Back in New Hampshire, I spent the weekend at the Mount Washington Hotel in the White Mountains – with perfect weather and a grand view of the Presidential Range. Pam joined me for the two-night stay. On Saturday morning the day broke cool and clear so I headed a few miles down the road to Crawford Notch and headed up the Crawford Path. This path is the oldest continuously used mountain trail in the United States, dating to 1819. There were few people on the trail this early in the morning (7am), but that would soon change. Read on, and check out the photo gallery.
I paused where the trail crossed Gibbs Brook, first at a small unnamed cascade I’ve dubbed Lower Gibbs Falls, and later at the larger cascade known as Gibbs Falls. The early morning light made for good photo opportunities.
Although Pierce is a 4000-footer in the Presidential Range, it is relatively low and its summit is mostly tree-covered, but one side is open and offers a grand view along the range past Eisenhower and Monroe to Mount Washington.
On the way down I stopped briefly at AMC’s Mitzpah Hut. Inside, the croo was cleaning up from breakfast while the warmth and tantalizing smell of pancakes hung in the air. Other hikers were getting themselves ready for the day’s hike. I signed the logbook and moved on.
The descent was via the same route, now busy with fresh hikers coming uphill. I passed a woman wearing a “Dartmouth” shirt, and paused to chat, discovering she is a ’93, hiking with her daughter ’25. I enjoyed chatting with them a few minutes, and said goodbye… only to run into Kevin ’90, a friend from way back, just a few steps further down the trail. Fun coincidences!
See the photo gallery.
I capped off the morning with a sandwich, a beer, and a view, back at the hotel.
Hike stats:
Distance: 10.26km
Time: 3h49
Gain: 734m
David Kotz 
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