Solo day hiked Weds 11/15/2023 – Spent the night at the trailhead and it got down to -7°C/19°F but the Leonid Meteor Shower was spectacular with one shooting star lasting 4 seconds. Reached the White Mountain Summit at sunrise and it was -12°C/12°F before adjusting significantly downward for the 45-56 kph/25-35 mph winds. You have to bring insulated gloves and upper/lower hard/soft/down shell layers to go up right now, not just for the summit but the pass just below the summit where the wind screams at you. If it rains/snows with the usual White Mtn wind, the shells will save you! Used goggles/mask instead of the usual glacier glasses for comfort but not necessary. Views from the summit are great in every direction. Took a cross country route up Mt Barcroft after White, going up stable talus fields which was great fun. White Mountain Road is in pretty good shape and I never had to switch my truck into 4 wheel drive on the night drive to the trailhead. Went slow and occasionally had to stop for rabbits and blip the horn to “un-paralyze” them. Would not take my Mazda 3 out there but if it was a beater with higher profile tires…..maybe. Stopped at Patriarch and Schulman Groves on the drive out and hiked the loops to see the Bristlecones. Didn’t start raining until I was back on Hwy 168 – another great day of hiking before dusting off the mountain boots! Logged 15.7 miles/3505 vertical ft. with Gaia.
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