Mt. Washington - what comes next?

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mjacobsen

 
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Mt. Washington - what comes next?

by mjacobsen » Tue Apr 04, 2017 7:43 pm

Hey all,
First post, and glad to not be lurking any longer. Some friends and I did Mt. Washington last week via Lions Head, and it was spectacular. Especially the Lions Head itself. I'm looking forward to the next winter season (since I live in Ohio, my lead time for travel/logistics is longer), and I'd like to know what you all think is a good mountaineering destination similar to Mt. Washington that we can tackle in Jan-Mar of 2018. Thanks!

Matt

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nartreb

 
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Re: Mt. Washington - what comes next?

by nartreb » Wed Apr 05, 2017 3:22 pm

In my mind, "similar to Mt Washington [via Lion Head Winter Route]" means:
-nontechnical, but probably carry an axe, and usually use crampons
-very easy approach (plowed road to base of trail)
-altitude is not a factor (no acclimation needed)
-significant name recognition (regional highpoint, famous weather)

Staying in the Northeast for the moment, you're going to sacrifice one of those.
In New Hampshire, Mt Adams or Mt Lafayette are very much like Mt Washington, just not as famous.
In New York, several options in the Adirondacks, of which Mt Marcy is the most famous. Longer approach, you should consider camping.
Vermont, look at Camel's Hump (Mt Mansfield is more famous and a bigger mountain with more area above treeline, but it's also a ski resort,sort of takes the shine off the experience to meet someone on top who rode a ski lift most of the way).
In Maine, Katahdin is superior to Mt Washington in every way, but the approach requires a lot of planning and effort (roads are not plowed, so you're skiing in).

You should also consider something on the West Coast. Mt Baldy, outside of L.A., fits the bill other than fame and weather (you can still use crampons and axe if you head straight up Baldy Bowl, but don't dress nearly as warmly as for Mt Washington). In the Pacific Northwest, Mt St Helens could be ideal (though I'm not sure what the roads are like in winter), and there are probably a few others.

I suspect anything in the Rockies that's somewhat famous will be more altitude than you want to tackle with limited vacation days.

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stoaX

 
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Re: Mt. Washington - what comes next?

by stoaX » Wed Apr 05, 2017 7:34 pm

After reviewing Nartreb's post above, give us some more specifics about what you're looking for. My mind thought immediately of Mt. Mitchell in NC because it's the highest point east of the Mississippi and not too far away from you.

Mt. Whitney in CA can be done in a day hike in the summer and fall (if you're fit) but there are a lot of logistical details to be worked out such as permits, travel, acclimation...

Let us know what you decide!

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Re: Mt. Washington - what comes next?

by mjacobsen » Tue Apr 18, 2017 6:03 pm

Great feedback so far. To give some context, we did Rainier back in '05, and in the last couple of years I've re-kindled my love of the mountains and done a variety of peaks while on business trips, such as Long's in CO, Wheeler Peak in NM (winter ascent), Mt Olympus in UT, and a smattering of smaller ones in CA. Additionally, we like to go out every few months on a backpacking trip on the east coast - primarily PA, VA, and WV. Did Mt. Rogers last September with the kids, have done the Dolly Sods region a couple of times, and Laurel Highlands region in PA.

I am intrigued by Mitchell and Klingman's Dome as well, but I'm guessing those are more in line with the backpacking type trips that we've done? As far as finding trips like Mt Washington, I think my objectives are:

1) alpine or alpine-like
2) remote - the plowed road up to lion's head was nice, but by no means a requirement
3) at least semi-technical (I want to keep the skills fresh that I've acquired at various classes in NE, such as glacier traversal)
4) good for training skills that are relevant for longer term goals of Denali and Aconcagua

I spoke to one mountaineer who spent a lot of time on Mt Washington in the winter (as well as Rainier and several Mexican peaks) to prep for a Denali ascent.

Along those lines, I've been checking out Teton and Gannett as well for mid-2018, but would love to hit something closer on the east coast to add to the training regimen. Does this make sense, or do I just sound like a mountain-struck lunatic that wants to climb everything?

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anita

 
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Re: Mt. Washington - what comes next?

by anita » Thu May 11, 2017 10:18 pm

YOU'RE GONNA DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Re: Mt. Washington - what comes next?

by John Duffield » Mon Jun 12, 2017 2:30 pm

Image

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Re: Mt. Washington - what comes next?

by mikegillam » Sun Sep 03, 2017 12:46 am

How about Mt Washington in winter? December/January can be a different world compared to April. Shorter days, colder weather, snow, wind. I am also in Ohio and lover NH in winter...will probably be going back in late December


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