Mt Ellinor Mt Washington Taverse

[flashpoint01]

I've noticed that this topic comes up every now and again, and have already searched through most of the other posts about it. I'm pretty new to climbing in generally but confidant in my skills on a class 3/4. We'd like to try the traverse it self but can't find any good info. Has anyone done the actually traverse summer or winter seasons?

If so what am i getting my self into, and what recomendations do you have?

[tshimko]

If you want to stay on the ridgeline of Washington, then definite climbing, at least class 4. I've looked at the start going up Washington from Ellinor, but have not done it.

 

If you just want to cross over from one to the other, no problem...it's been a while, but I don't recall anything even close to class 3.

[Mal_Con]

All I remember was som steep wet dirt getting off Elinor that gets your feet wet.

[Rad]

I was on Washington late spring and convinced my partners to extend our outing by trying the traverse to Elinor. While we were up there we had hail, mist, rain, and snow, so the rock was rather wet. Here's what we found:

 

Looks like it is best done from Washington to Elinor. You could probably make it by staying high and climbing on rock for the entire first half. Because it was wet and we didn't have rock gear, we reversed the first part of the Washington ascent route, which is on the E side of the ridge. FYI, Washington is just a scramble that doesn't require any rope of gear.

 

We traversed Southward under the ridge crest in alpine terrain (E side). At various points we popped up to peek over at the West side but it looked like you'd have to drop down awfully low to traverse around some kitty litter cliffs.

 

The terrain is too complicated to describe easily here. Use your outdoor skills.

 

We got to the final steep climb to the shoulder of Elinor and decided to bail. We were looking at a climbing long, steep snow slope broken by a band of wet rock. Because we had no rock gear or pickets and the weather was iffy we decided not to go up that way. There were footptints there so it can be done. Early season might be best so more of the rock is covered.

 

The first crux of the day is finding the right trail to avoid bushwhacking through broken cliffs up to the alpine zone. I flagged the trail entrance, which starts at a rock about 50yds back from the first obvious parking turnout on the spur logging road for the Washington area.

 

Have fun!

 

Footnote: there are some very cool rock towers that would be fun to climb when dry. I don't know if there are bolts or a rap anchor for descending them.

[OlyRob]

Im also looking at doing this traverse and drove up there to attempted it with a freind in March. We had really bad weather and turned around at the end of the maintained trail on Washington. One thing I have heard though(and what we were planning on doing) is that staying on the west side of the ridge is supposed to be very fun and gives you a good "Backcountry" feeling. Also, I have heard from several freinds, that have completed this traverse, is you definitely want to start from Washington.

[mattp]

It is not exactly a "traverse" in the sense of a ridge-line traverse, but you can easily drop to the west in a gully/dirty ramps kind of thing just down from Washington's summit, traverse high in the back basin, and ascend a broad gully leading back up to the summit bowl area just short of Ellinor's summit. It is beautiful back there and I agree that it gives a "backcountry feel."

 

There is nothing difficult about this traverse but a few short passages of sketchy loose filth overlying somewhat steep rock.

[OlyRob]

Mattp....is the route pretty straight forward on the backside or is it easy to take a wrong turn. Actually its pretty easy for me to take a wrong turn just about anywhere

[mattp]

I don't think you'll have any problem figuring out where to go on the back side. You just drop below the cliffs and traverse. It has been literally 20 years since I've been there so my memory isn't perfect, but it seems to me it was some combination of heather and scree, but mostly scree, and there may have been a rocky ledge or two but it was basically a hike between the gullies at either end. If you take a wrong turn, that will only mean you'll head up (or down) some gully you don't like and then retreat back where you came.

 

Photo's at Eric's Basecamp show the gullies at either end, though these are early-season photo's where everything is covered with snow. It'll be mostly scree now.

 

 

I think it might be slightly easier to find your way starting at Ellinor. Here is the gully down the back side (as seen from Mt. Washington). I don't think you'll miss it. I can't remember for sure, but the narrower gully closer to "A" peak may be a little less steep than the wider one nearer the summit. I think I'd look down the wide one first, though, as it is closer to the trail where you climb up Ellinor.

 

Before dropping into the basin, look ahead at where you think you'll want to climb back up onto the summit ridge of Washington. There really isn't much question there, as you'll run into the cliffs of the W. ridge or whatever it is if you pass your exit ramp back up to the standard route, but you may benefit from looking ahead anyway. This photo shows Washington, viewed from Ellinor:

 

I remember the scramble back up onto the standard Mount Washington route including, like I said, sand and dirt over rock or some vaguely treacherous kind of thing like that. Don't take your inexperienced friend there for their first outing.

[flashpoint01]

Thanks for all the great info. I was thinking of doing the actual ridge line, and might but it off until theres some snow to cover some of the rock. If i end up doing it any time soon i'll let you know. Thanks again.

[mattp]

I bet the ridge line could be entertaining.

[wayne]

I would have to agree,

nice photo /essay!!