I got up at 4:30 in the morning!! to do this hike and as I drove up to the Cog Railway parking lot, the temperature kept dropping! It was -12 degrees when I arrived. Larry had called me right before I left the house to tell me everyone was leaving their dogs at home as it was too cold for them but how could I leave Chuck behind. And anyway, if it was too cold for him, then I would leave with him too. The whole way in the truck I wondered why I had even gotten up, it was certainly too cold to hike. I started the hike thinking I would turn around soon! It was too cold to fill out the paperwork and the pen was frozen. The parking lot was a long salted walk to the trail for Chuckles and he was lifting up a paw funny already before the trail! We started up the Jewel connector to Jewel and by the time we got to Jewel, it was fine. No wind in the woods, and a beautiful hike with 8 people! Most I had never met but were incredible hikers: Barb, Bruce, Darcy, Dave, Susan with Marlene, Larry and I. Chuckles was the only dog. I was the only one in spikes but I needed to change to snowshoes once we got above treeline. In the sun above treeline, it was glorious, windless, and in the 40s!!! Sometimes it was tough and snowy but others it was windswept and easier. The sights were amazing! We went almost to Clay before turning north to Jefferson as there was no trail broken out to get to Jefferson more directly.
I wanted to do Washington but no one else wanted to but I finally decided I would do it alone. It was only 1.4 miles away and we were at the junction after Clay at only 1:45. As it turned out, Darcy, who I had just met, but who is a very experienced hiker decided to join me. I do not think I have ever hiked so slowly! She was so far ahead of me! I hate dragging behind! Was I tired? My hip flexors certainly were! Maybe it was the elevation? I do not know but this was the first I had worn snowshoes also. I could barely lift my legs and I was having some type of asthmatic feelings. Up at the top of Mount Washington (when I finally go there), was a festival attitude. Skiers skiing down the cog railway (who knew? Not me!) The sun was beautiful, the sky was so blue, the weather was amazing. I felt fine on the way down but did not want to race and have it be over sooner than it had to be. We went to the lake of the Clouds hut, snow right over the roof! and then down the Amonoosuc trail. We were able to sled 1-2 miles of it and it was so much fun! The rest of the hike seemed short and we were back at the car before dark, at 4:45. Again, we had to go through the salted parking lot to the truck. I found out Darcy was also a spinner/knitter! She even had a shop in Berwick Maine that I had heard of. Doggo limped around at home from the salt but Torre and Dan were there when we got there, woodstove burning so he got lots of sympathy, snacks, and pets. They thought I pushed him too hard. That was not the case, but the salt did bother him.
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