mountain (and many of our mountains) can dish up, she reached out to us looking for a knowing companion. That’s where we come in. In this case, our guest led by Redline Guide Debra McCown and they clearly had a great day. Debra’s photos follow…
