All - I have a few days in Boston with a hall pass and I thought I'd at least try to bag a few peaks. Given that I live in California, I'm specifically looking for Mt Marcy, Mt Mansfield, Mt Ellen (VT), Mt Washington, and Katahdin... trouble is that I'll be there in March... what are the prospects of any of these peaks in winter? I'm fine driving, hiking, climbing (ice, snow, rock, whatever), but I wont be bringing skis (nor do I want to rent them). I can probably overnight one night someplace but will need to be back in Boston after that... I'm fine with weather and am fairly comfortable on rock up to 5.8 and ice up to WI3... obviously, if its something overnight or technical, I'd like to hook up with a guide or a local to ease the worry factor...

Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated...

And maybe it's just best to spend the day driving up to Cadillac Mountain and knock that one off the list... no worries either way... thanks again!

James,

I would say all are doable, but some may be better choices than others. Katahdin in particular could be very tricky, logistically speaking. By and large, northern New England peaks in winter often require snowshoes and crampons, but I never once used an ice axe; rime ice, rather than steep snowfields, seems to be the general rule above treeline. Given your climbing history, I doubt there's much that would slow you down with the proper gear, but you do want good traction for the icy bits. I don't know the details for Katahdin...as for the others:

Mt. Washington: dress for Denali-like conditions, or colder. Your best bet might be Lions Head route from the east, as the road up to Pinkham Notch will be passable. Western approaches are a bit safer but the roads may be snowed in, I don't recall. Don't assume anything will be open in terms of shelter on the summit complex.

Mt. Mansfield: probably quite doable (I've done Camels Hump in January). Best route that comes to mind is the Long Trail to the Profanity Trail from the east (last bit up Long Trail, just N of the summit, is pretty exposed and could be hairy in winter). There's also a route from the west, haven't done it. Tourist gondola doesn't run in winter IIRC.

Mt. Marcy: did this one in winter. It's long but doable in a day, especially if you have a day of great weather. Snowshoes will be a must until treeline, then crampons would be advised for a few steep icy spots right below the summit. Views on a clear winter day are incredible--you can potentially see Mt. Washington! There's at least one lean-to adjacent to parking at the Loj.

Lastly, I'm not sure of the best source for avy conditions--nothing like CAIC exists out east that I know of. Best bet is probably viewsfromthetop or asking at local national forest offices.

March is a fine time for climbing these peaks as the duration of daylight increases, but note that the winds will be just as brutal as in February. Avvy conditions also tend to get worse as the year goes on, but fortunately the established hiking routes are generally outside the danger zones so it's not much of a concern unless you're seeking out a ravine climb.

Katahdin is really unlikely on your tight schedule. It's a long drive from Boston and then the interior roads are not plowed. Without skis (many folks bring sleds for their camping gear too), you can still make it to the Abol trail if you start early enough. I'd bring an axe on that route. It's maybe five miles from the parking lot to the trailhead, on an unplowed road that should be packed by snowmobile tracks. Note that the Abol trail is officially closed due to rockslides, but you can still use the route in winter. However it has avvy danger, and is very exposed to weather. You'll need very good conditions, which in March is not terribly likely, so this might be a poor use of your weekend.
map: http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com ... UseMap.pdf Be sure to visit the BSP website for red tape (make sure you find the winter rules, and fill out the winter permit).

Marcy is also a bit of a stretch due to distance, both in car and on trail. You should bring crampons and snowshoes, but it's basically a straightforward hike with an above-treeline section at the top.

Mansfield - eastern approach is guaranteed to have plowed roads due to the ski area. If you have lots of energy you could also do a bit of ice climbing nearby. Long trail is good, but watch out for off-piste skiers. If you want a challenge try the Hell Brook trail - it's steep and wet but within your ability (bring two ice tools, and a guide in case the route is not broken out). The western trails are also excellent, not sure how regularly the roads are plowed though.

Washington - avvy forecasts can be found at http://www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/
Given the short day length, most climbers will either climb an ice route in Huntington Ravine *or* go for the summit via a hiking trail such as the Lion's Head Winter route. It's possible to do both in the same day, but that requires making good time on the ice climb, and greatly increases the riskiness of summiting in bad weather (topping out of the ravine in bad weather, you can find a safe descent route *or* find the summit, rarely both).
On the western side, the cog railway does stay open most winters (just not all the way to the summit), so roads are usually plowed up to the Ammo Ravine parking lot, which is a fine winter hiking route and usually less crowded than the eastern side.

No Jerimoth Hill or Frissel Mtn's shoulder?

To reiterate, this ain't Orange County. Come prepared for Arctic conditions, though it's possible to briefly see above-freezing temps. See in particular Figure 2 here:
http://www.davidalbeck.com/hiking/worstweather.html : March averages 21 days of hurricane-force winds on the summit of Mt Washington.

Yeah, gotta agree with Nartreb. From my experience, Katahdin in March would be a 3-day minimum adventure. There are also permitting procedures you have to follow. In any case, the snow can be quite deep by March, so you will want to have snowshoes available.

ps - Dated memory: But Cadillac didn't used to get plowed in the winter and was barricaded. Either a walk or ski up the road...or wait for the snow or ice to melt.

Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. You've all given me great advice... sounds like I'll need to build in a few weather days if the forecast looks ugly...

I'll look into this and get back to you all with more questions... thanks!

Daylight, is a factor as nartreb noted. Can't be overstated. You'll want two headlamps and note the phase of the moon, just in case.

Looking at my Marcy TR - I'd add two more things you'll need to bear in mind.

Temps can be low, to where water and food will freeze, even inside your jacket. On the midnight ride up from Boston, you'll want to be inhaling that stuff to give you a cushion. Thermos is nearly mandatory.


On the plus side, route finding on the popular Summits, is a breeze in the snow. It's also smoother. Unless you're there when snow is coming down.

I'd also consider looking at some of the Catskills Peaks as a Plan B, unless this is supposed to be a SHP50 bagging trip. There's good Interstates, to them from Boston and some of them are just as good in Winter as their bigger bretheren up North.