One of the most scenic and intense hikes in New Hampshire is known as "Presidential Traverse" It is called that way since it goes through peaks of Presidential range. It is 22 miles with 8891 feet elevation gain. This covers Mt. Madison, Mt.Adams, Mt.Jefferson, Mt.Clay, Mt.Washington, Mt.Monroe, Mt.Franklin, Mt.Eisenhower, Mt.Pierce, Mt.Jackson. (Jackson is optional). Nearly entire route is rocky as East Coast standard. The terrain makes the journey slow down. It took me almost 15 hours including 1.5 hour break.
First, I left the Boston area 2 a.m., then drove 3.5 hours. I started hiking at 6 a.m. Traditionally the starting point is Appalachia trailhead, and go south bound. The reason is because in this way the hardest part is the first half. First 3.7 mile is Valley Way trail and climbs up 3600 feet. There is a hut at the junction (Madison Spring hut). The hut provides potable water for hikers. This is great. The only spur of the Presidential Traverse is from here to Mt.Madison. 0.5 mile to the summit, so 1 mile spur. I summited Mt.Madison at 8:17 a.m. After I came back from Mt.Madison, I ate a rice ball at the hut and refilled my bottle with water. Then I headed for Mt.Adams. This is the most rocky area of the hike and usually you follow small paint on the rock. I missed somehow the paint and I went to Mt.Quincy Adams (this is not included in Presidential range). This is just a small mountain on the way to Mt.Adams. I used my extra energy. I went back to the trail and summited Mt.Adams at 9:41 a.m. Another 2 miles, I summited Mt.Jefferson at 11:12 a.m. I was getting tired and got slowed down. Another 1.5 mile, I summited Mt.Clay at 12:20 a.m. Another 1.5 mile, I summited Mt.Washington at 1:25 p.m. Because there is an auto road to Mt.Washington summit, there were tons of people there. There is a food court but it was crowded like Walmart. I didn't want to stay there, so I didn't take a break and continued. Hiking down 1.5 miles, I reached Lake of the Clouds hut. I was able to take a break in not so many clouds there. From here I stopped recording what time I summited each mountain. Too tired to record.
Then I summited Mt.Monroe, Franklin, Eisenhower, and Pierce. At the Mt.Pierce, there was a choice to go back straight to the trailhead, or detour to add Mt.Jackson. I got my second wind and decided to add Jackson. Around 9 p.m., finally I finished! I got a crown!
To celebrate I ate at Burger King at 10:30 p.m. and got chocolate shake. Finally went back home around midnight. It was a long day. By doing this, I beat my record. Now my personal record of elevation gain in 1 day is 8881 feet. (It was Mt.Shasta with around 7700 feet).
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| Mount Washington from Mount Monroe |
