Leave no trace on Whiteface
- Leaders
- Bertrand Schneider (A coC), Bjorn Poonen (B coC), Georgia Panagiotaropoulou (coB)
- Program
- Winter School
- Type
- Hiking
- Terrain level
- B
- Trip date
- Saturday, January 11th, 2025
- Difficulty rating
- Difficult (L4)
- Prerequisites
- Previous experience winter hiking is highly recommended. Physical condition for this distance and elevation gain.
Since we'll be going up the Blueberry Ledge Trail, everyone has to bring a blueberry-themed snack (e.g. protein bars, muffins, actual blueberries or dried blueberries). And we'll be cleaning up all crumbs from our blueberry snacks, so that we leave no trace behind!
Mt. Whiteface is one of the 4,000-footers in NH, with great views from a ledge a little below the summit. The trail will be 8.4 miles out and back with about 3,150 ft of elevation gain, below treeline, with some challenging scrambling up icy ledges. Depending on conditions, we may need to use crampons and ice axe on a few short steep stretches; we will teach you how to use them if you haven’t used them before. Also depending on conditions, we may return on a longer but easier trail, making a 10.1 mi loop avoiding descending the ledges: see the trail map.
We'll stop for a quick breakfast near the trailhead, and start early so that we can hike at a moderate pace. If you can drive your own car or are willing to drive a rental car, edit the lottery preferences on your MITOC profile to show this. Expected car cost per person is $25-40; if you are an MIT undergrad, this cost can be reimbursed.
Signup
- Algorithm
- first-come, first-serve
- Maximum participants
- 7
- Signups opened at
- Jan. 8, 2025, noon
- Signups closed at
- Jan. 9, 2025, 11:59 p.m.
- Notes
- What kind of blueberry treats are you bringing?
- Describe a hike you have enjoyed recently (length and elevation gain, and how long ago, if you remember).
- If you have done a winter hike before, or have other outdoor winter experience, describe it.