Date: 2016-07-19
From: Mt Washington Summit - Mile 1,856.2

To: Mt Washington - Mile 1,856.2
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: few clouds

I turned around less than 100 yards from Mt. Washington's summit. In that short distance I had slipped on wet boulders a few times and almost fell twice. Worse, I couldn't find the AT trail. The fog and mist were so thick that I couldn't see the next cairn to know where I should go. When I realized I had gone 30 yards off the trail in such a short time and felt I'd probably get lost again, I knew hiking further this morning was not advisable. I didn't like turning back but those 100 yards took 15 minutes. I knew I had no chance of finishing this very difficult 13.5 mile hike today. I turned around in order to avoid being hurt. I was pretty convinced that hiking by myself in these conditions was going to end badly. It was just 15 minutes, but nobody else was out around me. I found Dexter, the informative Mt Washington Auto Road driver who had driven me to the summit earlier in the morning, and he said he'd drive me down as soon as he had another passenger to join me. Dexter said it would probably be an hour or more. He encouraged me to wait in the Visitor's Center. So I went there and changed out of all my winter hiking clothes. I actually was wearing more layers today than I'd worn at any time while on this adventure, more than worn in the middle of February. There is a Hiker Room downstairs at the Visitor's Center so I checked it out. Blue Ox and Bibo were there. They had just hiked the 1.5 miles from the Lake Of The Clouds Hut. I told them of my failed experience and they shared that they had formed an 8-person line to overcome and hike through the conditions. I realized how much sense that made and how I'll have to find a group to join if the summit conditions are the same when I come back after family vacation to hike past the summit. Upstairs I met Trillium, her daughter, and her co-worker. They too had just hiked from Lake Of The Clouds. They said they benefitted from hiking together. They originally planned to hike on to hike another 5.7 miles to Madison Spring Hut but were aborting that plan and foregoing their paid overnight there to head home today. They mentioned Dexter and that they'd be taking the shuttle down so I stayed with them and we talked about our hikes. Nice people who are section hiking some miles each year and placing an emphasis on always enjoying it while they are out here. Dexter drove us down. The weather was dramatically better the lower we got. We had views of the lush green scenery around us. Dexter has made this drive countless times since he began driving the Auto Road in 1999. Dexter freely shared his knowledge of the history of Mt Washington. Riding with him provides a guided tour customized to our interests. As I was leaving, Dexter told me to look him up when I return and that he'd get me back up there again to continue my hike. We all wished each other safe journies. The comraderie of this shared journey and appreciation for it is real. Driving home today made me realize how far from home I've hiked. I am now 4 hours north of Connecticut. How did this all happen? I'm grateful that it has.