Hiking the Presidentials in Wind and Cold

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By Alex.

What is it like to hike up high when it's really cold? And what's needed to make it work? In the context of a severely cold weather forecast, I could entice no fellow GO members to join me this past weekend to see and feel the answers first hand on Mt. Eisenhower, a Presidential peak in New Hampshire requiring an hour or more of above-timberline time to hike. Happily though, an AMC friend agreed to do Eisenhower with me so long as we also visited Mts. Jackson and Pierce on the same hike. Hey, twist my arm!

Mount Eisenhower is 4760' with perhaps no summit on the Presidential Range that offers a better perspective on its southern peaks.

To that point, the chilliest prolonged outdoor experience I had had was a GO attempt on Mt. Washington last winter that culminated in blizzard conditions and near-zero temperatures above timberline. On that hike things went pretty well for our group, but I make a mental note to improve on two things in the future. First, I learned to get into the warmest gear and layers I'll need before breaking out onto an open ridge. In the icy winds of the presidential ridge, it took several minutes of frantic fumbling by two people to get my down parka zipped. In the shelter of the trees it would have been a 10-second proposition. Second, my goggles quickly fogged, which made it very hard to see where I was going. My analysis of the problem was that air I was exhaling was finding its way too easily into the inside of my goggles. I resolved to find some goggles with less underside venting, and also do a better job to ensure that my goggles are fully down on my face, especially along the bottom, rather than riding on top of my mask or balaclava.

On this hike, I felt ready on those two fronts, and eager to test myself. Given my desire to retest my cold-weather capabilities, the weather outdid itself indeed. When my friend Eric and I set forth from the parking lot bound for Mt. Jackson, the peaks were in the clouds and the temperature was -18°F. I had a heavy fleece jacket over a fleece shirt, over a long-sleeved synthetic T-shirt. Over my legs I had GoreTex shell pants over, heavy polypropylene long underpants. I also had a parka shell on, but needed to keep it pretty open not to overheat as we got going. The same went for the neck and pit zips on my fleeces. I had a lightweight balaclava on, but in the woods the winds were pretty light and I didn't feel a need for glasses or goggles. I had -40°F rated North Face winter boots on with two layers of wool hiking socks, along with Black Diamond Mercury mittens (similar to what Mike Boisvert recommends in a recent GO article). My feet pretty much stayed warm enough, and my hands were actually sweaty at times. In short, I was really pleased with how easy it was to stay warm.

I was conscientious about sipping water often to stay hydrated, and after being on the trail for an hour, also began munching energy food and having bits of my sandwich. On my past winter hikes, I had noticed that eating made my hands and feet cold-caused (1) by blood being diverted from the extremities to the stomach to digest the food, and (2) by being at rest while eating and generating less body heat. In these extra-cold temps, the chilling effect seemed extra-intense. As we neared Jackson's summit, my feet were getting really cold for a while. From then on, I tried to eat smaller amounts, more frequently, which seemed to do the trick.

As we emerged onto Jackson's summit it was a little windy, but we were able to keep the wind at our backs, and for our brief time there in the open, we were able to put off donning any more face covering. I did notice, though, that every gust of air that made it to my face was painful.

Mount Jackson at 4052' is mostly bare ledge with superb views all around.

As we moved on and approached the Pierce summit, I knew things from there on would pretty exposed so now was the time to assess whether I would be needing any more gear, and if so, to get it out now. With the help of some intermittent sun, the temperature had warmed to a little above zero, at least in the trees, and I felt that if it got colder I would need only to secure my fleece pit zips and close up my parka. My down jacket stayed in my pack. Because it was getting more rather than less windy above the trees, I added my face mask and goggles. The new goggles seemed to do all the right things - lots of ventilation, but not too open along the bottom and an anti-fog inner lens surface. To seal the deal, I was careful to ensure that their foam padding pressed firmly onto my face, and that none of my hot/wet breath was making it inside the goggles. At least in the shelter of the trees, everything seemed fine, so on we went to summit Pierce and attack the large, rounded cone of Eisenhower.

Mount Pierce at 4312' has limited views by high scrub however ledges just below the main summit area provide a spectacular close-up view of neighboring Presidential Range peaks, and ranges to the North and East.

Mother Nature was kind enough to offer us some more sun, along with some breathtaking views both of Eisenhower and of the peaks we had just visited as well as down into Bretton Woods, but the winds were getting increasingly severe, with gusts in the neighborhood of 40 mph. We were still feeling fine. Even as I put out to ascend the final 600 feet of Eisenhower, the goggles stayed clear. I made note of the temperature on Eisenhower's gusty summit: -6°F. As we reveled in our comfort, we noted that we were confronting a wind chill of -36°F, give or take. Our descent was pleasant, quick, and - apart for some beautifully sunlit frozen scrub - uneventful.

OK. For long, cold, windy climbs, I've got first-hand proof that it works to (1) eat my food frequently and in small doses; (2) carry the right gear and get my layers right before I emerge onto a bare ridge; and (3) be especially careful to protect my skin and keep my breath out of my goggles. To plagiarize a bit: Cold weather: Mission accomplished. Bring it on!

Trail Info: The Webster-Jackson Trail starts on the East side of US 302 just North of "Gateway of Crawford Notch," 0.1 mile South of Crawford Depot. Parking is on West side of road. From summit of Jackson, follow the Appalachian Trail (white blazes) to reach Mounts Pierce and Eisenhower. From Mt. Pierce to Eisenhower's summit, the Appalachian Trail (Crawford Path) is at or above treeline and hikers are thus exposed to the elements. This can mean low or near zero visibility, heavy snow, extreme cold temperatures and dangerous winds. Full winter regalia, including beefy snowshoes (such as MSR) and/or crampons, is required.