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He certainly did not have “The 10 Essentials” or have proper clothing and no survival training. I have been in conditions worse than that for weeks on end, climbing at high altitudes (14.000 to 22,000 ft) and have been a volunteer mountain climbing instructor with emphasis on survival and rescue training. Dangerous conditions can happen in New Hampshire or Colorado or many other places at any time of the year. What I saw climbing and hiking in Colorado was that about 75% of people I saw were ill prepared.

I’ve done two separate overnight backpack trips at around 5000’ elevation when it was below zero and wind in the Blue Ridge.

I remember heating up a can of ravioli in a pan over the fire. Before I finished eating it all it was frozen at the bottom of the pan.

Lost my interest in cold weather camping after that one.

The stupidity of large proportions of the human race is staggering to the just normally intelligent!

I’m walking out of the GRAND CANYON on the BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL heading for the NORTH RIM. The last 4 miles of trail ascends 1 mile up the canyon to the KAIBAB PLATEAU on the rim (switch backs). I’m wearing sturdy boots, but my feet are still a bit tender, and I’m carrying a gallon of water. It’s August. About a mile or two from the top I encounter two couples in their early/mid 20’s walking down the trail into the canyon. They are carrying nothing, and the women are wearing WHITE PATENT LEATHER SANDALS WITH 1/4” (OR SO) THICK SOLES!!! This portion of the trail is also a mule trail. They have been trudging through mule droppings for a couple of miles. Their feet hurt! And are filthy!

DO YOU THINK I COULD CONVINCE THEM TO GO BACK!!!

I USED TO LIVE IN SCOTLAND. PEOPLE GO OUT FOR “DAY WALKS” IN THE CAIRGORM MTS. WHERE THE WEATHER CHANGES SO ABRUPTLY THAT IT KILLS ABOUT A DOZEN OF THEM EVERY YEAR. LOCALS! YOU’D THINK THEY’D HAVE HEARD OF THAT PHENOMENON BY PUBERY AT LEAST!

MOST FOLKS, EVEN THE NON URBANIZED, ARE SO UNBELIEVABLY STUPID! NOT JUST IGNORANT! DOWNRIGHT STUPID!!!

EVEN NON LIBTARDS! IT’S BAFFLING!

He certainly did not have “The 10 Essentials” or have proper clothing and no survival training.

That is part of what makes Mt. Washington such a hazard. It doesn't look like a very serious climb, and due to its location in a popular vacation area it attracts visitors who don't have much, or any experience in mountain climbing or even serious hiking. They haven't taken the kind of training they should have, and are un-prepared.

And then the weather changes on them. The hike up seems fine, with pleasant summer conditions until all of a sudden you are above the tree line and it goes from a pleasant day to 32 degrees with freezing rain and a ninety mile an hour wind. And then the snow arrives - not nice light powdery stuff but wet gloppy snow that sticks to you. And then you can't see more than a few feet in front of you, the rocks are slippery, and you can't see any of the trail markers.

That's when the proper equipment and knowledge is essential. And even then Mt. Washington can snare experienced and prepared hikers. Few people appreciate just how high the wind speeds can go, and unless they have serious climbing experience few hikers can make much headway at all when the wind is strong enough that they can no longer stand up.

Mt. Washington and the Presidentials are a great place to hike and climb, but as you noted make sure you have the essential hiking gear, proper clothing, and at least some mountain survival skills. And watch the weather and be ready to turn around and head back down even if you planned to something else.