Every year I try to do a "big hike". One that requires me to actually train. I'm in fair shape for a 43 year old computer jockey, but the rock pile requires a bit more.
My buddy Lou and I hiked Moosilauke last summer and he wanted to try the hardest trail on the toughest mountain in New England. That would be Huntington Ravine on Mount Washington. I had been up Huntington before so I knew what to expect. Lou hadn't and I did my best to warn him.
A little history: Back in 2003 my brother-in-law Mikey and I hiked Monadnock. It was tough but we wanted to try something bigger. Using the same thought process as Lou, I suppose, we tried Washington via Tuckerman. I wasn't prepared. I wrote about it and maybe I'll post what I wrote for history's sake.
We skipped 2004 then tried Huntington in 2005 with Mikey and another brother-in-law. We learned that he had a crippling fear of heights and we had to come back down. In 2006 Mikey and I did Katahdin. Twelve hours on the trail, 7 am to 7 pm. It was that hike that convinced me to always carry a flashlight. In 2007 Mikey, a co-worker Chuck, and I climbed Washington via Huntington. We took the bus down. 2008 was Franconia Ridge, Little Haystack to Lincoln to Lafayette. Mikey and my oldest son went on that one. That brings us to 2009 and Moosilauke, which you can read about if you are so inclined. The sneakers that nearly cost me my life that day were since trashed and I had considered getting serious hikers for Washington. I didn't end up doing that.
I did some treadmill, but as I've pointed out before, an hour on a treadmill ain't five minutes on the hill. So I also did weights. Squats, specifically. Lots of them. I lost maybe ten pounds, which was less than I wanted to. I was as prepared as I was going to get.
It was just Lou and I this trip. Mikey couldn't get off from work. We camped at Dolly Copp and made the trail around 9:30. Much later than I wanted to. I woke with a charlie horse. I get them maybe twice a year, and today was that day. Another injury also had me concerned. Back in May I was at a child's birthday party at a roller skating place. The last time I put on skates was 25 years earlier, maybe to the day, who knows. I was my post-prom at the very same rink. This day, on my last lap, I fell backwards and sprained my right wrist. At post time it still hurts. How would it react to climbing at the headwall?
Pinkham Notch was busy. Very busy. First of all, it was the high season for through hikers, but added to that was the fact that there were two benefits going on. Alzheimer's and something else, I forgot. A lot of non-hikers were on the trail and I was glad to occasionally chat with them.
As expected, we turned off onto Huntington just below the tree line and the crowds disappeared. I tripped and landed on a moss covered log. Lou didn't think anything of it, and neither would I, normally. But I had put pressure on my wrist, and it hurt. A lot. We saw only a couple people before we reached the treeline. Once the trees were gone people were easier to spot. The climb by the fan was tough and I was looking forward to reaching the headwall. Chatting with others, a woman looked at me surprised and said "this isn't the head wall?" "Um, no" I said.
The headwall is one hell of a sight. Last time it scared the bejesus out of me and was where we had to turn around. I felt good but wondered about my wrist. And my sneakers. Well, at least my charlie horse wasn't bothering me much. The woman I spoke with and her friend were ahead of us. They spent some time looking and feeling and thinking and I was happy for the brief breather. In the end they chose to turn around.
I put my hands on the rock face. I felt strangely confidant. Maybe because I had been there before or maybe because my legs, thanks to the squats, were in much better shape. At any rate, we went up. And it was fun.
Above the headwall is a moonscape. Very little vegetation grows this high. We followed the cairns along a hard to see rock path. Relentless, just as I expected. Lou hadn't anticipated how relentless and grew tired of the monotony. We got close to the auto road and he wanted to follow it. I didn't. I hate road walking and was up for the challenge, but we followed it. He was exhausted and the road allowed us to double our pace. Soon the summit building came into view.
Point to point, it was five and a half hours to the top. We stayed there for an hour and a half resting and gorging ourselves. The food item we both declared the most wonderful, most spectacular to partake in: Coca-Cola. I can't explain it. It was glorious.I didn't want to bus down again so I let Lou get as much rest as we could afford and we took the easiest path down. Of course there is no easy path down, but we got back to Pinkham Notch well before sunset. Back at camp we built a fire and made food, even though we weren't very hungry. In the morning we stopped at Pinkham Notch and had the coldest showers of our lives.
Lou did great. Much better than I in my first two attempts. It seems my wrist wasn't a problem. I can pull weight with it without problem, I just can't flex it backwards. And I really owe Mike at the YMCA a debt of gratitude for putting me on the leg squats routine. It made all the difference.I want to go again.
Take a look at this guy's video. We met him on the hill that day.
If you read my blog, you know how important I feel it is to get kids into the outdoors. A simple thing like a 45 minute drive, a 1 1/2 hour walk, and a light snack can do wonders. And we got a few scout requirements out of the way.