I just did a variation on one of my favorite winter hikes in August. I realized almost right away that summer around here is nothing compared to the beauty and dare I say ease of travel that winter offers in the White Mts. The range gets bigger, the crowds thin out and the rewards are larger. Gone is the rock hopping and humidty, the bugs and limited views. The wind becomes a factor, but if you're patient there are more than a few bluebird days up in the alpine where the sun shines calmly and the low sun warms up the vistas. Weekends can be busy, but there are more than a few places to go where you have it all to yourself.
FISHIN JIMMY TRAIL TO NORTH KINSMAN
PLEASANT, WASHINGTON AND BOOTT SPUR FROM THE CRAWFORD PATH AS IT EMERGES FROM THE WOODS
GALEHEAD HUT AND SOUTH TWIN ON A COLD SUNNY DAY IN FEBRUARY
HEADING UPHILL FROM GALEHEAD HUT TO SOUTH TWIN
SOUTH PAST GUYOT TO CARRIGAN, THE BONDS, PASSACONWAY AND THE TRIPYRAMID RANGE FROM SOUTH TWIN
SUNNY SKIES EMERGE AS CLOUDS DEPART THE SUMMIT OF NORTH KINSMAN
FRANCONIA RANGE PEAKS IN CLOUDS AS SEEN FROM THE FISHIN JIMMY TRAIL IN THE KINSMAN RANGE, WHITE MTS, NH
MORNING SUN ON THE TRAM LINE AT CANNON MT, WHITE MTS, NH
NO VIEW BUT GREAT CONDITIONS WHILE LOOKING BACK AT SANDWICH DOME WHILE DESCENDING THE SANDWICH MT TRAIL, WHITE MTS, NH
LOOKING BACK AT THE SLIGHT BUMP THAT IS THE TOP OF AVALON FROM THE TRAIL HEADED UP TO MT FIELD
LOOKING ACROSS CRAWFORD NOTCH TO THE WEBSTER CLIFFS FROM THE TOP OF MT WILLEY
100 MILE VISIBILITY AND NO WIND AT THE TOP OF MT MOOSILAUKE, WHITE MTS, NH
NORTH TWIN FROM THE GALE RIVER TRAIL NOT FAR FROM THE GALEHEAD HUT ON SOUTH TWIN, WHITE MTS, NH
GALEHEAD MT FROM THE GALEHEAD HUT ON SOUTH TWIN, WHITE MTS, NH
EMERGING FROM THE TREES INTO THE WIDE OPEN VIEWS NEAR THE TOP OF SOUTH TWIN, WHITE MTS, NH
THE PRESIDENTAL RANGE FROM THE TOP OF SOUTH TWIN, WHITE MTS, NH
LOOKING BACK AT STAR LAKE AND MT MADISON FROM MT ADAMS, WHITE MTS, NH
THE GATEWAY AT THE TOP OF THE SUMMER TRAIL UP THE HEADWALL OF KING RAVINE, WHITE MTS, NH
STARTING THE DESCENT TO APPALACHIA TRAILHEAD VIA THE AIRLINE TRAIL, WHITE MTS, NH
INTERESTING LIGHTING LOOKING DOWN TO LONESOME LAKE FROM THE TOP OF NORTH KINSMAN
FABULOUS CLOUD LAYERS OVER THE TWINS AS SEEN FROM THE TOP OF GARFIELD
ANOTHER VIEW OF VERY INTERESTING CLOUD LAYERS OVER THE BONDS AS SEEN FROM THE TOP OF GARFIELD
A COLD, SUNNY AND WINDLESS DAY ON THE FRANCONIA RANGE LOOP
GU TIMES AT GREENLEAF HUT, MT LAFAYETTE, WHITE MTS, NH
ANOTHER BLUEBIRD DAY IN THE WHITES. THE CLASSIC LADDER SECTION ON THE HI CANNON TRAIL
FRANCONIA RANGE PEAK FROM THE OBSERVATION DECK AT THE TOP OF CANNON MT, WHITE MTS, NH
RIME ICE COVERING THE ANTENNA TOWER ABOVE THE OBSERVATION DECK AT THE TOP OF CANNON MT, WHITE MTS, NH
CLOUDS BUILDING INTO THE AREA OVER FRANCONIA RANGE PEAKS FROM THE TOP OF CANNON MT, WHITE MTS, NH
GREAT CONDITIONS ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY FROM THE TOP OF THE NORTH PEAK OF HANCOCK
LOOKING NORTH UP THE PEMI TO MT GARFIELD AS SEEN FROM THE TOP OF THE SOUTH PEAK OF HANCOCK
EAST PAST NORTH TWIN TO THE PRESIDENTAL RANGE FROM THE TOP OF GARFIELD, WHITE MTS, NH
CLOUD LAYERS AND THE VIEW PAST THE WEBSTER CLIFFS TO MT WASHINGTON FROM THE TOP OF MT WILLEY
A PARTIAL VIEW OF MT FIELD ON THE WAY BACK FROM MT WILLEY, WILLEY RANGE, WHITE MTS
LOOKING NORTH OUT OF KING RAVINE FROM THE CHEMIN DE DAMES TRAIL
SUNRISE ON TECUMSEH FROM THE ROAD HEADING INTO THE LIVERMORE TRAILHEAD
THE FIRST GREAT VIEWPOINT FROM THE SANDWICH MT TRAIL LOOKING ACROSS WATERVILLE VALLEY TO THE TRIPYRAMID PEAKS
NORTH PAST TRYPYRAMID RANGE TO MT WASHINGTON FROM THE TOP OF SANDWICH MOUNTAIN
HIKER MOVING UP THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RIDGE ON THE UPPER BRIDAL PATH ON MT LAFAYETTE
A VIEW OF ALL THE GULLIES ON THE HEADWALL OF KING RAVINE FROM THE AIRLINE TRAIL.
WINTER COMES EARLY ... SOMETIMES. LIVERMORE ROAD ON THE WAY TO NORTH SLIDE TRAIL
VERY SLIPPERY CONDITIONS ON THE NORTH TRIPYRAMID SLIDE TRAIL
BACK AND FORTH FROM SWACKING IN THE WOODS AND OUT IN THE LOWER NARROW GULLY ON THE NORTH SLIDE TRAIL
LOOKING DOWN THE LOWER NARROW GULLY ON THE NORTH SLIDE TRAIL
LOOKING NORTH TO CARRIGAN FROM THE SLIDE ON NORTH TRIPYRAMID
LOOKING OVER AT THE OSCEOLA PEAKS AND WATERVILLE VALLEY SKI AREA FROM THE SLIDE ON NORTH TRIPYRAMID
SOLID SLAB SCRAMBLING ON THE UPPER PART OF THE SLIDE ON NORTH TRIPYRAMID
FRESH SNOW ON THE UPPER PART OF THE SLIDE ON NORTH TRIPYRAMID
LOOKING DOWN AT THE NEW SNOW ON NORTH TRIPYRAMID
THE SLIDE ON NORTH TRIPYRAMID FROM THE SCAUR RIDGE TRAIL ON THE WAY BACK TO THE STASHED BIKE