Todays hike is to summit Mt Pierce and Mt Eisenhower via the Crawford Path. The Crawford Path is one of the oldest trails in the White Mt National Forest and used to be a bridle path. It is one of the major routes to Mt Washington. Once over Eisenhower return down Edmund’s Path also a main route to Mt Washington and then walk Clinton road back to our car. This would be a long hike and my first hike above tree line.

We stated out and not far in came to Gibbs Fallsl…the trail was easy walking. We reached the split for the Mitzpah cut-off. The cut off will take us to the Mitpah Hut. Red really wanted to see the hut so we headed off. The loop I figured would only add a mile and a half or so to the day so what the heck. Not far after the split we reached a level in the elevation known as the Boreal Forest. At this elevation there is very deep moss like a mattress throughout the forest and the trees seem nearly dead. Those that are dead don’t seem to really rot, I guess this is due to certain bacteria having difficulty growing. Anyway it was like fairy land, lush green…only thing missing was a leprechaun.

We reached the hut, which is more like a very large house. Inside there is food, water and some accommodations to sleep 60 or so. I believe you need to have reservations but if they have free space the will sell it. There are several huts like this to assist through hikers on the AT and to provide shelter in inclement weather.

We had a snack and left the hut and took the loop trail up to the summit of Mt Pierce. This loop was quite steep and in places actually had some stair steps to help. We made the Summit of Pierce and found there were these birds hanging out. They were the size of Blue Jays and people were hand feeding them. The view of Eisenhower from Pierce was fantastic even though Mt Washington was in the clouds most of the day and I was concerned we might loose our view from Eisenhower’s summit before we reached it.

The walk between Mt Pierce and Eisenhower was easy with great views in all directions. It is always interesting how distances look above tree line. We ran into a nice couple on the trail who offered us a ride down Clinton Road if they saw us later, we accepted had some chit chat and marched on.
We made the summit of Eisenhower and had lunch and took a rest. The hike up wasn’t bad but it was getting long. The extra mileage from the Mitzpah Loop was making itself known in my energy levels and we could see these huge thunderstorms way off in the distance heading our way. We had another snack, rested, and I took a bunch of pictures. We decided to move on since we probably still had at least an hour to get down to tree line to get any protection from the storm. As it turned out we were about right.

The view coming down from Eisenhower towards Mt Washington is fantastic. I would love to see this on even a crisper clearer day, it must be incredible.
Upon making the woods we dawned our rain gear for what wasn’t much a shower and hiked on down the path. We stopped for a snack and who came along but this Kent and his wife (the couple we met earlier offering a ride). We took them up on it and hiked out with them. Kent was very knowledgeable about hiking the Whites and shared many stories of trails he had taken and snowshoe trips he had done. With the extra mileage the ride would be very welcome. We made their van Kent pulled out a some beer and we all loosened our boots.

I looked up Kent’s contact info and sent him a note of thanks for the conversation and the ride. I am not sure what it was but things really came together for me today and Kent somehow was a big part of the glue or the catalyst for it to occur. Anyway I felt touched in a way i can’t describe by the whole day and it’s happenings and I am positive it was my fathers thoughts and prayers that made everything workout. I can’t wait to share my pictures with him when i get back.

This loop was an excellent hike, it is long, somewhere around 9.8 miles not counting the Clinton road which without a car drop will add a mile or so more to get you back around.

Here is a link to the Full Picture Gallery