It seems like hiking up Mt Washington has become more popular than ever as we’ve fielded so many requests this past month. These requests range from taking on the notorious Huntington Ravine to “any trail that gets me up there.” Being the “Rock Pile” is the tallest mountain in the Northeast and has such a compelling history — both grand and tragic — we can understand and appreciate the draw. Leading this group of one was Redline Guide Debra McCown. And we happen to know she went way above and beyond, but we’ll let Debra tell it with her words followed by some photos of the trip.
This guest had Mt. Washington on her bucket list for 15 years. She wasn’t sure if she would ever do it, but on Saturday, she did! It took her a little longer than she expected, but the weather was about as good as one could ask for on the Rock Pile, with warm temperatures, bright sunshine, and minimal wind — a true ‘Presi day’ — which made for a chill vibe.
We went up Ammonoosuc Ravine, Crawford Path to the summit, and descended along the Cog tracks. Since by then it was late in the day, the shorter distance and simpler terrain felt like a safer option for the guest than Jewell. There was also a bonus hike for me when she realized at the summit that she’d left her phone and wallet at Lakes of the Clouds Hut, and I went back down to retrieve them. She had a slice of summit pizza and got to rest for over an hour before the descent.
We ended the day with headlamps on, but it was a dime of a day above treeline and, for the guest, a bucket-list goal achieved. —Debra
