Too bad I've managed to overlook Mt. Monroe in favor of its higher neighbor, Washington. Beautiful view, beautiful terrain. We started our climb up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail just after 8:30am, and began our race against the heat. The few water crossings were pleasant and easy to manage, and the rock scrambling was minor compared to some other trails in the Whites. We made it up to the Lakes of the Clouds Hut in about 2.5 hours and enjoyed using some cool water as relief from the humidity. Quick jaunt up to the summit, which was gorgeous, then back to the hut for lunch, all the while shielded from the sun by a temporary and gentle cloud cover. Bugs were plentiful on the way back to the trailhead, but trail company was good and the knee impact wasn't as bad as we expected. Down by 3:30, even with all our resting, snacking, and photographing. All in all, a great hike that I would do again!