Me and a few other heathen friends are planning to do a Presidential Traverse over Christmas... if anyone else who doesn't celebrate Christmas wants to join us, it'll be a blast.

Anyway I've checked out the pages here on SP and it's pretty thin on the winter Traverse. If anyone can point us to guidebooks/websites it'll be great.

Also I assume that we should aim for a double-wall 4-season tent if camping above treeline? I have an single-wall BD Lighthouse which I suspect wouldn't really be up to the job...

i would be up for joining the traverse team, need to check work schedule. i celebrate christmas but in the mountains i would be closer to god right!?!? anywho the BD probly wont do it for ya. how many in your team? i have done the traverse many times may different ways all in winter, i have done sections and completed. i live about 70 miles from mt washington, let me know how i can help logistically and if work gets my schedule right i will most def join ya....

Here is some info:

http://www.newhampshireclimbing.com/climbing-course.asp?ID=80&cat=6

http://chauvinguides.com/PresiTraverse/presisleepguide.htm

Be prepared for show-stopping winds. Last January I found myself in 80-90mph winds on Mt. Washington that I could not walk in.

I also recommend reading "Not without Peril" as a beta for your presi traverse.

Double wall tent isn't necessary - it just needs to be expedition rated. You're correct that the Firstlight isn't the tent for the job. However, some of the Bibler single walls (AKA Black Diamond) would be perfect.

And yeah, if you get caught in a storm, expect winds so ferocious they'll shred your tent and quite possibly blow you right off the mountain.

welle wrote:I also recommend reading "Not without Peril" as a beta for your presi traverse.

Agreed! Although I'm only halfway through it. Great book!

ForeignTraveller wrote:Their website also includes GPS waypoint info and compass bearings.

These are huge and saved my butt once. Maybe saved my butt is an exaggeration, but they were definitely the difference between moving and not moving that day. I recommend you pre-program these into your GPS before you go.

ForeignTraveller wrote: PS. Don't forget to take snowshoes.

Definitly throw the snowshoes in the car. But on three presi-traverse trips/attempts I only needed them once. It sucks to carry them and not use them. Nearly all trails on the traverse will be broken out but it will be the escape routes that aren't. Get the latest weather and trail info at Pinkham Notch before you take off to make the decision on bringing shoes or not.

With regard to tents, I've always used a four season, 3-pole, double-walled backpacking tent. Just stake it out right, orient it into the prevailing wind, and build a wall the break the wind and it should be fine.

You can find a link to the backcountry camping rules on the White Mountains range page (also on the Presidential Range page). The rule for winter camping (outside the Cutler River drainage which is most of the east side of Mt Washington) is that above-treeline camping is permitted on top of at least two feet of snow. Note that much of the above-treeline area is windswept and may have less snow than that, but you'll want to find a sheltered spot anyway.

I will be in the Presidentials, mostly on Washington, from Dec 26-31. If the weather looks good for a couple days in a row a mini-traverse is the goal.

I've done the winter traverse several times and the one word of advice I have is, if the forecast is at all questionable, plan your route in such a way to be able to camp below treeline, not on the ridge itself. Yes this means adding some distance, but it can easily mean the difference between success or failure...or worse. Bear in mind that between Mt. Clay and Mt. Monroe there are no easily-accessible places to camp within close proximity of the main ridge.

How many days are you planning on taking?

Good luck!

Sorry, me and my partner have wimped out and have decided to go ice-cragging over the holidays instead...