1986 New Hampshire Hiking

Lois Olive Gray, Kay Ellen Gilmour, Hester "Betsy Raiford", and Sharon Feldcamp.

We were four intrepid gals who had been hiking together all over the Smokies and even in some out west parks. I think we had hiked every trail in Smoky Mountain National Park and were getting hungry for some new challenges. Since, as a teenager, Lois had spent a summer in a camp in New Hampshire, she suggested we check out the highest mountain on the US East Coast: Mount Washington. It stands 6,288 Ft. in the White Mountains of the Presidential Range.

And then, why not take the Tuckerman Ravine Trail up to our overnight accommodations at Lake of the Clouds Hut just below the summit observatory?

As described on the USDA Forest Site: "This trail leaves Pinkham Notch Visitor Center and climbs steadily to Hermit Lake Shelters (2.4 miles, 1800 feet elevation gain). From Hermit Lake you begin to climb more steeply to the floor of the ravine, then very steeply through the top of the ravine. From the junction with the Alpine Garden trail, the trail climbs the rocky summit cone another 1000 vertical feet to the top."

What possibly could go wrong?