White Mountain Direttissima
I first attempted this route in 2016. While doing it in an unsupported style (carrying all my own food & gear), I did invite friends out to join me and also cached battery bricks so that I could document the effort. I finished in just under six days. I knew there was a lot of time for improvement but didn't feel the desire to return until last summer (2024). My 2024 effort would build on everything I had learned and experienced since 2016. I had better endurance, an intimate knowledge of the trails, and gear has come a long way. Unfortunately I DNF'd halfway through due to anterior tibialis tendonitis. This year I made sure to fix my weakness and give the route an honest effort, shooting for five days. Here's how it went.
Day 1: Moosilauke to 13 Falls — 41.12 mi, 16:39:12, 17,982 ft ( strava link
I woke up before my 3:30 AM alarm and started to gather my gear at home in Jackson, NH. It’s a little over an hour's drive to the Beaver Brook Trailhead, and I wanted to get an early start while still feeling rested. I’ve learned my lesson about squandering valuable daylight, so I woke Hilary up and let her know I was ready to go.
We arrived at 4:40 AM, and I was on trail by 4:49 AM. I dropped my pack and headed up the first peak of the day with fresh legs as the sky began to brighten. The climb was uneventful — I startled a white-tailed deer as I moved efficiently. It’s easy to get in your head on a route like this — so much trail ahead, and doubt creeps in. The summit was socked in, a theme for the morning. I touched the sign and turned around. Everything was going smoothly until I slipped on a greasy rock and fell hard on my tailbone. My lower back compressed and lit up my spine. I considered calling Hilary to come back and pick me up, thinking maybe I’d start tomorrow or next week. I took a handful of Advil and decided to press on. My back hurt the rest of the day.
I picked up my pack and continued the 7-mile stretch toward the Kinsmans. The trail was dry and I ran out of water before Eliza Brook. My goal was to minimize water carries, but I pushed it too far. It was hot, and I was drenched, even by 8 AM. Climbing South Kinsman, I slipped and bent a pole. That freaked me out — the poles would be critical later in the route when my legs were cooked. I tried to bend it back but decided to just roll with it. Fortunately, it held up for the rest of the trip.
I summited the Kinsmans and descended toward Lonesome Lake. I considered taking the Cannonballs to Cannon but opted out — my pack didn’t feel light and I hate that section. As I circled the west side of the lake, I heard two ravens shouting back and forth across the water. I’d never heard that before — it echoed in a way that was both eerie and beautiful.
I dropped my pack and headed up Cannon. The trail is technical on the top half and always surprises me with the mix of hikers who find their way to the summit. It was a quick trip to a clouded-in tower — I climbed it anyway. Because it’s there.
I was 30 minutes ahead of my projected pace and reached Lafayette Place Campground (Rt. 93) in 9 hours, 15 minutes. I took the underpass and enjoyed the new trail section up to the Falling Waters Junction. This would be the hardest climb of the day, right in the heat. I filled 3L of water at the last stream and continued. Once on the ridge, I dropped my pack and did the out-and-back to Flume. Eight peaks down, 45 minutes ahead of splits. But I cramped during that stretch — red flag.
The summit of Lafayette was cloudy. I was dehydrated and worked from the heat. I needed to get over Garfield to re-up on water. That climb was more challenging than it should’ve been. On the summit, a group of girls were hammocking inside the old foundation, cloaked in clouds. I kept moving, refilled water, and got my headlamp out.
... continue reading