The White Mountains in New Hampshire are my Church.

I go there to test myself, rest myself, and heal my frayed mind in and above tree line 

It’s magic.

However, this place can be a 3^rd rail if the weather turns. 

You gotta be ready for it and make smart decisions.

Back in 2019, I drove up from Boston to attempt a beauty of a day hike over three iconic mountain peaks in the Presidential Range.  Madison, Adams, & Jefferson.

Got to the top of Madison in a steady rain with June temps resembling October (35 Deg. F).   And me in running shorts with only two t shirts and a rain shell.

Jacket saturated, winds picking up, temps not warming with the rising sun, and moss covered, slippery rock tops begging to fracture my chicken bone ankle with every step.

I was approaching hypothermic.  

Add it all up and I become a 30 second morning news clip:

A Dorchester man hiking alone in the White Mountains apparently died from exposure when he became immobile after breaking his ankle during inclement weather above tree line…

Eject, Bail!

I warmed up at Madison Hut and regrouped.  No Adams and Jefferson summits on that day.  I left the hut and beat a hasty retreat down the Valley Way trail to get back to tree line and the safety of its weather protecting canopy.

Frustrated at the fail that day, I went back to camp.

 Some other time, I thought while also reminding myself that I made the right decision.

Fast forward to June 2021.

Last month I drove up from Boston for redemption. 

Other great mountain runs have happened in between that 2019 busted attempt and now.  But, pondering the map of this nice, tidy three Presidential peak hike has been motivating.

This needs to get done.

Here we are again.  Base camping at my favorite NH State Park – Moose Brook…

After an anxious sleep, I launch from the Appalachia Trail Head at 6:10am with a belly full of breakfast and ambitions of clipping this off in around 6 hours.  Gotta be close to a bar stool for lunch in Gorham Center.

Or, maybe just get back in time for an afternoon swim with the warm sun and cool mountain run off water at Moose Brook.

The forecast was for high winds all day and rain in the afternoon.  Mild temps, but steady 30 mph gales at the peaks gusting to 60 mph.

MMMMmmmmm.  Some compromises start to simmer.   Not again 😦

Get up and over Jefferson before the PM rains start.  Just try!

I have to reign in some ego and dial back my self imposed pressing goal. 

Clouded, wind driven peaks are NF (No Fun) – And dangerous.

I don’t want to be that solo hiker with an ankle wedged between two giant rocks at Madison summit…”Please Help Me…Anyone?”

I set off with hopes of bagging three mountains, but will settle for zero if it gets too risky.

There has to be an attempt though – Driving 200 miles to not try is weak.

I’m no more than 50 steps into the hike when I notice two young dudes with loaded packs surveying the arrows on the trail sign post.

“Where you headed?”  They ask.

“Madison Summit, then the hut.”  No need to unveil the entire day – I want to move now and cover ground.

“Do you know where the Presidential Traverse Trail starts?”

Oh boy, two youngsters who didn’t do their pre-hike research.

The Pres. Traverse is an epic 18 mile hike over 8 peaks following a half dozen different trails.

They think they are getting to Mount Washington and back from here on this stormy day.

Though I want to start lecturing, I just lead the way up Madison.  When the grades increase and the real hiking starts, the trail will recalibrate their plans for them.

20 minutes later I break left on the Watson Path and encourage them to stay straight on Valley Way and see how they feel at the Col between Madison and Adams.

“You’re looking at 8+ hours of hiking if you guys want to do a round trip to Washington while tagging the 4 peaks in between.”

Reality is starting to come into focus for them as they head off up the trail talking about a new plan for the day. 

“Good call“- I say out loud to myself.

My reality starts with a calendar page worthy waterfall…

Then Mr. Watson gets down and dirty with straight up the mountain rocks and roots on a narrow direction in the woods.

I prepare to break tree line and touch the warning sign that always makes you feel a little badass when you choose to continue.

“Bad” turns to “Dumb” and that smugness disappears instantly when the first wind gusts hit me. 

                                                            DUMBASS!!!

30 miles per hour of gale crashes into my sweat soaked shirt and pushes me sideways on the wet rocks. 

The trees are gone.

I’m exposed.

Very grateful that the temps are on the mild side.  No rain, but damp air rushes past me like I’m stuck in one of those car aerodynamic testing wind tunnels.

At the summit of Madison, here’s what’s going on:

Oh yeah.  This is great fun.  I can see exactly 17 feet in all directions atop this 5,300 foot mountain.

WTF?

2 more peaks just like this.  I dunno.

My spirits lift climbing down the Western face as Madison Hut comes into view.

The wind recedes with each descending step.

Sweet refuge ahead!

I plop down at one of the long bench tables to regroup.  The handful of people gathered all chat about alternate hiking plans, changing reservations at the next hut to the next day – everything but, hitting any summits today.

But, I’m feeling a forward push and not tired.

10 minutes later – With water topped off, food eaten, and dry shirt put on, I plunge out the door and start my charge up Adams.

Worst case – I retreat back to hut.  This place is now a lifeboat in stormy seas.  I’m mentally tethered here.

In the Col between the two mountains, the wind is at bay.  This lifts my mood at the beginning of the Star Lake Trail.  And as the ascent starts, a small edge of the sun pokes through the angry grayness.

Hey there’s the Mount Washington auto road. 

Is this shitty day turning good?

I’m bounding up the South East face of Adams with new hope of getting this summit then Jefferson. 

It can happen….

…..

……

……Or not.

20 minutes later and half way up, the Whites block out the sun and turn the switch on that wind tunnel again. 

For reference, the peak at  Madison was at 7 on the misery meter.

But, at the top of Adams – I say out loud –  the classic scene from This is Spinal Tap – “But these go to 11.”

At the summit, the wind is at 11.  I’m pushed all over.

Lifting a leg to take a step unbraces my stance and is a risk. 

I round the wooden sign at the intersection of Star lake & Airline trails and hurry myself down before my body weight isn’t enough to keep me on the ground.

Brutal.

600 feet down, the wind lessens.  I hop on the Gulfside Trail and take some internal measurement. 

Body = Good.  Legs still feel strong and able to finish.

Mind = In deliberation.  Yes, I could tough out the summit of Jeffferson, but should I? 

All I did at Adams summit was survive it.

Get off these rocks before it rains. Says safety monitor brain.

Get that last summit you wimp – It’s right here! Says the competing brain.

This debate.  This two sided argument bounces around during the 2 mile approach to Jefferson.  I pass a couple other intrepid hikers on the way. 

One looks great and hikes past at a pace seemingly unaffected by the conditions.

Another looks weary and beaten as he yells out over the wind how far is Madison Hut?

Unresolved in my decision at the base of the climb to Jefferson, I switch on the video as if my phone is the jury that will render the verdict.

NO it is. Talking out loud helped.

All that’s waiting for me up there is potential disaster. Better to retire safely and hike another day. Jefferson has been here for thousands of years. It’s be here next year and the year after.

With a little extra time now, I choose the long & winding Randolph Path as my exit.

The wind dies down with the descent. My anxious brain returns to its normal stasis. Time to enjoy the rest of today.

The path is a lumpy, craggy piece of single track cut into the edge of the mountain. Looks lightly used. Rocks and roots splay into and around it.

I slip some. Fall a couple times. But, I don’t care.

After a couple hours of fast hiking, the grade flattens a bit and I run the last 2 miles to the Appalachia Trail Head.

Sweet Relief!

Yes, I fell short. Yes, this is the 2nd time I’ve tried this loop and failed.

But, as I strip off my pack and get out of my sweaty, wet clothes, I’m fully satisfied.

I tried. I efforted. I lived.

Good enough.

I’ll be back to make this happen another day.

UPDATE June 2022

Finally!

Got all three summits on much less windy day and kicked off a new tradition.

This long camping weekend and hike happened on Summer Solstice.

I really enjoyed celebrating the longest day of the year in the mountains.

So that’s where I’ll be every year going forward- Likely right here in the White Mountains 🙂