Mount Washington - 6,288'

Hike date: 07/14/2018

Description: Mount Washington is the highest mountain in New Hampshire, as well as in the Northeast. Since the summit is high above the treeline, it offers unparalleled 360 degree views of the surrounding Presidential peaks. This mountain is home to some of the world’s worst weather and is truly a beast to climb. There are several routes to the summit, and all of them are physically and mentally challenging and make for a long day. Using the below route, you’ll have the opportunity to spend a lot of time above treeline surrounded by incredible views, visit the Lake of the Clouds Hut, see a really cool waterfall, and summit Mount Monroe.

Trails Used: Ascend via Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail to Crawford Path and descend via Great Gulf Trail to Jewell Trail.

Trail Summary: We started out this hike on a cool summer morning. We were staying nearby at Sugarloaf II Campground so we only had to drive about 10 minutes. We parked at the trailhead near the cog railway and headed up Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. The beginning of this hike, the first 2 miles or so, was relatively flat and wet because it follows the Ammonoosuc River for the first half. Eventually we came to a beautiful waterfall and pool called the Gem Pool.

After the Gem Pool is when we really began to climb! The trail now climbs steep and rough the rest of the way. We reached a tough, steep section full of rock slabs and scrambles, which lasts for about 0.2 miles, but luckily we were rewarded shortly after this section with the Lake of the Clouds Hut. We enjoyed a snack here and then headed up Crawford Path to grab Mount Monroe. From the hut, it is about 0.4 miles up to the summit. It is pretty moderate, as you are hiking along a rocky path. It was quite the tease because the whole time we could see the summit and we just wanted to get there! The day was pretty cloudy, but it was when we were on our way up to Mount Monroe that the clouds broke and we were actually awarded with a view of Washington! By the time we made it to the summit of Monroe the clouds rolled back in, but we headed over to Washington hopeful they would clear again.

We retraced our steps from the summit of Mount Monroe back down to the hut and then began our final ascent! For the entire 1.5 mile climb to Mount Washington we really had no idea how close we were because of the clouds. The final climb wasn’t too steep or difficult (though you should expect a lot of boulder scrambling), you just have to be aware of where the cairns are in order to stay on the trail. One thing to keep in mind about Washington is how rapidly the weather can change. We were dressed for summer, but near the summit we broke out our jackets and gloves because of how strong the wind was. Even though it was a cloudy day, the summit was packed, so we waited our turn for the famous Washington Summit sign photo. We ate our lunch inside of the lodge and then headed down via Great Gulf Trail. After 0.3 miles, we reached the Jewell Trail junction which we stayed on for the rest of our descent. The Jewell Trail is arguably the easiest route to the summit of Mount Washington, so the descent really was not too bad. The trail declines at a steady moderate grade, with very few steep sections. There is very good footing for almost the entirety of the trail, making for a fast descent. Overall, this is one of the best routes to take to get to Mount Washington and Mount Monroe since the trails are very moderate compared to the rest of the trails in this region.

Alternative routes:

We have not yet done any alternative routes to the summit of Mount Washington. This page will be updated once we have!

We have not yet climbed Mount Washington in the winter, but once we do, we will update this page with our full report!

Questions? Comments? Want to share your take on this hike? Get in touch with us using the contact page!

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