6-10 October: Northern Presidentials

Because of Mother Nature, and her extreme moods, we are tackling The Whites in sections.  The nortghern half of the Presidential Range is the roughest/hardest section of the The Whites, so we decided to take it on first.

My CVMA sister, Wingnut, gave us a ride to the top of Mt. Washington to begin our trek north on Monday 6 Oct.  It was windy, but clear and beautiful on top os Mt. Washington.  Christine. The mother of SPC Cassavant (whose memorial stone we are carrying), joined us for our send-off.

Looking up at Mt. Washington, sunny and clear.

Hendo's Mom with MSgt Love's Memorial Stone and Hendo with SPC Cassavant's Memorial stone on top of Mt. Washington.

Christine, SPC Cassavant's Mother, and Hendo with SPC Cassavant's Memorial stone on Mt. Washington

Wingnut and Hendo with CVMA Chapter 17-1 Banner on Mt. Washington

So after a great lunch and send-off on top of Mt. Washington Mom and I were on our way.  We made it down Mt. Washington, around Mt. Clay, around Mt. Jefferson and down to The Perch Shelter on Monday 6 October.

Tuesday 7 October and Wednesday 8 October, Mother Nature introduced us to her crazy Whites weather Tuesday and Wednesday.  Severe thunderstorms rolled in along with 60-70 mph winds, so we had to hunker down at the shelter and wait it out.

This is why we waited 2 days.

Thursday 9 October, The crazy weather subsided and we were able to head back up to the ridgeline and finish the northern half of the Presidentials hiking from The Perch, around Mt. Adams, over Mt. Madison, 5367 ft and down to Osgood Tentsite.  What a day of hiking it was!! Mt. Katahdin was still harder, but Mt. Madison was insane to say the least.  Bad weather started moving in towards the end of the day and a 50-60 mph gust of wind blew Hendo down while coming down Mt. Madison.  No injuries were sustained and that brief introduction to Mother Nature's White weather was more than enough.

A light coat of frost/ice covered the landscape.

Hendo hiking down towards Madison Hut.  Mt. Madison looms in the background, we summitted Mt. Madison.

Hendo's Mom climbing up Mt. Madison with Mt. Washington white capped in the background.

Hendo's Mom with MSgt Love's Memorial Stone at the Summit of Mt. Madison, 5367 ft

Hendo with SPC Cassavant's Memorial Stone on the Summit of Mt. Madison, 5367 ft.

Friday 10 Oct, Today we hiked on down to Pinkham Notch, completing the northern half of The Presidential Range, The White Mountain, NH.