The Tuesday Trip Report (2): Mt. Washington and Boott Spur. June 24, 2012

The girls and I had a book event for Up: A Mother and Daughter's Peakbagging Adventure at the AMC's Pinkham Notch Visitor Center last Saturday evening.  The good folks at Pinkham Notch put us up for the evening, which meant the girls and I woke on Sunday a few dozen yards from Tuckerman Ravine Trail.  Our original plan was to ascend Boott Spur, but the girls changed their mind at the last minute and asked to hike up Washington.  We decided to do both -- go up Washington via Tuckerman Ravine Trail, cross over to Boott Spur, then return to Pinkham Notch via Boott Spur Trail. 

The girls were excited to see Tuckerman Ravine; Sage had never seen it before (most of our previous ascents have been from the other side of the mountain).

The trail is rocky and moderately steep until you get into the ravine itself. 

Hermit Lake Shelters rest at the base of the ravine.  Here, the girls sit on a rock by the main building (the building's behind me as I'm taking the picture).

Up a little bit more...

Just before climbing the headwall (thank you, kind hiker, for taking this photo!)...

Wetting our hands and faces before the steep ascent...

Up we go!

View from the top of the headwall...

Up to this point, I'd been able to keep up with the girls fairly well.  After we reached the top of the headwall, however, I needed to slow down.  The girls wanted to go-go-go, so I gave them permission to hike ahead as long as they waited for me at various cairns (they were never out of my sight).  

Looking west...

Looking over to Boott Spur...

The girls were excited to reach the Auto Road...

Summit!

Auto Road and the northern Presidentials...

The Observatory...

The Cog...

We ate, we drank, we moved on.

The girls and I descended the summit cone and walked Lawn Cutoff (which was a lovely path and a welcome relief from the rock-hopping!)...

Washington's summit cone, as seen from Lawn Cutoff.

The biggest cairn on the planet...

On the false (and windy!) summit of Boott Spur...

On the real summit of Boott Spur...

We took another food and water break, then we headed down Boott Spur Trail...

View into the ravine...

Split Rock...

Much of lower Boott Spur Trail looks like this:

Ladder!

At this point, the damaged veins in my left leg were letting me know they were no longer happy with the hiking situation; my thigh felt like a block of wood and my calf started to cramp.  I slowed our pace...if it weren't for me, the girls would have gotten back to the car fairly quickly.  Instead, they had to keep stopping and waiting for their old mom.

Back at Tuckerman Ravine Trail...

End of the hike!

This was a great day.  Perfect weather, perfect visibility, and the girls had energy and enthusiasm to spare.  They were also very patient with my leg situation.  Good times.