At 5800', Mount Adams is the second-tallest mountain in the Northeast. To reach its summit one must gain 4400 feet of elevation from the trailhead. The last 1.5 miles of the trail are above timberline and fully exposed to the wind. Trail conditions will alternate between very deep snowdrifts and ice covered rocks. There is little margin for error. Participants must be sure of their fitness and confident in their ability to dress for the weather. This trip will require full body coverage with absolutely no exposed skin.

In order to maximize our chance of success, we'll split our ascent over two days. Saturday night will be spent at a backcountry shelter run by the Randolph Mountain Club. The cabin (either Gray Knob or Crag Camp, based on availability) is located just below timberline at an elevation of 4300'. The cabin is not heated, so we'll be bringing full winter sleeping bags (rated -20F or better).

We will depart from Boston on Saturday morning. Upon reaching the trailhead, we'll hike up to the cabin (about 4 hours) and set up our overnight gear. Depending on timing and weather, we'll try for the summit (4 hours out and back) on either Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. We'll get back to the trailhead mid-day Sunday and will be back in Boston in time for the Super Bowl.

The nights are long (14 hours from sunset to sunrise), so we'll have plenty of time in the cabin to cook dinner, relax, and sleep. Weather permitting, we'll also go for some stargazing just above timberline.