Description

We'll be heading up Lion's Head to Mt Washington and down Boott Spur, taking advantage of the trail breaking efforts of another MITOC group (they're going up Boott Spur). Route: https://caltopo.com/m/E5E6F

This is a strenuous hike: it is around 8.4 miles and involves >4300ft of elevation. We will carry ice-axes, crampons (for Lion's Head), micro-spikes, and snowshoes, so you should be prepared to carry a heavier pack.

We will be above treeline for a sustained period of time. It is vital that you have your above-treeline layering nailed (full face coverings) and that you are able to change traction efficently (e.g. take off crampons, stash them on your pack, put on snowshoes, start hiking). We will be maintaining a steady pace throughout this hike and breaks will be short.

• Weather forecast, which includes windchill: https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-Washington-2/forecasts/1917
• Mt Washington Observatory forecast, which has a two-day range: https://mountwashington.org/weather/higher-summits-forecast/

Prerequisites

• At least one winter hike that was >8miles with >4000ft of elevation or a hike that was >10miles with >3500ft of elevation.
• At least one above treeline hike.
• If you do not meet these prereuqisites, please email us!

Sign-ups

Sign-ups for this trip are first-come-first-served but if you do not meet the pre-reqs, we will boot you from the trip. You are not confirmed on this trip until you recieve an email from the trip leaders!

Pre-trip meeting

• There is a mandatory pre-trip meeting at the MITOC offices at 6pm. Meet in the lobby of the fourth floor. If you need to rent gear, consider coming in at 5:30 (i.e. renting before the meeting).

Itinerary

4:45am Leave Boston

8:00am Arrive at Pinkham Notch, bathroom break, do a gear check, etc.

8:30am Start hiking

11:30am Lion's Head summit, turn-around time

1:30pm Washington summit, turn-around time

4:30pm Arrive back at the Pinkham Notch, drive back to Boston (or to one of the cabins if you have another trip).

Note

If dog care cannot be found and ze doggo will be joining us, there is a chance that this hike will change to Monroe and Washington via Ammo. This is just a head's up! We should hopefully know by tonight whether or not dog care has been found! Either way, everything else stays the same!