Mt.Washington via Huntington Ravine 7/31/06

Today I was going to hike Huntington Ravine Trail alone.This was my second time doing this trail. The first time I hiked it was with Lilbirdie who said she would not hike it again. It has claimed fame for being the most difficult regular trail in the White Mountains. I agree there are some difficult scrambles, and it is exposed to the elements.
But I have always felt that the Flume Slide Trail was more difficult, as it is steep and the scrambles are always wet.
This day I was to see a drastic weather change.
 I started out from Pinkham Notch Visitor Center on Tuckerman Ravine Trail. At 1.3 miles on the right was the start of Huntington Ravine Trail.

Start of trail from Tuckerman Ravine Trail

Huntington Ravine Trail narrow & at first

Crossing the Cutler River

Climbing toward the fire road

 The ravine from the fire road

Albert Dow first aid cashe
He was a climber killed in an avalanche
while searching for another climber

A zoomed in shot of my climb ahead up
the ravine

The Fan & main gully

Climbing thru house size boulders down below the Fan

Lots of huge boulders to climb over.............

 .........and under too

Climbing up the left side of the Fan

Looking  back down from the Fan

Looking up from the middle of the Fan 

a steep slope of broken rock below the main gully

Crossing the Fan

A close up of the main gully from the Fan

The floor of Huntington Ravine getting further away

Crossing a small brook which flows down the side of the ravine

The spot to reenter the scrub is tricky to find 

on the other side of the brook

 Looking back from brook crossing area

 Climbing toward the main gully

 The floor of the ravine which I show from time to time

so you will see how quickly you rise

The first set of steep slabs to climb next to the main gully

 Very tricky & difficult climb

even on this hot day with the sun beating down on you,

notice the water running down up to the left center?

 Looking back down after first slab climb

Notice ravine floor gets farther away in a short time?

Again looking down from first slabs climb, notice the pitch

Gray Jay 56 is baking out in the sun on slab shelf

When I leave the ravine, I'm in for a big surprise

Second hard climb up some more slabs

Water flowing down from above

Looking back down after climbing slabs

View into the ravine from shelf

More steep climbing ahead

Up, Up, & ..............

...............more Up!

Floor of the ravine and the Fan way below now

It is still a tough climb

A view of the main gully.......
......notice how high in a short distance

The floor of Huntington Ravine
nearing the lip now

Looking back at the skinny trail following the head wall 

There are survivors on the ravine head wall

Nearing lip of ravine and cairns 

Top of main gully at the lip of the ravine

Out of Huntington Ravine hiking over Ball Crag 

on Nelson Crag Trail

The winds are 45 to 65 mph.

At times you can lean into them and not fall over

Tuckerman Ravine from Ball Crag

Nearing Auto Road crossing up to Mt.Washington summit

Mt.Washington summit ahead where I was told
wind gusts were 45 to 65mph

Hiking down Crawford Path to
AMC Lakes of the Clouds Hut.
Notice how I look now compared to climbing
Huntington Ravine.

Many hikers coming from hut to the summit got caught.

They were laying down in spots on the trail

Junction of Tuckerman Crossover & Camel Trail

Weather cleared at Lakes of the Clouds Hut

Crew members are residing.

Still very windy.

After a bowl of soup at the hut, I am now
hiking down Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail.

A stop at the Gorge 

Hiking out to parking area where Lilbirdie picked me up........

only I was 4 hours early.... so I had to wait.