For a long time, just thinking about climbing Mount Washington gave me chills and made me nauseous. A few years ago, Nick and I were in the White Mountains of New Hampshire for the first time. Reaching the top of Mount Washington (whether by car, foot, or railway) is a must do. It is the highest peak in New Hampshire and the highest in the Northeast. It is known as the “Home of the World’s Worst Weather” due to the convergence of three different weather systems at its peak. Clear summits are few and far between. For some time it held the record for the highest recorded wind speed at 231 miles per hour.

As anticipated, we drove up and were met with near zero visibility and a thunderstorm. We made it to the top and attempted to wait out the rain to visit the museum and weather station. With the unrelenting weather and thunderstorm, we drove down, hail pelting (and denting!) our car (in July!). I resolved that I would never go up there again and definitely not on foot. In fact, the entire Presidential Range was now out of the question.

Nick’s cousin Norman was in from California so we traveled up to New Hampshire to see him and his parents. While planning the very short weekend, we threw around the idea of hiking the entire Presidential Traverse, Mount Jefferson, or Mount Monroe and Mount Washington. Choosing a destination or choosing between trails is an arduous task – it’s a huge list of pros and cons. The Presidential Traverse was entirely too long for a day hike (22 miles and 9,000 feet gain); Mount Jefferson required more climbing than I was comfortable with. To my dismay, the trail we were researching to Mount Monroe (and then continuing on to Mount Washington) seemed to be the easiest of any option.

A Mount Monroe Hike Begins

We did not get an early start to the day as I had hoped we would. After checking the weather and packing our gear, we reached the trailhead at 1:00 in the afternoon, and I told Nick that it was highly unlikely we’d make it to Washington. We definitely had time to hit Mount Monroe, the fourth highest peak in New Hampshire. Nick’s really into superlatives, so this helped my cause. I was not prepared for a night hike down the most formidable mountain in the Northeast.

We had an unseasonably perfect day with no storms on the horizon. The Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail runs 3.1 miles and 2,500 feet up to the Lakes of the Clouds hut (run by the AMC) which provides shelter and meals to hikers in the summer months. From there, it is another .04 miles and only 350 feet to Mount Monroe and back, and another 1.5 miles and 1,300 feet to Mount Washington. We had our work cut out for us.

The trail quickly drops you into the lush forest of the Northeast. You’d never believe me, but the woods here remind me of a rainforest. Rocks and trees are blanketed with moss and mushrooms. We passed a placard in memory of Herbert Judson Young, an eighteen year old who died from hypothermia in the area in 1928. It was nearly impossible to think that such a gorgeous area in the summer could be that unforgiving in the winter. After about a mile, we came to a T intersection with the Ammonoosuc River and stayed right. The trail hugs the river for the majority of the trek up and it is an incredible treat – the water kept us cool and comfortable. The path is covered with stray rocks and root systems and we had to look down to watch our footing. Just being out in the woods is incredible, but this route is so packed with natural features, it is very difficult to make good time. We often stopped to investigate the micro environments around us. The raging river drowned out the conversation as we walked.

As we turned a corner, we found a gushing waterfall with the most inviting waters I’ve ever seen. We wanted to stop and swim so badly but knew if we did we’d be hiking back in the dark. Reluctantly, we passed the waterfall where we were met with a series of steep rocks. At that point, we were about 1.5 miles in and barely gained any elevation, so I knew the rest of the way was going to be brutal. We all took a deep breath and got to work.

I was embarrassed by how many times I had to stop to catch my breath (both because of the cardio and the height factor). Every time we stopped, I peeked behind my shoulder. The mountains we saw from the parking lot were beginning to be at eye level. Luckily, the trail began to get more technical, so I didn’t have time to worry much about the heights. The higher peaks of the Northeast all seem to follow the same format: a lovely jaunt through the woods, followed by rockier sections, followed by rock slides. I found the slides had texture so I felt secure in my footing. There were plenty of places to rest my hands and feet as we climbed.

The rock slides were skirting small streams that dumped into various waterfalls, following the mountain to the bottom. At one point, my aching legs and fear of heights combined to create a moment of weakness. I sat down and refused to get back up. The White Mountains were laid out before my eyes, but all I could do was attempt to hold down my breakfast. After taking a breather and reminding myself that people would be envious of my current position, I stood back up and continued on my way.

On most hikes in the Northeast, the alpine zone is not a considerable part of the trail. On this trip, however, we seemed to be in the alpine zone for a long time. We had passed many hikers who all said we were nearing the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. I know many hikers say that to keep you going, but I never, ever believe them. Finally, one woman was right. After passing her, I saw a glimpse of a building. I was overjoyed – we were almost there.

We stopped at the hut to eat our lunches. There was such an energy there – hikers of all ages were buzzing around – either getting ready for a short hike, checking in, or eating lunch. The hut gets its name from the lakes beside them and they were a nice addition to the view. The hut itself has an interesting history – after a couple of climbers perished in the extreme weather in the area in June of 1900, a shelter was built for emergencies only. Hikers, however, found this to be a welcoming spot and used the shelter for pleasure trips. In 1915, the AMC decided to build a new shelter exclusively for thru hikers. Employees hike up with food and provisions for guests on their backs.

Once appetites were satiated, we left the hut for our approach to Mount Monroe. We were incredibly close but I almost didn’t summit. I had a bit of an internal struggle – I had to dig deep to keep going. We made it to the summit at 5:00 PM, and after seeing the view from Mount Monroe’s vantage point, I was glad I kept at it. Mount Washington was to our left – its summit clear as glass. You could make out the trail to the top, where the weather station is located. Mount Washington is a little over 1,000 feet above Mount Monroe, but its approach and summit is all rocks. This was a stark contrast from the rest of the view – lush green mountains with trails running across them like arteries. The ridge line was so inviting. Had we had more time, I would have loved to keep going. Once we took our obligatory summit pictures, we headed down. We knew it was too late for Mount Washington, and although that stung a little bit, Mount Monroe gave us the views we wanted at 5,372 feet above sea level.

We slowly and carefully made our way down, chattering away from the excitement of the hike. We passed by the waterfall and the opportunity to swim. It was getting late and chilly and the waters didn’t seem nearly as inviting at this time of day.

On our final mile, it started getting dark. We made it to the car at 8:00, just as the sun slipped below the horizon. After a round of high fives, we piled into the car for the drive back to Nashua. While I have the upmost respect for Mount Washington, it no longer petrifies me. To Nick’s delight, I proclaimed I’d be back.

Need to Know

Information

Parking is $5. Lodging is available at the Lakes of the Clouds hut, though early reservations are imperative. Camping is allowed along the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. No camping above treeline and general back country camping regulations apply.

Best Time to Go

Challenging weather is possible at anytime of the year, and particularly during the winter months.

Getting There

From the New Hampshire Turnpike, take exit 25 for Route 3 North. Turn right on Route 302. Turn Left on Base Station Road. The parking lot will be on your right in about 5 miles.

Maps

National Geographic Trails Illustrated 741 as well as the AMC White Mountains Presidential Range Map.

Books

Mount Washington and the Presidential Range Trail Guide (AMC) by Gene Daniell & Steven D. Smith; Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire by Nicholas Howe.

Editor's Note: This article by contributor Sarah Tiedemann originally appeared in Issue 11 of TrailGroove Magazine. For additional photos and more you can read the original article in HD in the Premium Issue 11 PDF (included with an active Premium Subscription).