Things You'll Need:
- Internal-frame hiking bag (these are the lightest, most adaptable)
- Hiking poles (takes a lot of the pressure of the knees on the descent)
- Synthetic under garments (cotton gets pretty heavy)
- Fresh socks
- Food (breakfast and dinner is provided at the huts)
- Portable water filter
- Warm jacket or windbreaker
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Step 1
The first thing to decide is how long you want to hike the range. While some crazed cross-country youths traverse the range hurriedly in a race against the sun, most take about two or three days. If you plan to hike in two days, know that it is about a 24-mile trip. Because of the placement of the huts, this usually ends up dividing up between one not-so-hard day and one pretty tasking afternoon.
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Step 2
There are three Appalachian Mountain Club huts located along the range. Take advantage of these as they are very accommodating and provide surprisingly exquisite meals and entertainment. This will also enable you to leave a lot of weight behind including tents, stoves and a lot of food. The three huts are the Madison Hut, the Lake of the Clouds Hut and the Mitzpah Springs Hut.
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Step 3
Like any trail, there are two principle directions you can take and each way presents its own difficulties. If you start on the southern side, the trail climbs more gradually and you will summit some of the smaller peaks in the range first (Eisenhower, Jackson and Webster). The first hut available on this route is the Mitzpah Springs Hut which will be the best resting place if you are splitting the hike in three. If you start from the northern side your first day will be a vertical scramble but you will end up in awe upon the vast vantage of Madison’s shear rock pile.
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Step 4
If you have a portable water filter, use it to get water from trickling water sources near the trail. Since so much of the range is above tree-level your best bet for clean water sources is probably at the huts themselves or the visitor center on top of Washington. The most common signs of discomfort when hiking come from lack of water.
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Step 5
Leave enough time when you are hiking to enjoy the views. While Washington is the tallest peak in the range, the lesser peaks offer great vantages of the rest of the vast White Mountain state park. Madison and Monroe are particularly rewarding due to their extreme exposure. Along with great views come strong winds so be prepared.
