August 18, 2011: Mt. Eisenhower (#17) & Mt. Pierce (#18)

 There is no such thing as a bad day in the White Mountains.  There are, however, some days (and hikes) that are better than others.  Today was by far one of the best hikes I have had this far in my journey.
A great hike is always the one with the least planning.  After hiking Moriah, we sat down at dinner and discussed the options for our second day in the mountains.  We had 32 mountains to choose from, but I knew I wanted to end the summer on a high-note in the Presidential Range.  After much debating, we decided we would hike either Pierce or Eisenhower, or maybe even both, but we would wait to make that decision at the trailhead.  No pressure or over-planning, the way hiking is supposed to be.
In the morning, we decided to ascend Edmand's Path to Mt. Eisenhower, and from the summit we could decide whether we would continue onto Pierce or head back down Edmand's Path.  We left a car in each lot and began our ascent.
It was more humid than the previous day, but still a pleasant walk in the woods.  I had hoped the trail wouldn't be too difficult, so as to accommodate our various ability-levels.  It was a very moderate trail, but a bit more rugged than I had expected.
Once we left the trees and began circling the massive summit cone, the real fun began.

View to the Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods:

Mts. Jefferson, Clay, and Washington, as well as the shoulder of Mt. Franklin:

Zoom to the summit of Mt. Washington:

It was incredible to be back in an alpine zone.  The surroundings were phenomenal and the urge to run across the ridge to every mountain peak along the way was almost undeniable.

We decided to have our lunch just below the steep summit spur so we would have the necessary fuel for the climb.  From our lunch spot we had a clear view of the climb ahead of us.  It was an intimidating view, but an exciting adventure nonetheless.

A view from the summit spur down to some of the alpine trails:

This picture gives a good sense of the steepness of the climb (notice another trail far below):

A helicopter passed low over the ridge as we climbed higher toward the summit.
A few minutes later I arrived on one of my most spectacular summits yet, Mt. Eisenhower.

We had the summit to ourselves for a good fifteen minutes before several other groups of hikers arrived.  Everyone was very friendly and we enjoyed the weather and good conversation at nearly 4,800 feet above sea level.

After enjoying the summit for over half-an-hour, my two hiking companions decided to head back down Edmand's Path and I would continue over to Pierce.  The weather was just too good to pass up.

Mt. Pierce as viewed from Eisenhower summit:

It was my first time hiking solo and it was the perfect stretch of trail.  As much as I like hiking with others, having the freedom to move at my own pace and appreciate the beauty of my surroundings on my own was a welcome experience.  The stretch of trail between the two peaks is one of the most beautiful trails I have ever hiked.  I met several friendly people on the trail between the peaks and I arrived at Mt. Pierce summit less than an hour later.

I ate an orange and some peanut M&Ms and sat down to enjoy my accomplishment.  I drank the last of my water, which gave me the perfect excuse to make a side-trip to the AMC Mizpah Spring Hut eight-tenths of a mile down the trail.
The trail was steep down to the hut, but I'm glad I made the trip.  I filled my water and chatted with a friendly man from Meredith. 
Now was the long, grueling hike down with no views to keep me company.  But as I've said before, the hike down is a small price to pay for such an incredible day above treeline.  I took the Mizpah Cut-Off to the Crawford Path, where I met my two companions at the trailhead on Mt. Clinton Road.
I'm glad I was able to end my summer in the best way possible and with the best weather possible.  I couldn't have asked for a more fulfilling trip to the mountains.  Hopefully this can hold me over for the next three months until my return.