Hiking Trails Mt. Washington Valley NH – Trekking trails USA
Hiking Trails Mt. Washington Valley NH - Trekking trails USA
Mt. Washington Valley Trails & Mt Washington - NHThe highest mountain in the northeast state of New Hampshire, at 6288 feet, Mt. Washington (or Agiocochook as it was then called) was first climbed in 1642 by Darby Field and two native guides but it wasn't until 1853 that the first summit house was built. A year later, Tip Top House was built, which survies to this day. For the less hardy, the Carriage Road and a 3 mile cog railway were built; feats of engineering which would be deemed difficult even in these modern times! The cog railroad runs to the summit from the west and the road road from the east.South of the peak is the AMC's Lakes of the Clouds hut. At the base of the east side is the AMC's Pinkham Notch Visitors Center.The summit is covered with several buildings, including the Sherman Adams Visitor's Center, TV and radio antennas, the Yankee Building and the Mt Washington Observatory.The highest surface wind ever recorded on earth was at the observatory on the summit of Mt. Washington; 231 MPH on April 12, 1934. It is known for having the worst weather in the world, especially bad in the winter. There are many monuments to hikers who've died on the mountain, including one to Lizzie Bourne, who died while trying to walk up to the top, dressed in typical Victorian clothing. During the summer months, there is a cafeteria, museum, payphone, gift shop, and even a post office in operation. In winter, there is no access to any of the buildings. The Observatory is staffed year-round by weather observers.There have been several hotels on the summit. The original Tip-Top House was a simple stone building with a wooden extension. Later, a fancy wooden hotel was built, directly connected to the Railroad. It burned down and a new simpler hotel was built in the early 1900's. In recent years the wooden extension of the Tip-Top House was removed. You can tour the inside of Tip Top House during the summer months.On the east side of the mountain are three major ravines;The Great Gulf, said to be the greatest of the glacial errosion cirques in the Presidential Range, with awe inspiring cliffs!Tuckerman - which is famous for its late spring skiing.Huntington - a rock and ice climber's playground.On the west side, the Ammoonosuc Ravine dominates. Just south of
Lakes of the Clouds, is Mt Monroe, and just north is Mt Clay, with a bit further on, Mt Jefferson.Hiking trails Mt. Washington ValleyThere are many options for hiking to the summit of Mt Washington. The most popular routes start at Pinkham Notch, on the east side of the mountain. Climbing from the east means that you are sheltered from the usual strong winds out of north and west for the majority of the hike. The main route is up the Tuckerman Ravine trail (4.1 miles) which goes straight from Pinkham to the summit.On the south side of the ravine is the Boott Spur trail (5.4 miles) and the north side has the Lion Head trail (4.5 miles). Both are slightly longer than Tuckerman Ravine but also easier on the knees. The Huntington Ravine trail (5.1 miles) branches off the Tuckerman Ravine trail and climbs the bare slabs of Huntington Ravine. This is probably the most difficult trail
in the White Mountains, and should not be attempt in bad weather or used for descent. From there, people usually take the Alpine Garden trail to Tuckerman Junction and continue to the top from there.From the west side of the mountain, starting near the Marshfield Station of the Cog Railroad, there are two routes:The Ammonoosuc Ravine trail (3.9 miles) starts at a parking area just below the Cog parking lot and climbs up the Lakes of the Clouds hut. Hikers continue up on the Crawford Path to the summit.The Jewel trail (4.6 miles) leaves from the far side of the Cog Railroad parking lot (park at the Ammonoosuc Ravine trailhead) and climbs up to the ridge where it joins the Gulfside trail.Trailheads.Pinkham Notch Visitors Center - Take Rt 16 north from North Conway, located about 10 miles north of Jackson. Parking in the main lot does not require a WMNF parking pass, parking in the overflow lots does. There are bathrooms, coin operated showers, food, some gear, and pay phones. Lodging is available with reservations.Ammonoosuc Ravine - From Rt 302 in Bretton Woods, take the Base
Road 6 miles to the trailhead parking area on the right, just before the Cog Railroad. A WMNF Parking Pass is required.Before even starting off on your hike, I recommend you take at a look at the Mt. Washington Observatory Daily Weather report
for an up-to-date report from the top. For some simple tips on how to prepare for your trip, please visit our safety tips page below. Althought there are references to UK routes, the basic info still applies!Have fun, test your stamina but be safe!One of Mike's passions in Life is long-distance hiking, a spin-off from which is a growing interest in organic food supplements, sports nutrition, human physiology & psychology. We are what we eat!http://www.trekking-hiking-outdoors.co.uk/Trekking-Trails-USA.htmlSafety Tips http://www.trekking-hiking-outdoors.co.uk/article-6-Map-food-torch-compass-whistle-mobi.htmlFood for Potential Energy http://www.trekking-hiking-outdoors.co.uk/article-3-food-for-potential-energy.html
Washington Historian Remembers Harriet Lane, the Greatest First Lady – Book-Reviews
Washington Historian Remembers Harriet Lane, the Greatest First Lady
Washington Historian Remembers Harriet Lane, the Greatest First LadyWASHINGTON DC: She was the first White House Hostess to be called "First Lady." Enough said."Harriet Lane was a century ahead of her time," says Washington Historian and Biographer Milton Stern. "She used her intelligence, political skills, charm and beauty to push legislation through Congress when she was only twenty-seven years old."She was the niece of America's Bachelor President and his official hostess in Lancaster, London and Washington. Anyone who met her was instantly enamored. Queen Victoria bestowed upon her the title "Honorary Ambassadress." The Washington press corps proclaimed her "Our Democratic Queen," and the Chippewa named her "the Great Mother of the Indians." U.S. Naval and Coast Guard ships were named after her and still are. Songs were written about her, and women dressed like her. She was the most admired woman in the country and established a style of entertaining never before seen in the White House. She was the first of her kind to be an advocate for social causes: hospital and prison reform and the plight of the American Indians. And only she could get away with beating the Prince of Wales at bowling, which she taught him in the first place!Her world was guided by tragedy and death, yet she lived every day to the fullest. She conducted herself with grace and dignity and dedicated her life to the perpetuation of the memories of those dearest to her heart and the social welfare of all Americans, especially children.Although no monument has been dedicated in her memory, her legacy and generosity live on in Baltimore and Washington through the establishment of the Johns Hopkins Pediatric and Teaching Hospital, St. Albans School for Boys, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the President James Buchanan Monument in Meridian Hill Park.No Washington guest list was complete without her, as a society columnist wrote, "There is no more elegant figure in the official and social gatherings during the social season than the niece of President James Buchanan."More than twenty years after her death, she was named one of the most memorable women in American History, but more than 100 years after her death, few remember America's greatest First Lady.Milton Stern is the author of "Harriet Lane, America's First Lady" (www.harrietlane.net), the first extensive biography of President James Buchanan's niece. Due to his thorough research of Harriet Lane's life, he has been interviewed on numerous radio programs and is considered the definitive expert on the life of Harriet Lane."Unfortunately for Lane, she was the niece of a chief executive who was wrongfully blamed for events that had been unfolding since the drafting of the Constitution," Stern says. "His position as the fifteenth President, who was followed by America's greatest President, Abraham Lincoln, made him the scapegoat. Few realize that Lincoln supported Buchanan's policies in regard to South Carolina's secession from the Union until Fort Sumter was attacked, and Buchanan supported Lincoln's during the entire Civil War."When asked why he wrote Harriet Lane's biography, Stern said, "She was an inspiration not only to American women, but also all Americans, as she devoted her entire life to social causes and for the betterment of this great country. Americans still benefit from her generosity."Milton Stern is also the author of "America's Bachelor President and the First Lady" and the Executive Editor of "SelfPublisher News" (www.selfpublishernews.com). He resides in Washington, DC, with his toy parti-poodle, Serena Rose Elizabeth Montgomery. His next book, "On Tuesdays, They Played Mah Jongg" (www.mahjongg.us), will be released in the fall.Harriet Lane, America's First Lady,
Fly Fishing the Tide Rips for Coho Salmon off the Northwest Tip of Washington State
Fly Fishing the Tide Rips for Coho Salmon off the Northwest Tip of Washington State
Tide rips are one of the most common areas to fly fish for salmon at Neah Bay. I'm addicted to fly fishing tide rips for coho salmon in the saltwater. The stronger the current and the rougher the water, the more I love it.Tide rips are a general term used by many people but not always meaning the same thing. Many people define tide rips as where two opposing currents meet. Others define rips as any ripple caused by current on a glassy sea. Both are correct, but I think of tide rips as where huge amounts of water are moving causing the ocean to resemble a river. This can be caused by current crossing a shallow bar or reef (the northern tip of Waadah Island is an example of this) or where a large volume of water is constricted and/or crosses a shallow (or not so shallow) reef. A prime example of the latter is where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean north of Cape Flattery. The water in these areas can go from glass calm to rough in a very short time.The rough water is where I spend most of my time fly fishing the rips. The movement of water is also moving large amounts of feed (mostly baitfish like herring and anchovies) into the tide rips. The fast, turbulent water disorients the bait, making them easy prey for aggressively feeding coho salmon. The salmon use the current as a massive marine conveyer belt that brings them an easy supply of food. The chop on the water also seems to make the salmon less spooky and they will hold in the upper part of the water column, which puts them well within the fly fisherman's reach. All of these factors combined make fly fishing tide rips one of the best experiences in northwest saltwater fly fishing.We've found the conditions that concentrate salmon within reach of our flies. Now we have to enter the prime water. This is where things become interesting. I mentioned the rough water previously, and I must add even more caution to those attempting this type of fishing for the first or even the one hundredth time. Many times, the top end of the tide rip will contain breaking waves, much like rapids in a river. In the beginning start fishing rips that are not as strong. Look for days with less tidal movement to get used to the way your boat drifts and how to cast flies while being tossed around before casting flies in stronger tide rips. A sound boat is necessary. You need a boat that's a minimum of 18' long to deal with the strongest rips. Make sure you have all the safety equipment required and more. Life jackets, VHF radio, and a GPS are absolutely required. Make sure your engine is tuned up and operating properly. This is no place to have a breakdown.Okay, you are now in the rip holding the cork of a fly rod with a baitfish fly pattern in your other hand. What now? It depends a bit on how your boat drifts through the current. My boat drifts straight with the current, but others drift sideways. For me, I cast straight across to up-current a bit. Usually the boat is drifting slower than the current underneath, so casting a fly up current will give the fly more time to sink and still allow you to strip the fly back to the boat across the current. I usually strip the fly back at varying speeds. Often, I'll start the retrieve very fast and then slow it down as the fly gets closer to the boat. I think the initial fast burst gets the coho salmon's attention and the slower strips with pauses is what triggers the coho salmon to strike the fly.The tide rips can also be a great place to try casting poppers for saltwater salmon. Bringing salmon to the surface is a thrill.Of course, an article can only get you so far. Time on the water is the key to being confident fly fishing the saltwater for salmon in Washington State. I hope you will give the Olympic Peninsula a shot for your saltwater fly fishing adventures.Chris Bellows, owner of Topwater Charters, Inc, which runs fly fishing charters off the Washington Coast. His websites offer more information about Saltwater Fly Fishing and Neah Bay Halibut