Date: 2016-08-12
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Lake of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: fog

When I left Madison Spring Hut at 7:30 am, I was greeted by a mix of blue sky, clouds and sun. I was hoping my string of great weather would hold out for one more day to allow me to get to the top of Mt. Washington and then down to Lake of the Clouds Hut, 1,200 feet below the summit. Unfortunately, things didn't quite work out that way. From my starting elevation of 4,800 feet, I soon found myself climbing, as the AT headed for Mts. Adams and Jefferson, both over 5,700 feet. While the trail didn't take me over either summit, I was soon above 5,500 feet. As I rose in my first hour of hiking, any hint of blue sky or sun was erased and I soon found myself draped in thickening clouds, a heavy mist and rising winds. Visibility dropped to one cairn's distance, and I couldn't see much of anything. Just as I had done in Katahdin's heavy mist, I stowed my eyeglasses early on. This wasn't going as I had planned. Still, I pressed on towards Mt. Washington, hoping that at least the rain held off. I covered about four miles in three hours in the shrouded conditions. By then, I was more than halfway to Mt. Washington, and I grew cautiously optimistic. The rain started slowly, allowing me to put on my pack cover and my rain jacket. But it didn't take long before its intensity increased. Soon, I felt under attack, as the winds whipped the rain drops into armed projectiles. Was it rain or hail? Frankly, it didn't seem to make a difference as the effect was the same. The trail, or rather the string of boulders that passed as a trail, soon became slick, and the footing worsened. With the wind having its way with me, I was relying heavily on my trekking poles to keep upright. With conditions deteriorating, I approached a junction in the trail, about one mile from Washington's summit. There, I had the choice to continue on the AT and climb the last 800 feet of vertical to the mountain's top. If I proceeded, I would be met by 60 to 70 mph winds on the summit, with the realistic chance of more rain. At the junction, I could also choose to leave the AT, skirt the summit and, instead of climbing higher, take a more direct path to the safety of the Lake of the Clouds Hut, lying well below the peak. By the time I reached the junction, it had stopped raining, making the decision a bit less clear-cut. But, despite my rain jacket, I was fairly drenched, the footing was far from good, and the winds were strong, and would certainly be stronger at the summit. Not having to think too long, I headed for the hut. My new trail cut across the steep slope that held Mt. Washington's summit. Fully built from boulders, the trail had been flattened over the years and it appeared almost like a three-foot ledge across the slope. With the wind whipping and footing slippery, I hiked towards the hut. At some point, my right foot slipped. As I lost my balance, my body twisted to the left to compensate, and I momentarily faced uphill. I started to fall backwards and felt my rear end hit the edge of ledge. At this point, still facing uphill but in a seated position, my twenty-six pound pack was not my friend. My momentum was carrying me backwards, down the slope, and my pack was hastening my descent. This was not good. With all my might, and my hands still in my pole straps, I grabbed at the ledge's boulders, hoping to stop the inevitable. But it was too little, too late. I felt myself "turtling", my pack carrying me down, backwards, over the ledge. No, this was definitely not good. Out of time, I didn't see how this was going to end well. Then, suddenly, I stopped from falling further, lying flat on my back. What had been hastening my fall had become my saving grace. My pack, rather full from my recent resupply in Gorham, protruded quite far off my back. As I fell backward down the slope, it found a boulder sitting below the ledge and, in a turn of immense good fortune, supported me in a supine position. I still had to get myself back up fully on the ledge, which was not easy, given the anchor-like pack on my back, but soon I was on all fours, stunned, but safe. I gathered myself, saw that I had sliced my hand in my attempt to arrest my descent, and moved on towards the hut. I still had a mile to walk and, not surprisingly, proceeded slowly. When I arrived at the hut at 12:00 pm, I was relieved, but would rather have been fully off the mountain. By morning, I imagine my outlook may improve, but, for now, I'd be happier below 4,000 feet. Will I try to summit Mt. Washington in the morning, if the weather improves? Time will tell. Right now, at 8:00 pm, it's clear and calm. Things change quickly here.