Washington. Mt. Washington, found in New Hampshire is home to some of the most inhospitable winter weather in the world. The summit holds the record for the fastest recorded wind speed at 236 miles an hour. It is a mountain to which many have lost their lives. .
After the long drive Hugh and Jeff started the long haul to the cabin, which they would use as their base camp. Arriving in a storm and near white out conditions, they bunked down to await the weather forecast the next morning. Even with a strong storm blowing, and avalanche danger high, the two decided to head out anyway. If for nothing else they intended on getting some ice climbing in. After reaching the base of the ice climb, they decided to leave their bivy gear at the bottom of the route, in order to climb with a faster alpine style ascent. Once they had reached the top of the climb, they both decided they should continue on to the summit. Hugh, not being interested in summits, continued because he knew Jeff wanted to reach the top. Jeff continued because he knew that Hugh had more experience and presumed that he thought it would be safe. .
After arrival at the summit, or what they presumed the summit, nothing was visible in the white out conditions, they made a hasty decent for what they thought was the canyon they had come up. They had no idea that they had been turned around on the summit and had descended on the opposite side of the mountain than they had come up. After realizing that they were lost they continued on walking though out the night. If they brought the bag containing their bivy gear the situation would have been uncomfortable, but as it was, it was life threatening. .
They next day they found themselves breaking through the snow-covered streams and into the icy water beneath. They eventually stopped stacking pine broths below a rock to provide insulation from the cold snow. They were found after three days, but not until a member of the search party had been killed in an avalanche.
