The weather on Mt Washington can stop us from summiting. The ground conditions can stop us from summiting. A lack of conditioning or self-confidence can also stop us from summiting. And sometimes it is a combination of these things that can halt our progress. So what do we do? Well, we are sometimes hired to lead a do-over. As the well-known expression informs us: “The mountain will be there another day.” Such was the case with this do-over led by Redline Guide Debra McCown. With that said, here’s her summary and photos.
The Power of Trying Again
Today’s guest tried Mt Washington for the first time last year. That time, she was slower and far less comfortable on the steep, snow-covered terrain. Rough weather didn’t help, and after several snowy hours, we topped out on Lion Head, got a taste of extreme winds as the weather deteriorated, then returned to Pinkham Notch.
This year was different. She mastered more skills during the training portion of the 2-Day Mt. Washington program, came with a higher level of fitness that enabled her to move at a faster pace, made faster gear transitions, confidently tackled the Lion Head Winter Route in better snow conditions, and ultimately reached the summit on a cold and windy but otherwise blue-sky day.
It was awesome to see the growth she had achieved, both from last year to this year and over the 2-day program, to accomplish her objective on the second try! —Debra
Training Day
Climbing Day
