Like so many people, a couple of friends from New Jersey came to us wanting to hike up Mt Washington. And as is becoming more and more popular, they wanted to descend by a different means, namely by way of the Auto Road (using the Shuttle or getting picked up) or via the Cog Railway. It should be noted that neither method is assured unless it is reserved in advance (the Cog). Otherwise assume availability is hit or miss and, of course, affected by the seasons. Regarding the details of the day, we’ll let Redline Guide Eric Hansen tell it.
We took Tuckerman Ravine Trail up to the summit, passing through pretty foliage and then evergreens, into the alpine. At the trailhead it was mid-70s and sunny, while at the summit it was 50 degrees, wind blowing 55 mph, sustained, and in the clouds. Our guests had never experienced conditions like that… quite the thrill! They both did great on this challenging hike and we had a blast. We enjoyed the views and nice weather (below about 6000′). After a break and summit visit, our guests decided that they’d get a little gift for their knees: tickets aboard the Auto Road Shuttle back down. Thirty minutes later, we’re back to our cars and no worse for wear. A really nice day out with great guests! —Eric
Eric, along with our guests, run into Redline Guide Debra McCown’s group. Busy day on the mountain!
