Whiteout on Mt. Washington

As I prepared for a day of climbing, it was storming in the mountains. Though it was almost summer, it had been snowing for days. The forecast called for more snow and increasing winds. A summit bid seemed unlikely. 

A normal person probably would have taken the day off and waited for more ideal conditions. However, I wasn’t deterred. It’s hard to predict mountain weather and you never really know what’s happening unless you’re there. I’ve started a number of adventures with low expectations only to have the clouds part and reward me for my efforts. I found a willing partner in my friend Jordan and we decided to get out. 

Mt. Washington was our chosen objective. In many ways it was the ideal mountain for a bad weather attempt. Its north ridge provided a clear route to the summit. It’d be easy to follow in low visibility and it avoided any major avalanche paths. 

The morning of our summit attempt arrived. Jordan and I met in the parking lot. Snow was falling. We confirmed our plan for the day and let each other know that we were comfortable turning around at any point if the conditions called for it. Both of us felt secure on steep slopes with crampons and ice axes, but we weren’t technical ice or mixed climbers. The summit of Washington was a technical rock route. If at any point we saw ice building up on the rocks along the way, we knew we would have to turn around. 

The hike was easy to start. It began with a flat two mile section of the PCT. A light snow was falling through the trees and starting to blanket the surroundings. It felt magical. My anticipation was building. I’ve often enjoyed bad weather days. It’s a choice to get out on them. Sometimes I stay home. When I do get out, it always feels like a gift. I breathed in the crisp air and took in the ponderosa pines. It was good to be outside. 

We made it to the climbers trail and started to venture upwards. The trail quickly disappeared, but our path was obvious. We needed to go uphill until we hit the ridge. Bushwacking ensued. We were delighted to stumble upon our first rock band and see that it was free of snow. Our hope built and we continued upwards. 

Jordan navigating off trail.

The wind picked up considerably as we reached the top of the ridge. The mountain no longer offered us shelter. We were open to the elements. The wind started to bite, but we came prepared. I cinched my hood tight. Visibility was dropping, but navigation was straightforward. It was time to follow the ridge. 

Storm snow had accumulated along the ridge and it was blowing into drifts. One moment we’d be walking on top of the old sun crust and the next we’d be thigh deep in snow. Travel became more difficult, but everything was still manageable. Any rock that we saw sticking out of the snow was clear of ice, climbable. 

The ridge steepened and visibility decreased. Initially we had been able to look below and see cliffs. Now, we just saw white. It felt like an epic adventure. The only thing visible was Jordan and the ground in front of me. We were in our own little bubble. Still, we were comfortable. The exertion was keeping us warm. 

The crest of the ridge was nearing and so was its steepest point. We faced directly uphill and plunged two tools into the snow. Each step was carefully kicked. Nothing but open air loomed below us. Wind whipped and we continued upward. Kick. Step. Kick. Kick. Step. All of a sudden the ground started to level out and we were on top of the ridge. Just a short traverse would bring us to the final summit pinnacle. 

Reaching the high point on the ridge.

I felt the air cool and looked around. Everything had changed. The wind was raging even harder. It was hard to hear my own thoughts. I saw rock jutting out and it was covered in ice. Everything was covered in ice. Jordan stepped up behind me. We made eye contact and knew. It was time to go down. The summit was no longer in our abilities. We turned around and started down the mountain. It was a fun day out. We could return for the summit another day.

Tips for Navigating in Low Visibility

Plan Ahead: Do research on the area that you plan to visit. Know any obvious features that will be helpful in navigation. Plan a specific route and analyze it for any points that may produce navigational challenges. Have a backup plan and know how to get back to the car if things go wrong. 

Continuously Track Location: Diligently follow along with the map. The key to not getting lost is consistent tracking. Seek to always know your location. Make sure that features line up with what is expected. If there are discrepancies, stop and reorient. 

Measure Distance Traveled: As visibility drops, it’s not always possible to identify features on the landscape. Some routes require a change in bearing at different landmarks. If that is the case, it’s important to know how far you are moving. Learn your pace. Know how many steps you take in 100ft. Know how that differs on the uphill, with a pack, or in the snow. A climbing rope can be another tool to measure distance. 

Useful Tools: Though it’s always best to have a map and compass, a GPS and altimeter can make life a lot easier. If you lose your location or aren’t certain of your whereabouts, learning your elevation or coordinates can give clarity and reassurance. Apps such as Gaia GPS are available for phones and make it really easy to track location without service. 

Start in Familiar Places: Navigating in low visibility is challenging. It’s best to start in places that are familiar. Notice known features and how they differ with conditions. An unusual rock or intersection in the trail may be meaningless in a new area, but could provide the help needed to reorient in a familiar location. 

Start Small: Just as it is important to start in familiar places, it’s a good idea to start small. Build up experience over time. Start with roadside attractions and move on to obvious trails. Graduate to off-trail navigation only after you can confidently track location on easier adventures.

Don’t Hesitate to Turn Around: If things get uncomfortable and you feel in danger turn around. Don’t push things. Going outside is about having fun, not summits. Make sure you can return another day.

Jordan heading back down.