A couple came to us ready to start the year right. They began by taking our combined Winter and Mountaineering Skills courses on the final day of 2025. They then followed this up with a Mt Washington summit attempt on the first day of 2026. This was all part of our Two Day Winter Mt Washington Program. They didn’t summit, but between the high winds and frigid temps — what the mountain is known for — they did get a serious taste of the alpine environment which is memorable, fascinating, and sometimes scary. Both days were led by Redline Guide Debra McCown. Here are some of her words and photos.
A couple of serious hikers with an impressive backpacking resume came to learn ice axe and crampon skills to assist them in tackling wintry adventures. For one of them, this would be her first experience using this gear. So, while she said a New Year’s Day summit of Mt Washington would be nice, getting comfortable with the gear and learning skills she could build on was her main goal.
She was a bit nervous because it was all new, but it turned out she was a natural at the crampon and self-arrest techniques that she learned on day 1 — and more comfortable than expected on the snow-covered steeps of the Lion Head Winter Route on day 2.
It was very cold on the first day of January, and above treeline it was snowing with high winds and wind chills deep in the negative double-digits. (A glance at the summit conditions report that afternoon included 50mph sustained winds, 70mph+ gusts, and wind chills in ths -40s.) Once the pair topped out on the Lion Head winter route, she felt the day was a success — and opted to return for the summit in more pleasant weather.
It was two good winter days outside — and affirmation od the fact that, in a region where check-box hiking lists are prevalent, it’s not just about summits. Learning new skills and climbing different routes in different conditions are worthy goals, too. What a great way to ring in the new year! I’ll be keeping an eye out for the pictures from this couple’s next adventure, using the skills they learned here. —Debra
Day One: Training and Preparing for Day Two
Day Two: Applying the Skills Content of Day One
