My confidence was a little shaken from the hike the day before up Mt. Mansfield. As I approached the Pinkham Notch Trailhead for my climb up Mt. Washington (New Hampshire’s highpoint at 6,288′) I decided to take a novel approach to this hike … instead of sweaty, uncomfortable feet in my leather hiking boots, I would try to make the slog up to this summit a little more enjoyable and I hiked up in tennis shoes. I had been up to the top of Mt. Washington on a motorcycle many years ago and all I remembered was how steep the road was and I was not really looking forward to this hike. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised … the trail was great, weather beautiful and I got up and back down before the thunder and lightening hit …. not sure about the other 40 people that were still on their way up …

The Tuckerman Ravine Trail is basically an 8.6 mile round trip up an old dirt road then onto a rocky trail as you approach the summit. The trial was well marked and once out of the trees there were numerous cairns and signs to the top. The weather was calm and sunny and I spent about an hour wandering around looking at the exhibits, waiting for the cog train to show up.

The biggest bonus on this hike was that on the way down my feet felt GREAT! We have friends that usually do their hiking in lightweight approach shoes and I could never bring myself to give up the support of the good old leather hiking boots. I think I am now a convert … I now need to think seriously about our 25 mile approach hike to Gannett Peak in September  – I see a trip to REI in my future!