There was a lot of interest in this hike. Twelve of us (!) hiked up Valley Way on a perfect late summer day, with clear skies and cool, dry air. High up on the trail, Steve M cut over to the Airline trail, then on up to bag Adams (5799'), while the rest of us continued to Madison Hut. After a brief stop at the hut to snack, we did the half mile scramble up over boulders to the top of Mt Madison (5367'). On the way up, we encountered two more of us, Larry and Andy, who had decided separately to do the hike also but left earlier. They connected atop Madison and were on their way down. "Small world," amid a much larger one! The view up there is 360 degrees, from looking across the Great Gulf at Mt Washington, part of the Auto Road, across the notch at the Wildcat ski area, sweeping around past the Carter Range, northward to the Kilkenny Range. It seems odd that we couldn't see Mt Adams itself, just a mile and a half to our west, but that was hidden behind Mt Quincy Adams, looming above the hut. Back down at the hut, we took our time having lunch and snacking on the hut's "front porch." Below are Ginger (front), David, Marie, Barbara, Michele, Mary, Jane, Katherine, Dick, Charlie, and Leanne.
Our photographer, Lynn:
Another group hiked Adams and Madison from a different direction. Pam, Chris, Doug and Steve started from Rt 16 at the Great Gulf Wilderness Trailhead and ascended to Adams on the Great Gulf, Madison Gulf and Star Lake trails. Great Gulf and Madison Gulf are on the NH Terrifying 25 list. At the top of Adams, they met up with Andy and Larry. Upon leaving Adams, the group of 4 headed to Madison Hut and the summit of Madison before descending to Appalachia. Andy and Larry descended partly on Airline and then took the cutoff to Valley Way.
The views and the weather were absolutely tremendous.
Below are Pam, Steve and Doug on the trail. Pic by Chris.
Below are Steve, Doug, Pam and Chris on the Madison summit with Mt Washington to the right.
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