This was a warm, sunny and light breezy Monday with light hiker traffic. First few miles on the Ammononoosuc Ravine Trail were fairly moderate allowing for a good pace. The climb out of the ravine was steep with some challenging slabs and rocks. Good views of Waterfalls were seen throughout. Once out of the trees the trail is on the rock pile which is characteristic of the presidential traverse. The hike from the hut to Monroe was quick and not difficult, well worth it. The summit of Monroe was a rock pile where I had a snack. Monroe to Washington followed the Crawford Path (AT). It was rocky, well marked, and got steeper on the final approach to Washington. This traverse took 1 hr and 15 minutes which included stops to enjoy the spectacular views. The summit of Washington was a bit of a letdown due to the huge crowd even on a Monday. There was a long line at the summit sign so I decided to skip on the photo. I found a water faucet, refilled my bottle then headed to exit on the Jewell Trail. A little ways down the Jewett I sat on a boulder and had lunch. The hike down the jewett was long and strenuous. The first hour and a half was hiking on boulders with some steep sections. The views of the Cog and the Great Gulf were spectacular and waranted many photos. Once in the trees, the trail became more moderate and the pace went faster but still a ways to go. At the bottom, there is an extra 0.9 mile to go after passing the cog station which was fairly easy. Overall I highly recommend this hike preferably on a good weather and dry day.
