Ahhhh the view from Willey
Southeast view from Mount Willey looking down Crawford Notch (Rt. 302)
I spent the night at the Mount Washington Hotel on a whim so I could get up early and start the long 10 mile hike of Mount Tom, Field and Willey… oh and Avalon but not considered a 4000 footer but had a pretty good view. Crawford Notch is the more quieter side of the White Mountains with the Presidentials to the East and the Pemi to the West. I knew that Tom and Field had limited views with wooded cairns so it was ok that I decided to do this route in late November on mostly cloudy day. The Avalon trail towards Mount Avalon (3339 feet) was almost straight up after a mile in the trail. I had a couple of speed hikers with heads down power past me which it’s a bit much. 'Hike your own hike' I guess. Every since the shock of cold on Jackson I planned my hikes for sub-zero. However with 37 degrees temperature at the bottom and winds from another direction I quickly took off all my layers down to my base layer. I really have to figure out this layering system out. I don’t want to be cold but sweating is not good. I suppose I should anticipate overheating immediately and add layers but getting out of the car already cold is not a big motivator.
Anyways, I needed to put microspikes on halfway between Avalon and Field which immediately improves the confidence of each foothold. I saw two twenty-something guys wearing New Balance sneakers and no spikes. One woman asked me later if I passed them and she was completely shocked they were heading over to Willey. The right gear can really change the experience. Mount Field was a wooden cairn and quickly went over to Willey and the trail was rocky, full of roots and really narrow but mostly flat.
By the time hit Willey it was 4.2 miles into the hike with a hike back over to Field then over to Tom, back down Tom and down the 2.6 down to the car so I had some miles to go. Right when I got to Willey I headed for the outlook some 50 yards from the summit and little ways down. When I entered the outlook the sun had peaked out and it shined the other side of the notch with sheer faces and down south with layers of blue mountains. It was just an incredible scene and my eyes got puffy right then and there. It was amazing that here was this gloomy cloudy day and on the right spot and the right time the mountains showed me why I do what I am doing. Perhaps the pain and sacrifice was worth just this one moment. And then… reality hits with 5 more miles to go so off I went.
As I headed away from the outlook three girls were coming up the other trail and I told them that it would be worth it in about 50 more feet. One said that it was already worth it (yea ok) and then about 30 seconds later I heard "oh my god". Yup, that is exactly it. Back at Field, as the middle part of the T shaped hike, I brought out a Cliff bar and my friend the Gray Jay paid me another visit and got another slow motion shot feeding it which was really cool.
The hike from Field to the col at Tom was really steady downhill which was really nice and very pleasant hike. Then the hike up to Tom was .6 up and then another .6 right back down. I was starting to loose steam for this part but then it was 2.6 back down to the car. About 10 or so other sets of hiker were doing the same hike and we leap frogged each other all day. My feet started to hurt as usual on the way down and certain unexpected roots made me wince each time like having old bones. Overall worth every ache on that day and then next two for that view on Willey.
Date
November 21st 2020
Distance
9.77 miles
Elevation Gain
3,448 feet
AllTrails