One foot on the ground - question

[VTJ]

All - I'm a new visitor to the site and the forums and am getting lots of helpful tips, thank you.

My son (17) and I will be hiking in NH the week of July 3rd. We have hit a dozen of Vermont's finest but this is our first time we've planned a visit to Mt Washington.

Anyway, I like to have one foot on the ground at all times - I'm a hiker, not a climber. And I love the views from secure vantagepoints and at the top, but don't want to walk along a narrow ledge to get there.

My question(s) - are there trails to the Mt Washington summit which require climbing - or ledge walking - and might try to avoid?

Or, is there a specific trail which at least minimizes exposure to these, um, phobias?

Thanks for any advice!

[krummholz]

Definitely stay away from the Huntington Ravine trail and the Great Gulf trail! The headwall section of Tuckerman Ravine could conceivably pose a problem for an acrophobe--there's one short stretch where the trail is narrow and you have a steep dropoff on one side.

Probably the most terror-free route is the Jewell trail. Boott Spur and Nelson Crag aren't that bad, either. On every single approach to Washington, you will find at least a few stretches where scrambling (use of hands as well as feet) is required, but only the ones mentioned at the top have a dropoff.

If among your Vermont summits you include Mansfield, you've probably encountered a few spots just as bad as any of the scrambly sections of Mt. Washington trails.

Good luck--I have a touch of acrophobia myself, but being a "counterphobic" personality, I have a weird tendency to seek these places out!

[Snow Miser]

Welcome to the forums VTJ. From what I know is that one of the only trails that would require any sort of climbing is the Huntington Ravine trail. The top of the bowl of the Tuckerman Ravine trail is basically a ledge, but not too bad. Most of the other trails are just steep. Others on here know the mountain much better than I do, so I am sure they will chime in and help you out.

[climbabout]

Definitely the Jewell trail - this is probably the easiest trail to the summit, although not the shortest. It's the most gentle, consistent grade of all the trails to the summit.
Tim

[Brad]

For first time folks I normally take then up the Ammo Trail - summit - then down the Jewell. There is a lot of above treeline exposed to the weather time on this route. So, watch the weather as it comes in from the west and get below treeline before things get bad or visibility drops.

[Charlie]

For first time folks I normally take then up the Ammo Trail - summit - then down the Jewell. There is a lot of above treeline exposed to the weather time on this route. So, watch the weather as it comes in from the west and get below treeline before things get bad or visibility drops.

you didn't do that for me ,you took me up a hard trail

[CHRIS]

I love the Ammo/Jewell loop. But I think the Ammo is alot harder than Lions Head.

[Brad]

you didn't do that for me ,you took me up a hard trail

Charlie, you wanted to go to HoJo's the first time. You would not get there if I took you up the Ammo.

[CHRIS]

I bet Charlie could do the Jewell and like it. Great scenery.

[VTJ]

Yeah, we have done Mansfield via LT and did get to one spot which nearly turned me back - we got through it, but to avoid descending the same spot we made the dreadful decision to return to base via the ski slopes.

So - I count several nods for Jewell, and have noted several watchouts too. Appreciate your help, can't wait to give it a go!