Mount Washington

Our shelter

When my roommate asked me if I wanted to climb the highest peak in the Northeast… my immediate reaction was “Are you kidding me?!?!?... DUH!” Getting a chance to live on the East for the last 6 months have been a blessing, especially as I re-acclimate to the States and try and figure out what my next move is. Mount Washington has a peak of approx. 6,288ft, known for erratic weather, and includes a 4-mile stretch of hiking that gains a 4,000 ft.  Sounds like fun, right? Well I have never done anything like that, so I figured, why not?!?

Emily, my roommate, and I packed all the hiking essentials, including peanut butter, Oreos, bread, lots of water, a couple PBRs, and great attitudes before making the 4 hour drive to New Hampshire where this hiking adventure would begin. The drive was beautiful, twisting and turning through the mountains of New England. Many signs promised of likely moose-sightings (which never came true) but kept our interest as we approached the visitor center, which also served as a base-camp to the hike.

We left the visitor center around 6pm, thinking that a 2 mile hike to the camp ground would be a breeze, but little did we know, as 8pm approached we were fighting for sunlight. Luckily, summertime allows for long days, but this tough hike to the campground was just a glimpse into what our hike to the summit would be like the next day.

We slept soundly in a shelter, and awoke early the next morning to take on the mountain. We were unaware what kind of feat this would be. Although only about 6 miles to the summit from the base cape, hikers will gain close to 4,000ft in elevation. There were points during the hike there I found myself on all 4s, clinging to the cliffs. However, some of the overlooks were breathtaking. It was worth every bead of sweat, every labored breath, every thought of defeat. The weathers held up for us most of the trip, which was a concern because Mount Washington has a history of drastic, quick weather changes.

Once we hiked all the way to the summit (which sadly is right into a parking lot), we took the time to rest, eat lunch, and bask into our triumph. Because the weather was seemingly holding out, we decided to take some different paths on the way down to see other overlooks and peaks. Even with the detours, we were able to get back to our base camp around 4pm. We rested again from our day on the mountain, enjoyed a PBR, played some cards, and then headed to be around 9pm.

The real excitement awoke us at 10pm. The campground supervisor frantically knocked on our door and swung it open. She alerted us that she was bringing in two hypothermic hikers. Two 20-something men were ushered into our shelter, one doing much better than the other. They began to strip them, getting the cold clothes off of them, and hydrate them. It was extremely nerve wracking because the weather had turned quickly to a rainstorm. These two experienced hikers were caught out, too far from the campground, and had no choice but to keep walking. Hypothermia can happen so quickly and set in without warning. At one point, one of the men started vomiting violently, and seemed to be slightly delirious. Thankfully our campground supervisor was very professional and experienced. She handled it beautifully, and made sure they were okay before getting them to sleep.

We awoke early to head home, in hopes to explore New Hampshire on our way back to the farm. The men who were recovering in our shelter seemed to be getting back on their feet by the time we left, so we headed out. On the way back, we chatted and enjoyed the downhill trail as a contrast to the ache in my muscles. We wished luck to the hikers headed in the opposite direction, more so to those who looked like they were slightly ill prepared. This hike was not only something I was happy I did while I was on this coast, but also was a great opportunity for my roommate and I to really bond. There is something about being at the mercy to the side of a mountain with someone else that brings you close to them. She and I and the mountain, that’s all there was that weekend. I hope to conquer more mountains during my life, continuing to push body, my head, and my heart.