Dr. Dana Krause Completes Solo Presidential Traverse
Gary Moore
November 06, 2025
St. Johnsbury Community Health Center doctor Dana Krause is a highly skilled provider as I can attest. She is also a fine athlete who regularly hikes and canoes with her husband and, before she joined the Peace Corps, her daughter.
We often talk about both activities during my appointments as we share the same interests. It was late September that she told me she had made the Presidential Traverse solo. Now that got my attention!
The White Mountains Presidential Traverse is on many hiker’s bucket list as it was once on mine and it is a true accomplishment. I have hiked all the peaks of the Traverse as they are included in the 48 4,000 footers. However, I have never done the Traverse nor will I now at my age.
The basic Presidential Traverse begins from a trailhead on U.S. Route 2 at the northern end of the Presidentials, crosses the great ridge of the range and ends in Crawford Notch at its southern terminus. Some chose to reverse the route but Dr. Krause hiked from north to south, first summiting Mt. Maddison then Adams and on to the other five peaks. The hike is about 23 miles with 9,000 feet of elevation gain.
By definition, a Presidential Traverse requires a participant to cross over the summits of peaks named after U.S. presidents. Listed from north to south, they are: Mount Madison, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington, Mount Monroe, Mount Eisenhower and Mount Pierce.
Many who do the Traverse take three days, spending one night at Madison Hut and another at Lakes of the Clouds. Many fewer do it in a single day and even fewer do it solo.
Dana Krause made her Traverse on September 16, a beautiful day to be in the mountains as she told me and as her photos showed. Although she hiked solo, she said she met many other hikers along the way.
She accomplished the feat in a little over 12 hours. When you consider the distance and the elevation gain as the route goes up and down the peaks, you realize she was moving right along.
I did not write about the Danville resident’s accomplishment earlier because I had not asked her permission which I did last week when I again had an appointment with her. The story is too good to not write about.
Squirrels Prepare For Winter
We have red squirrels and gray squirrels in the twin states and each prepares for winter in a different way.
Red Squirrels store large quantities of conifer cones in piles called middens whereas Gray Squirrels are far less likely to store their food in a single location, often having as many as a hundred spots where they cache individual nuts, fruit and mushrooms.
Mary Holland, writing in her column Naturally Curious, said Red Squirrel’s single-spot strategy is called “larderhoarding,” while Gray Squirrel’s strategy is referred to as “scatterhoarding.”
Not far from our house I found red squirrels preparing for winter, first gathering and piling a large number of white pine cones and a few days later tearing them apart to remove the seeds as the attached photos show.
Stupid Kills
Saturday, October 25 was a day that nearly turned tragic on Mt. Washington. Nearly two dozen ill prepared hikers had to be rescued Saturday after they found themselves stranded and hypothermic on the summit.
Luckily for them the Cog Railway was still running and was able to bring more than 20 down from the summit.
According to Andrew Vilaine, the railway’s assistant general manager “Many were hypothermic and without gear even near suitable for the conditions,”
He added, “Most had no idea that summit services would be unavailable and that the state park was closed for the season. A few indicated it was their first hike ever.”
Temperatures on Mount Washington’s summit ranged in the single digits after accounting for wind chill, according to the National Weather Service.
The very next night at 7 p.m. a 911 call was received reporting a lone hiker caught in windblown snow near the top of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail .3 mile from the summit with his cell phone and head lamp dying.
Luckily for him a rescuer from the state park who was working on the summit located him as conservation officers and AVSAR personnel were on their way up.
The Cog stops running trains to the summit this time of year and the Mount Washington State Park closes for the season.
Throughout the winter the Cog runs to Waumbek station at 4,000 feet, far below the 6,288 foot summit. Last winter I wrote about the trip to Waumbek Linda and I took.
I have a sticker on the back of my hazmat helmet that says Stupid Kills. Perhaps the slogan should be posted at all trailheads on Mt. Washington and other high peaks.
Bits and Pieces
New Hampshire’s 2025 moose hunting season ran from Saturday, October 18 through Sunday, October 26. Thirty-two permits were issued through the annual lottery process and one permit each was donated to the Dream Hunt Program and the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire for a total of 34 either-sex permits. Hunters took 25 moose: 20 bulls and 5 cows. The success rate for lottery hunters was 72 percent, which is slightly higher than the 10-year-average of 69 percent.
“The short moose hunting season is subject to highly variable weather and this year had better conditions for hunting than in many recent years,” said Henry Jones, New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Moose Project Leader. “An active weather pattern resulted in moose moving and feeding during the day, particularly during the middle and late week when a front with cool rainy weather settled over northern New Hampshire.”
The heaviest moose weighed 825 pounds dressed and was taken in WMU A2 by James Slater. The largest antler spread was 57.5 inches, taken in WMU B by Parker McMurray.
***
Tune in to WYKR 101.3 FM or 1100 AM on Thursday at 6 p.m. for The Outdoor Edge. Thoughts on the Out-of-Doors airs as a segment of the program. My guest is Vermont Fish and Wildlife Lt. Mike Scott who is the northeastern district supervisor. His wardens cover from Bradford in the south to the Canadian border, including the Northeast Kingdom.
***
The October issue of Gray’s Sporting Journal has a piece titled “Inventory” which I found thought provoking and recommend it to anyone, especially those of who are senior citizens.
The author is Newbury’s Sydney Lea who is best known for his poetry but also has written several books that I have greatly enjoyed.
***
Mark Breen reports in the Fairbanks Museum's Skywatch Almanac that on November 6, 1919: “A foot of snow in St. Johnsbury began a long, cold winter.”
November 7, 1968: “The snowiest November on record gets started with 5 inches in Montpelier, 12 inches in Peru, and up to 20 inches in the mountains.”
Parting Shots
I won’t make it to Milano Cortina, Italy for the Winter Olympics February 6-22 but I can dream of the excitement of the competition as I ski a couple of my favorite areas in the White Mountains.
White Mountain Nordic is offering the Chasing Gold Weekend Pass, a special two-day ticket valid at all six of its cross-country ski areas for just $26. Such a deal!
Skiers will receive a special Chasing Gold Punch Card that allows entry to each of the six centers over the weekend of Feb. 7-8.
The ski centers are: Bretton Woods, Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center, Jackson Ski Touring Foundation, Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring & Snowshoe Foundation, Bear Notch Ski Touring Center, and Purity Spring XC & Snowshoe Reserve.
For more information or to purchase passes, visit https://wmnordic.com/chasing-gold.
***
I spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Portsmouth, NH teaching at the Portsmouth Police Department.
Portsmouth is one of my favorite towns. It exudes history and has so many wonderful restaurants that no matter how many times I visit, I find something new to see or try.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2025 Gary W. Moore
We often talk about both activities during my appointments as we share the same interests. It was late September that she told me she had made the Presidential Traverse solo. Now that got my attention!
The White Mountains Presidential Traverse is on many hiker’s bucket list as it was once on mine and it is a true accomplishment. I have hiked all the peaks of the Traverse as they are included in the 48 4,000 footers. However, I have never done the Traverse nor will I now at my age.
The basic Presidential Traverse begins from a trailhead on U.S. Route 2 at the northern end of the Presidentials, crosses the great ridge of the range and ends in Crawford Notch at its southern terminus. Some chose to reverse the route but Dr. Krause hiked from north to south, first summiting Mt. Maddison then Adams and on to the other five peaks. The hike is about 23 miles with 9,000 feet of elevation gain.
By definition, a Presidential Traverse requires a participant to cross over the summits of peaks named after U.S. presidents. Listed from north to south, they are: Mount Madison, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington, Mount Monroe, Mount Eisenhower and Mount Pierce.
Many who do the Traverse take three days, spending one night at Madison Hut and another at Lakes of the Clouds. Many fewer do it in a single day and even fewer do it solo.
Dana Krause made her Traverse on September 16, a beautiful day to be in the mountains as she told me and as her photos showed. Although she hiked solo, she said she met many other hikers along the way.
She accomplished the feat in a little over 12 hours. When you consider the distance and the elevation gain as the route goes up and down the peaks, you realize she was moving right along.
I did not write about the Danville resident’s accomplishment earlier because I had not asked her permission which I did last week when I again had an appointment with her. The story is too good to not write about.
Squirrels Prepare For Winter
We have red squirrels and gray squirrels in the twin states and each prepares for winter in a different way.
Red Squirrels store large quantities of conifer cones in piles called middens whereas Gray Squirrels are far less likely to store their food in a single location, often having as many as a hundred spots where they cache individual nuts, fruit and mushrooms.
Mary Holland, writing in her column Naturally Curious, said Red Squirrel’s single-spot strategy is called “larderhoarding,” while Gray Squirrel’s strategy is referred to as “scatterhoarding.”
Not far from our house I found red squirrels preparing for winter, first gathering and piling a large number of white pine cones and a few days later tearing them apart to remove the seeds as the attached photos show.
Stupid Kills
Saturday, October 25 was a day that nearly turned tragic on Mt. Washington. Nearly two dozen ill prepared hikers had to be rescued Saturday after they found themselves stranded and hypothermic on the summit.
Luckily for them the Cog Railway was still running and was able to bring more than 20 down from the summit.
According to Andrew Vilaine, the railway’s assistant general manager “Many were hypothermic and without gear even near suitable for the conditions,”
He added, “Most had no idea that summit services would be unavailable and that the state park was closed for the season. A few indicated it was their first hike ever.”
Temperatures on Mount Washington’s summit ranged in the single digits after accounting for wind chill, according to the National Weather Service.
The very next night at 7 p.m. a 911 call was received reporting a lone hiker caught in windblown snow near the top of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail .3 mile from the summit with his cell phone and head lamp dying.
Luckily for him a rescuer from the state park who was working on the summit located him as conservation officers and AVSAR personnel were on their way up.
The Cog stops running trains to the summit this time of year and the Mount Washington State Park closes for the season.
Throughout the winter the Cog runs to Waumbek station at 4,000 feet, far below the 6,288 foot summit. Last winter I wrote about the trip to Waumbek Linda and I took.
I have a sticker on the back of my hazmat helmet that says Stupid Kills. Perhaps the slogan should be posted at all trailheads on Mt. Washington and other high peaks.
Bits and Pieces
New Hampshire’s 2025 moose hunting season ran from Saturday, October 18 through Sunday, October 26. Thirty-two permits were issued through the annual lottery process and one permit each was donated to the Dream Hunt Program and the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire for a total of 34 either-sex permits. Hunters took 25 moose: 20 bulls and 5 cows. The success rate for lottery hunters was 72 percent, which is slightly higher than the 10-year-average of 69 percent.
“The short moose hunting season is subject to highly variable weather and this year had better conditions for hunting than in many recent years,” said Henry Jones, New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Moose Project Leader. “An active weather pattern resulted in moose moving and feeding during the day, particularly during the middle and late week when a front with cool rainy weather settled over northern New Hampshire.”
The heaviest moose weighed 825 pounds dressed and was taken in WMU A2 by James Slater. The largest antler spread was 57.5 inches, taken in WMU B by Parker McMurray.
***
Tune in to WYKR 101.3 FM or 1100 AM on Thursday at 6 p.m. for The Outdoor Edge. Thoughts on the Out-of-Doors airs as a segment of the program. My guest is Vermont Fish and Wildlife Lt. Mike Scott who is the northeastern district supervisor. His wardens cover from Bradford in the south to the Canadian border, including the Northeast Kingdom.
***
The October issue of Gray’s Sporting Journal has a piece titled “Inventory” which I found thought provoking and recommend it to anyone, especially those of who are senior citizens.
The author is Newbury’s Sydney Lea who is best known for his poetry but also has written several books that I have greatly enjoyed.
***
Mark Breen reports in the Fairbanks Museum's Skywatch Almanac that on November 6, 1919: “A foot of snow in St. Johnsbury began a long, cold winter.”
November 7, 1968: “The snowiest November on record gets started with 5 inches in Montpelier, 12 inches in Peru, and up to 20 inches in the mountains.”
Parting Shots
I won’t make it to Milano Cortina, Italy for the Winter Olympics February 6-22 but I can dream of the excitement of the competition as I ski a couple of my favorite areas in the White Mountains.
White Mountain Nordic is offering the Chasing Gold Weekend Pass, a special two-day ticket valid at all six of its cross-country ski areas for just $26. Such a deal!
Skiers will receive a special Chasing Gold Punch Card that allows entry to each of the six centers over the weekend of Feb. 7-8.
The ski centers are: Bretton Woods, Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center, Jackson Ski Touring Foundation, Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring & Snowshoe Foundation, Bear Notch Ski Touring Center, and Purity Spring XC & Snowshoe Reserve.
For more information or to purchase passes, visit https://wmnordic.com/chasing-gold.
***
I spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Portsmouth, NH teaching at the Portsmouth Police Department.
Portsmouth is one of my favorite towns. It exudes history and has so many wonderful restaurants that no matter how many times I visit, I find something new to see or try.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2025 Gary W. Moore
red squirrels gather since cones and pine cones torn apart to remove seeds.
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