Kinsmans and Hypothermia?

11:00am, Yes, I know....11am is way too late to start a long winter hike. My cousin Jon had a difficult 3 hour ride through slushy roads coming across Rt-2 from Maine. It had been raining off and on all morning, higher elevations had seen some snow but with warm temps even Mt Washington was at 34 degrees and raining.

We carried snowshoes over to the bridge at the start of the Lonesome Lake trail, there was a crust and the only tracks were from the caretaker of the hut. I'd watched an hour earlier as she hiked down and drove off in the AMC van. Our snowshoes crunched pleasantly through the crust as we wound our way through the camp to the sounds of traffic on the highway. .4 in we pass the trail junction for the Hi-Cannon.

I prayed that the rain would hold off and the gray skies would part. A half hour into the hike which switchbacks up the ridge it began to rain lightly. By then I was wearing a long sleeve polypro shirt and it was comfortable enough to continue with that. An hour in we were at the height of land and we crossed the ice covered pond to the hut. Inside the deserted hut it was colder than outside so I put on my fleece while we ate half our lunches.

I'd been on Fishin' Jimmy before but only in summer, it's got a nice approach in, we wore snowshoes right to the steeper sections. It was raining lightly again and we could hear the wind high above. Crampons came out and soon we were climbing again with 12 sharp spikes to bite into the ice.

Sometimes we'd grab onto a tree through the steep icy sections. There was water running over the tops like half frozen yellow water-falls. An ice axe could be handy in places like this but we used the trees. It was foggy and now raining more steadily. Jon put his shell on and then I did a bit further up. Around the corner somebody had left their pole sticking in the snow. It was a nice one, the name brand was Eastern Mountain staff with a shock absorber.

We moved pretty quickly up through the steeps and there around another corner was another hiking pole. I figured we'd stash it on my pack on the way down and then put it on the hiker boards. They were a different brand name called Alpinist but also made by EMS, this one was not quite as nice as the other. Just after that we arrived at the Kinsman Ridge trail junction. The wind was whipping around but we were well sheltered by the trees. It was raining more steadily, we couldn't see much, there was a knob in view just below KR that might've been one of the Cannon Balls but I wasn't sure.

It seemed like a long slog from here to the summit of North Kinsman but we dogged up it making good time. It was a little past 3pm. We stopped for a short break, refilling water bottles and eating a little. I hadn't eaten very much and was completely soaked through from sweat and the constant rain. I was shivering and gave some brief thoughts to turning back then. In hindsight, it might've been a good idea.

We headed South instead, I was intent on bagging both peaks. There were a couple of steep parts then down-down-down to the col. After that on the flats the snow was drifted in and I postholed as I led. I thought about changing to snowshoes but that would've meant stopping and shivering while I put them on.

We both took turns stepping on the high place at 4,358 that signifies the summit. From here we should be getting views of Franc-ridge but the clouds were so close you couldn't see more than 100 feet in any direction. Strongest winds of the day blew across the mountain driving the heavy moisture into our faces.

Jon looked wet and tired too, we paused for only a moment and then walked back into the more protected trees 200 yards below to eat the rest of our lunches, drink and rest. I shivered some while I rested, it's not like me to be cold like that...the shivers would come out of nowhere. I said nothing to Jon, didn't want to worry him.

The food definitely helped, we never stopped except once or twice to breathe as we climbed back up North Kinsman. The air was warm but the wind cut right through me despite the shell pants and jacket. I had warm dry clothes in my pack but we were in a hurry to get back to the hut and through the steep icy sections before dark.

The long downhill to the trail junction and then down Fishin' Jimmy was pleasant and some of my energy returned. I knew we still had 200 feet of elevation gain left before we reached the hut. This trail is one of those that when you're heading up to the ridge the uphill is fun and seems to go by quickly, but coming back takes forever.

Those uphill sections sapped my energy again but we never stopped and it was nice to finally see the cheerful lights of the hut. The dusk was growing close now and we gave some thought to going inside for hot cocoa. With the noisy sounds of at least 30 people running around inside we decided to just head down. I put my headlamp on for the trek back across the lake now well packed down by many feet.

The hike down went very well and pretty quick. By 7pm we were back to the campground. I promised Jon that we'd hike this summer in Maine. I was very glad to have his company on this wet, windy day. Before we said our goodbyes I put on a dry cotton sweatshirt but was still shivering, I was soaked from the waist down still. The constant hot air pouring from my car's heater didn't warm me up much and when I stopped for gas in Ashland, the wind swept in and I shivered uncontrollably. I fed my own furnace hoping it would help to warm me up. I was tired but the shivering kept me awake all the way home.

When I got out of the car at home just a touch of wind while I unloaded sent waves of shudders through me. Even after a hot bath and lying under thick covers I shivered as my body tried to regulate its temperature. Through the night I went from a fever to being cold. When I woke up I was fine. Hypothermia is a funny thing, it sneaks up on you.

I have no doubt that if I'd fallen and broken an ankle and had to lie there alone on the trail I would've been in trouble really quick. Shivering is the first warning sign of Hypothermia. Couple of lessons learned: #1-When your brain tells you it's time to put on drier clothes, do it. My warm and dry winter jacket was right there in my pack and I had dry fleece pants too. #2- On a day like this or most days in winter, don't hike alone.