Mts. Pierce and Eisenhower Winter Hike

With summit reports on Thursday still saying 10-16 temps, a minus 6 -11 wind chill and gusts up to 30 mph for Mt. Pierce (4312') and Mt. Eisenhower (4760'), the weather took a abrupt shift on Friday and Saturday turned into a wonderful day for winter hiking. We didn’t get any real sun but at Pierce had beautiful views of Mt. Eisenhower which did finally cloud in a bit when we got there along with a light wind (in my opinion) at the summit of Eisenhower.

JT had to go help with storm recovery in RI and Mo had to drop out, but Tim joined last minute so there were six of us starting out at the Mt Clinton Rd parking lot/ Crawford Connector Path around 8:15. The trail was packed with light snow over mostly ice or dirt/rock all the way up to Pierce and most of us had spikes on early. Temp was totally comfortable and we made good time to the summit in about 2 – 2.5 hours. After snacking we said goodbye to Bob and Fred (who both had to do shorter hikes due to personal chores/responsibilities) and Tim who headed back down. Rob, Russ and I headed off for Eisenhower where again the trail was semi-packed in most places or at least broken. At points there was maybe a 1 – 1.5 feet of snow, which was wonderful for the descent (and I was glad we collectively made the right call not to drag our snow shoes with us on the hike). Off trail some drifts were closer to 2-3 feet of snow. The summit was cloudy but not super windy so we had a quick snack break there before starting the return. 

There were a bunch of other hikers along the way the whole day, saw a few Gray Jays getting snacks and per usual some lovely eye candy (always a perk!). I especially loved that the trees on the trails were magical in many places…an assembly of various forms of snow gnomes… We got back to the parking lot around 2pm.

All told another great GO winter hike – a breathtaking winter day in the Presidentials with some gorgeous vistas!

Join us for this 9.6 mile winter hike to the summits of two prominent 4000-foot peaks in the Presidential Range...Mt. Pierce (4312') and Mt. Eisenhower (4760').  We will take the Crawford Path up to the summit of Mt. Pierce with its relatively open summit.  From Pierce we will assess if we should continue to Mt. Eisenhower based on weather conditions.

This open summit features incredible 360-degree views. Views from here are spectacular...including views towards Mt. Washington and the surrounding wilderness.  Thereafter, we will retrace our steps. 

There is approximately 3200 feet in elevation gain.  The Crawford Path is among the least aggressive trails to 4000-foot peaks but there are some rough spots close to the summit of Eisenhower.  MicroSpikes should be sufficient but if there is a recent snowstorm, we might need snowshoes. Will email the group on the Wednesday before as to the weather status. This trip will take about 8 hours.

The ridge between the two peaks has some low-growing trees/scrub, but it is fairly exposed and continues to open up as we summit Eisenhower, which is totally exposed.  This will be a long day with exposure to weather above-tree line in winter. Note this hike is considered strenuous and above tree line exposure can make it extremely hazardous, as such members should have the fitness and gear to match the conditions.

What to wear/bring:  MicroSpikes are required but we may need snowshoes if there has been a recent snowstorm. We may not need snowshoes at the start so you should be prepared to strap your snowshoes onto your pack using bungy cords. Wear warm clothing suitable for the exposed ledge and summit(s)...no cotton or blue jeans.  You should also have insulated winter boots suitable for the season.  Additionally, consider bringing goggles, face protection and a headlamp/flashlight.  Bring along plenty of water (at least 2 liters), lunch, snacks and anything else you may require for a winter day hike.