To access a topological map showing the AT route and shelters click on the Appalachian Trail Map link in "Useful Links".
Day 46/51-52, July 3-4, Tuesday-Wednesday, Hanover, NH.
Miles From Katahdin: 441.9; Miles Hiked To Date: 723; Miles Hiked Today: 14.6
Dartmouth College
Day 47/53, July 5, Thursday, Tigger's Tree House, Etna, NH
Miles From Katahdin: 437.4; Miles Hiked To Date: 727.5; Miles Hiked Today: 4.5
We've had some great time off with Pat, although rain canceled the fireworks. We were in Hanover Tuesday by about 2:00 pm enjoying beautiful weather. The hike there was great and made better by taking advantage of fresh made brownies provided by a Trail Angel just across the river from Hanover. Hanover is home to Darmouth College and is everything you would expect in an Ivy League college town. The AT leads you right past the old Hanover Inn and down Main Street. Brad and I had Bleu Cheeseburgers at Lou's, a wonderful old family restaurant and bakery.
We then walked the AT through to the end of town so we could start there after the 7th. We called Pat and she was about 1 hour from Hanover. We arranged to meet her on the Green across from the Inn. With an hour to wait, we went to the Hood Museum. The Handbook says that AT Thru Hikers get in free. This is true. However, everyone gets in free anyway, there's no charge! The 2 story museum features primarily American artists and is pretty modest. They did have a nice Rothko.
After Pat picked us up we went shopping for a new water treatment or filter system. We ended up at EMS and bought a Katahdin filtering system – the only option available. Then Pat surprised us by having reserved a room at an old B&B ('Six Chimneys and a Dream') - formerly a stagecoach stop and inn – in Hebron, NH, near New Found Lake. What a wonderful place! It was built in the 18th Century and was recently purchased by the owner/manager, Julie, a former school teacher.
“Six Chimneys” boasts 7 bedrooms. We were the only guests. We got cleaned up and had dinner at a nice Irish Pub, then retired early. Wednesday, the 4th, was gorgeous. We went to Plymouth, stopped at a coffee shop, had lunch on Lake Winnipesaukee and did our laundry. Brad tried to connect with his college roommate, Clay, but Clay had to work late. As the day progressed, the clouds rolled in and fireworks canceled. We had a great dinner on the Lake at Lagos, where Clay works and Brad got a chance to hook up. Then back to the Inn. Brad had arranged to meet Clay after he got off work and didn't get to bed until about 2:00.
By the time we finished breakfast and drove back to Hanover it was 11:00. We decided we might as well eat lunch, so again, went to Lou's and again had bleu cheeseburgers. At last we hit the Trail – 1:00! Just as we were getting our gear together, “Dice” showed up. He had taken a few days off (we had last seen him at Upper Goose Pond). He had contracted Lyme Disease! He said he was better and planned to stay in Hanover at a nearby hostel. Without thinking, we let him leave without offering him a ride to the hostel! I felt terrible when I realized but it was too late. So, we bid another good bye to Pat and headed up the trail.
The weather threatened rain but none came. We walked as far as the Etna-Hanover Road, about 5 miles. We were sluggish and not really “into” the hike. Brad had been up nearly all night and I suggested that we might want to stay at the nearby hostel, Tigger's Tree house. He agreed.
To get to Tigger's, you had to walk .8 mile to a general store and call for a pick up. We did and ate a snack while we waited for Ralph. Ralph and Karen are retired naval officers. They bought a very nice house about 2 miles from the AT last September. They offer their spare bedroom to Thru-Hikers, free of charge. More then that, they let us use their washer and dryer, their shower and large screen TV. More then that, they shuttle hikers to and from Hanover or even to the EMS, some miles away!
So, we showered and did our laundry (even though we'd worn our clothes for only ½ day). Ralph took us to, guess...Hanover! I must say, we felt a bit guilty! That didn't stop us, however, from eating a great meal at Murphy's Irish Pub! I did have an excuse for returning to town resulting from the loss of my watch/compass. Somehow it felt off my pack, where it had been snapped on for 700 miles. I really did need to know the time while hiking and for making sure we get up on time. So, we went to CVS and bought a nice ($20) digital watch with numbers large enough for me to see without my glasses. Back at Tigger's we watched part of “National Treasure” and went to bed around 9:00 pm.
Day 48/54, July 6, Friday, Fire Warden's Cabin.
Miles From Katahdin: 418.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 746.4; Miles Hiked Today: 18.9
Karen took us back to the trail this morning around 6:30 am. We ate our granola cereal with instant milk and started around 7:30 am (according to my new watch). The trail had 2 really steep sections but we did well, bolstered by some unexpected Trail Magic!
We were going through a field, past a small pond when we spied a sign that said “Free Water”. Water is getting hard to find and water that we don't have to treat is a treat in itself. So, we followed the arrow to a nearby farmhouse. We knocked on the door and a man shouted “Come on in!”. I responded, “ We're hikers and saw the sign for water and wondered if we could get some.” An older gentleman came to the door. He again invited us in. Then, he looked us over and asked, “Are you from Brooklyn?” “Brooklyn???” “Yeah, you look like you're from Brooklyn.” “No, we're from Rhode Island”. “Well, come on in.” We did. He said, “The ice cream is in the freezer – help yourself.” “Ice cream?” “You said you came for the free ice cream, right?” “Oh, yeah, right, right, that's right!” He told us that this wasn't his house, the owners were away but they were offering free ice cream to backpackers. Sure enough, the freezer was full of ice cream sandwiches.
After eating our ice cream, drinking some gatorade and filling our Camel baks, we started off again. About ½ hour later, we heard thunder. Within the hour, it started to rain. It rained for maybe an hour but other than making slippery rocks more so, it caused us little distress. We climbed Mt. Moose and Mt. Smart and the terrain began to remind us more and more of the Whites. We reached the Fire Warden's Cabin around 5:00 pm. We were joined by 6 weekenders from Maryland/VA and a woman thru hiking solo, Amber, who started in GA near the end of March.
Break Time on Mt. Cube
Tomorrow will be the end of this section and the beginning of the White Mountains. We hope to do 20 miles (we did 18 today) and stay in a hostel tomorrow night.
Day 49/55, July 7, Saturday, Hikers Welcome Hostel, Glencliff, NH
Miles From Katahdin: 398.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 766.4; Miles Hiked Today: 20
We did 20 miles today, partly in rain. No lightening thank goodness. We felt like we really hiked well and were rewarded with wonderful views. We climbed Mt. Cube (2911') and Mt. Mist (2220'), but mostly we had downhills. Not an easy walk, but we seem to be back in the groove. We checked into the famous “Hikers Welcome”, owned by a former Thru Hiker and run by 'Phat Chap', a large, bearded man who has a wealth of detailed information about hostels, hotels and eating establishments along this part of the trail. The hostel is a rare piece of work. It contains a fair sized common area with a wide screen TV, a large collection of DVDs, refrigerator stocked with snacks (with payment on the honor system), and a small selection of supplies and equipment for sale. Phat Chap offers shuttles into Warren for resupply.
Warren achieved some notoriety in the 1970s when it erected a Redstone Rocket in the town center. It came to Warren through the efforts of a local scrap metal dealer who wanted to make Warren noteworthy – to stand out from the other small NH towns. He started a campaign to raise money to purchase and erect the dummy rocket, the same model rocket used to send Alan Shepard, a NH native, into suborbital flight. The story goes that as a result of the rocket being placed there, the Soviet Union targeted little Warren, population 900, as a potential threat.
Brad and I had Phat Chap take us to town, bought a few things at the grocery/gas station/snack bar for consumption tomorrow morning (a box of Hostess chocolate donuts, milk and OJ). Phat waited for us then drove us over to Warren's “Home Days” celebration (an annual event commemorating the founding of the town). There we found the usual fare associated with these events and consumed 2 cheeseburgers each and shared a large order of delicious fries (apparently, the two pieces of pizza we had at the store didn't fill us up!).The continuing rain has made everyone at the hostel (about 6 hikers in addition to ourselves) nervous about hiking Mt. Moosilauke (4802') tomorrow. It is supposed to be a hard climb in good weather and treacherous in bad. Most will wait until the weather improves. We plan to go ahead if the weather looks okay. If not, we'll stay here. There's a pig roast in town tomorrow, rain or shine. Phat Chap adds to everyone's fear by his descriptions of the trail - “It's dangerous in dry weather and suicidal in the rain!” Of course, he may have a vested interest in our staying at his hostel for another day or so. The solo female hiker, Amber, who stayed with us last night, is here and asked to hike with us just in case, if we all decide to risk it in bad weather.
We don't plan on taking any foolish chances, but waiting here for good weather isn't a very attractive option. The hostel is pretty makeshift: outside showers and bathrooms, temporary shelters covered with white plastic tarp, bunk-beds with mattresses that have seen better days (and too many smelly bodies). You can see daylight through cracks in the walls! Everything is dank and musty. Nevertheless, it is relatively dry and the people are entertaining. We'll see how things go in the morning.
Day 50/56, July 8, Sunday, Common Man Inn, Plymouth, NH.
Miles From Katahdin: 398.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 766.4; Miles Hiked Today: 0
Well, this morning it rained hard; most of the night as well. The weather forecast calls for severe thunderstorms and hail this afternoon and tomorrow. None of the 6 or 8 hikers at this hostel plan to hike due to the weather. One who has hiked the mountain before wasn't going and advised strongly against it. Brad and I decided that we would wait until tomorrow as well. Several are considering “slack packing”, having Phat Chap take them by car to a cross road a day's hike up trail and, then, hiking back to the hostel, avoiding the need to carry a heavy pack.
The hikers at the hostel were the usual collection of diverse characters, Amber (aka Lara) an attractive late 30s woman from Amarillo who stayed with us at the Fire Warden's Cabin; Sergei, a Russian émigré who has been in the US since the most recent “revolution” (he wasn't really clear about which revolution), neither was he clear about which part of the former Soviet Union; Plugger, a quiet middle aged NOBO Thru-Hiker; Gary, a SOBO Thru-Hiker, who started from Mt. Katahdin in April!!!; and several others, including a Bluegrass Band sound stage hand and a Kenyan College student from Annapolis. The mysterious Sergei had been at the Hostel for a week or two. In answer to questions about where he was from, he gave vague answers, “Oh, here and there, Texas...California”. When asked about what he did for a living, “Oh, this and that...I do many things.” He swore by Bulgar rice that he consumed in large quantities. He loved chess but could find no one to play. Contrary to his assertions, appearances (he must weigh 250 pounds, standing 5'10”) belie his having spent much time hiking.
The prospect of staying at the hostel prompted us to consider options. It costs about $60/day for the two of us to stay at the hostel: everything costs extra – room $15/person; shower, $3.50; towels, $2.50; $5-$7 food (frozen pizza, etc); shuttle $6.00; etc. We thought it would be better to get to a real motel for the night. Derrick, a day hiker, offered to drive us somewhere where we could get cell phone service. None was available close by so we found a pay phone in Warren. Brad called his friend, Clay, and he came over and picked us up and dropped at the Common Man Inn.
The Common Man Inn, Plymouth, NH
We'll get back to the trail tomorrow. I hate having to stay at a hotel. We could have stayed at the hostel, but it's pretty bleak, particularly in the rain. Both of us are tired of sleeping with strangers. Plus we have wet gear and no way to dry them (the hostel has a washer but no dryer). So, we're in a nice hotel and it may be the last chance for a decent meal for awhile.
Day 51/Day 56, July 9, Monday. Carriage Motel, North Woodstock, NH.
Miles From Katahdin: 389; Miles Hiked To Date: 775.9; Miles Hiked Today: 9.5
Clay picked us up around 10:30 am and we were back on the trail by 11:00 am. Immediately, we faced the challenge of crossing a swollen stream (Oliverian Brook) at the start of the trail. The high water made crossing difficult unless you wanted wet feet. We had spent the last 24 hours trying to dry our boots , so we worked awhile placing/throwing large stones to make a passable ford. That done, we began. The weather threatened rain but the forecast called for clearing with warmer temperatures followed by another storm front.
Earlier, before Clay picked us up in Plymouth, we walked into town and had a great breakfast at the Main Street Diner. As we ate the rain began. We had a 2 mile walk in the rain back to the hotel. It stopped before Clay dropped us at the trail head and we hoped for fair weather. Once we started up Mt. Mooselauke we were committed to summit and descend on the other side. There's no place to get shelter on the mountain. With a late start, we weren't certain we could make the 10 miles to Beaver Brook Shelter on the other side. The mountain is over 4800'with a steep and treacherous descent to the shelter.
Even though the weather was iffy, we were tired of hanging around and began to climb as quickly as possible. Soon we met up with Plugger from the Hiker's Hostel. He told us that Amber and several others had decided to slack pack from Kinsman Notch. We'd probably run into them later in the day. Plugger was making for the Beaver Brook Shelter as well and we bid him adieu (we really just said we'd see him later) and continued.
As we approached the tree-line through a dense hemlock forest, the sky darkened and it actually became difficult to see. We could have used our headlamps! I have never been in darker woods in the middle of the day. Thunder boomed and lightening flashed. Soon it began to pour. We put on our rain jackets. As we ascended, we became increasingly concerned about the lightening; particularly since thunder and lightening came as much from around us as above us! With thick tree cover, we felt reasonably safe and decided to wait below the tree-line until the storm passed.
We huddled just off the trail in underbrush so thick you could hardly find a place to put your feet. The storm passed quickly. We broke the tree-line into broken skies and the occasional terrific view. The trail, due to the heavy rain coursed with ankle deep water. We ate lunch amongst the ruins of an old Tip-Top lodge on the summit. Brad told me the tale of Doctor Tom Benton. Benton, in the mid-18th Century, returned from studying medicine in Germany. The eccentric doctor never aged. Farm animals died mysteriously. Children were found dead with pinpricks behind their ears. Finally, a girl disappears , Benton is found carrying her up Mt. Mooselauke during a snowstorm. On the point of capture, he hurls her to her death. Today, he still roams the mountainside. One of the intersecting trails on the summit is the Benton Trail!
Stormy Mt. Mt. Moosilauke
The 1.6 mile descent is notoriously dangerous when wet, so we went very slowly. Nevertheless, we each fell at least once – very gracefully, I thought. No injuries. It's not the fall so much as the attempt to regain your feet that's difficult. With 30 pounds on your back, once you start to go, its all over. Once 'turtled', standing up again with poles and pack is an awkward challenge. At least there were no witnesses.
We met several SOBOs – Twisted Sister and her father, Cowpie and Tenger. They started in May.
Gorge Brook
The Trail follows several brooks including the beautiful Beaver Brook that cascades down over exposed granite, forming riotous falls and creating the most wonderful sound. Even in the gloom of the dark woods and overcast sky, it was fantastic. Because of the steep, slippery trail, the AT has installed re-bar handholds and steps in particularly hazardous areas. They also rebarred wooden blocks as steps. Otherwise it would be almost impassable without rope. It took about 2 hours to descend the less than 2 miles. The Beaver Brook Shelter was crowded due to the weather forcing people to stay put and others to stop early. We went on past it to NH 112. Wet, hungry and cold, we called a hiker shuttle service and got a room at the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock. Hot shower, wonderful meal at the Woodstock Inn, laundry, food shopping, asleep by 10:00 PM.
Brad Descending
Day 52/57, July 10, Tuesday, Kinsman Pond Shelter, NH
Miles From Katahdin: 377.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 787.4; Miles Hiked Today: 11.5
What a wonderful hike toady! For the most part anyway. We were shuttled back to Kinsman Notch and on the trail by 7:15 am. Up and up, over rough terrain, made more difficult by mud, mud and more mud. I keep thinking that the trail doesn't seem too hard, but I really believe that I am finally getting fit enough to do this. I learned that without proper nutrition, exercise alone does not make you stronger. Since Killington, I have been more aware of the need to eat and when not on the trail, I do a pretty good job. Trail food is still a problem. We need to supplement our diet with textured protein or something. Anyway, it's fantastic to be back in the White Mountains! We hiked both South and North Kinsman, rewarded with great views of Franconia Ridge and the Presidentials. Also, we, as planned, stopped on North Kinsman at the overlook
View from North Kinsman
and spread Dickens' ashes. Dickens was our favorite bearded collie. It's a beautiful spot: Kinsman Pond in the distance, dominated by the Franconia Ridge and valleys. Brad and I shared memories and took turns throwing his ashes into the wind. Poor Dickens loved hiking with us here and he has patiently waited some 12 years to be released.
Brad Releasing Dickens' Ashes
Today, I stepped off a bog bridge onto what I thought to be solid but muddy trail only to find myself with one leg buried above my knee in black ooze! It took some real effort to get out. As I attempted to get leverage with my elbow, I buried my arm in the stinky mess. Finally, with sucking sounds mixing with curses as I finally pulled myself up. Brad, quietly amused, was astute enough to avoid making any comment. What a mess!!! Of course, we haven't water to wash this stuff off and I'm coated with it.
Ten minutes later, I pulled myself up over a rock blocking the trail and hit my head on the stub of a broken tree branch causing a 2 inch but superficial cut on my forehead! Simultaneously, I bit my tongue so hard little pieces came out of my mouth! I found swearing helped immensely. Otherwise, the day was without mishap.
It didn't rain. Still our boots are wet, our newly laundered clothes are soaked and our socks hang on a clothesline rigged in the shelter along with our forlorn hopes of drying a bit before morning.
Kinsman Pond lies just steps away from the shelter, still and deep, a beautiful place. When we lived in NH we often came here with the kids and sometimes Dickens. It was fairly accessible from the Franconia side. Brad, Dickens and I spent a night here when Brad was probably 6 or 7. It had turned cold and snowed, in the low 30s, We were tenting on a platform and were awakened by Dicken's shivering so bad that the platform was shaking. I zipped him up in my down jacket that night and he was fine. In the morning we found a frozen monarch butterfly. Kris and I spent one night here once when it rained so hard we had to ford parts of the trail! We must be crazy.
We have the place to ourselves for the first time in weeks. It's wonderful. There is a caretaker, a nice young man with whom we talked briefly. Tomorrow we want to make it to Mt. Garfield, 17 miles away. I am not sure if we can make it. We did 11.5 today with a late start. I don't know how hard the trail will be. We will stop at Lonesome Lake Hut to see if we can get breakfast – sometimes Thru-Hikers can eat after paying guests have been fed.
Kinsman Pond
Day 53/58, July 11, Wednesday, Garfield Ridge Campsite, NH
Miles From Katahdin: 362.4; Miles Hiked To Date: 802.5; Miles Hiked Today: 15.1
We woke to heavy fog and moderate temperatures. Our usual early start got us to Lonesome Lake Hut around 7:30 am – just as the paying guests were finishing their breakfast. A stay at a Hut cost $79/person, including dinner, bunk, and breakfast. AT Hikers can sometimes “work for stay”. In return for doing a couple hours work, you can get a meal and floor space. They also have “all you can eat” bread and “all you can eat soup, for $1.00 and $2.00 respectively, along with coffee, tea or lemonade. We had hoped for breakfast, but the Hut's “Croo” member I talked to offered us only bread, an offer of which we took full advantage. Into my third slice of homemade bread, a couple of women staying there approached us and asked about Thru Hiking. They were very excited about our adventure. One had her children with her and asked if she could bring them over to meet and talk with us about our experiences. We agreed, of course, and had a pleasant conversation. The other woman was a volunteer naturalist at the Hut. When she saw that we had only been offered bread, she expressed a small degree of outrage and talked to a Croo member. Very soon, we had bowls of hot, delicious corn/potato chowder. We each had a couple of bowls of soup, most of a loaf of bread, 2 pieces of coffee cake and 4 cups of coffee. The women also insisted that we take a resealable bag of baby carrots and 2 candy bars. It was a good morning.
The two women had to leave before us and expressed disappointment that they wouldn't able to watch us walk! They wanted to see how Thru Hikers actually walked! Amazing!
We stayed there until 9:30 am talking to a number of guests about our hike. Given our goal of 17+ miles, we probably stayed far too long. Nevertheless, we pushed on and arrived here around 7:00 pm, very late for us. In the course of the day descended Franconia Notch, then summited Little Haystack, Mt. Lincoln, Lafayette, and Garfield – all over 4000'. A Thru Hiker whom we met in PA (Hasty – he who had earlier hiked on fractured feet) made the same hike several days ago and noted in the log that it was, by far, the hardest day of hiking he had experienced on the whole trip!
Flowers Above the Treeline
Unfortunately, clouds shrouded the views from the all summits. We had no views for most of the day. We did get a glimpse of the valley as we came off Lafayette but that was it! Still, we feel good about going the distance. Two other hikers share the shelter, both section hikers. Rain pounds the tin roof of the shelter as we sit in the dark. We walked about 45 minutes in a drizzle – enough to soak everything. Tomorrow we plan to reach Ethan Pond campsite – 14 miles. Shouldn't be as hard as today. Actually, we both feel pretty good given the big climbs. Neither of us were ready to collapse. We have a 3 mile hike to the next Hut and hope for a repeat of today's repast!
Day 54/59, July12, Thursday. Ethan Pond Campsite, NH
Miles From Katahdin: 347.9; Miles Hiked To Date: 817; Miles Hiked Today: 14.5
Ethan Pond
Glorious weather today. It rained most of the night and we woke to the usual heavy fog. By mid-morning the skies cleared and throughout our walk we had stupendous views. Albeit we weren't hiking the most scenic sections of the Whites, the views were fantastic.
We left the Garfield shelter and rejoined the AT to descend towards Galehead Hut, hopefully to soup and bread or even breakfast. The short walk from the shelter to the AT found us looking down a near vertical trail that had turned into a raging torrent. Water cascaded over rocks where the trail had been – more river that trail! We couldn't believe this was the actual trail! I really didn't know how to negotiate the descent. Nevertheless, we carefully worked our way down with little mishap but boots filling with water and the force of the stream nearly pushing us off the rocks. At one point I stepped on a rock that turned under my foot, plunging my left boot completely under the water! No matter, since my feet hadn't been dry for 3 days anyway. This was more like fording a waterfall than hiking.
We reached Galehead, nearly 3 miles, around 8:00am. Since the guests had already eaten and left for the trail, the Croo kindly offered us a serving pan filled with pancakes! Each of us ate about 6 along with some oatmeal and coffee!
Leaving there, we had a great hike over South Twin Mountain, 4902', and Mt. Gyot, 4568', and Mt. Zeeland, 4000', crossing a beautiful, rushing stream as we approached the Zeeland Hut (homemade tomato/basil soup, homemade cookies, lemonade and homemade bread). We are seeing more hikers and meeting a number of SOBOs. The last 5 miles of today's hike was the easiest we've had in a while.
We arrived around 5:00pm, covering 14.5 miles. We are halfway through the White Mountains after 3 ½ days of hiking – 50 miles to go. We talked for a while with Mark, the Campsite Caretaker here. He offered us some fresh melon! What a great food day as well as a great hiking day!
We plan to reach Mispah Spring Hut tomorrow and stay either at the Hut, on a “work for stay” basis, or tent at the nearby campsite. Mispah is about 9 miles from here over some pretty rough terrain. It will be a short day but we've been doing well here, averaging nearly 14 miles a day (the average Thru-Hiker averages 8-10 in the Whites). So, we think a lighter day is in order.
Day 55/60, July13, Friday. Mispah Spring Hut, NH
Miles From Katahdin: 338.6; Miles Hiked To Date: 826.3; Miles Hiked Today: 9.3
Another fantastic day as we hiked out of Ethan Pond toward Mispah Spring Hut. We planned to work for stay at Mispah Hut. That meant arriving at Mispah earlier enough to beat others seeking one of the limited slots but not so early that we have to just hang for a long time. The trail descends to Crawford Notch, crossing US 302, then, climbs steeply up Mt. Webster via the Webster Cliff Trail. About 1 mile from where the AT intersects US 302 lies the Willey House Historical site – and a snack bar! Brad and I decided the prospect of another good meal warranted the effort to detour. We arrived there around 8:00 am and waited until 9:00 for the snack bar to open. The Snack Bar offered an array of sandwiches and goodies! We each had two breakfast sandwiches and some drinks. We also got 2 turkey sandwiches to go for lunch. We talked awhile with the waitress and met the cook, who had thru hiked the AT several years ago. By 10:30, we were back on the trail.
View from Webster Cliff Trail
The Webster Cliff Trail presents a near vertical climb to the Webster Cliff (thus the name!) and Mt. Webster (3910'). There it joins the Webster-Jackson Trail over Mt. Jackson , 4052', (clever how they name these trails) and on to Mispah Spring Hut. I remember this trail clearly as one of the first ones I took Kristen on when she was a little girl (9 or 10). I am not sure if we had Dickens with us then, but, anyway, I remember it as being very difficult. Definitely too challenging for someone Kristen's age. With little experience to go on, I had picked a tough trail for anyone, let alone a child! I also remember it as being very beautiful with great views and a wonderful bog between Mt. Jackson and Mispah. I wasn't disappointed today.
The weather was perfect for hiking – high 60s, maybe 70. The views were breathtaking. At the start of the trail, we were overtaken by a number of young men – all dressed alike in maroon polo shirts and khakis. Three or four groups passed us, apparently on a day hike (carrying no water or packs). I spoke to one member briefly. They were from a seminary and were all studying for the priesthood. There were 100 in the group! I had no idea there were that many priests!!!
As the trail grew steeper, I had a hard time imagining how Kristen and I made it – plus, maybe the dog as well! This is a rock scramble with steep, open faced granite walls that look impossible to climb at first glance. Nevertheless, Kristen and I made it, Kris talking almost nonstop (something of a contrast to the consistently silent Brad) as I lifted her up over the bigger rocks! I don't think she ever complained!
Today, we met a wonderful family on Mt. Jackson. They were naturally curious about our hike – we took pictures for each other – and found out they were staying at the Mispah Hut. They own a small international marketing firm in Boston. She is a writer. They have 4 children (early to late teens). I told them a little about the trail and how Thru Hikers each pick trail names. So they each came up with names for themselves: Mama Kay, Sherpa Dad and Adventure Girl (one son wasn't on the trip and another had stayed at the Mispah Spring Hut).
When we reached the Hut, we asked about “work for stay” and found it was available. Brad washed dishes and I washed windows – maybe ½ hour of work. In return we got a $160 value: room (or at least floor space in the dining room), dinner, and breakfast. Usually you eat after the paying guests and sleep on the floor. However, while everyone was being seated for dinner, Lela, a 20-something woman, came up and said that 3 of the members of their group hadn't been able to make the trip. She offered their spots to us and another Thru Hiker. That meant that we could eat with the rest of the group and sleep in a bunk bed.
We sat with the women's group at dinner and had a wonderful time visiting. Lela had Thru Hiked several years ago when she was just 16 years old. She said she did the 100 mile wilderness in 3 days! She lived on marshmallow cream on hamburger buns! Brad was impressed!!! The food was great, served family style. It was really a nice change and marked the only time on the trail when our caloric intake exceeded our caloric output.As it turned out we ended up in a room with the family we had met earlier on Mt. Jackson!
Mispah Spring Hut
Amber, the Thru Hiker we met at the Fire Warden's Cabin and, again at Hiker's Welcome Hostel, showed up after dinner. She and 'Retro' were staying at the Mispah tent site.
Tomorrow Mt. Washington!!!
Day 56/61, July14, Saturday. Madison Hut, NH
Miles From Katahdin: 326.8; Miles Hiked To Date: 838.1; Miles Hiked Today: 11.8
Another fantastic day, great weather, great hiking! We had continuous views once we reached the Presidential Range ridge line. We started late this morning, 8:30 am, but made Mt. Washington, 6288', around 11:00. Just below the summit, we passed 'Croo' carrying large, wooden framed packs holding fresh vegetables, eggs, and fruit down to “Lake in the Clouds” Hut. One guy said that his pack weighed 100 pounds. All foodstuffs and supplies have to be carried to the huts, all waste has to be carried down! We summited South Peak of Mt. Clinton , 4180', Mt. Clinton, 4310', and Mt. Franklin, 5004', hiking well above the ridge line.
John & Brad Atop Mt. Washington
People Queuing for Summit
Mt. Washington Auto Road to Summit
Mt. Washington! What a zoo! Cars and people everywhere. You had to queue up to stand on the summit, people waiting patiently to get their picture taken. Still, the views were spectacular! We dropped our packs in the pack room inside the Observatory/Information Center/Snack Bar/Gift shop. The Observatory has it's own post office and we mailed a post card to Pat. From the small world department: when the postmaster saw the East Greenwich, RI address, he told that his grandfather was a conductor on the Boston-NY run. The train stopped each run on the bridge passing over King Street in EG. His grandfather would lower a basket with money in it to a woman below who ran a bakery and received fresh baked goods!
Chain Anchoring Roof to Mountain
We ate a pizza lunch at the snack bar, visited the Tip Top hotel museum, and left around 1:00, heading for Madison Hut, our night's destination. The trail wends its way over extremely rocky terrain with uncertain footing making for slow going. We arrived around 4:30 or 5:00 pm and arranged for a “work for stay”. Madison Hut was less welcoming than Mispah. They made us wait outside in a drizzle while the paying guests ate.
While we waited, we talked with a school teacher, Dan, from Yosemite, California. He hikes extensively in Yosemite, naturally, and shared some great stories of bears destroying cars in search of food. He's section hiking for a couple of weeks. His wife works as a transportation consultant for the Park. Finally, the Hut Mistress let us in. We ate with the Croo in the kitchen, family style: ham, mashed potatoes, peas, salad. The food was great, but unlike other huts, the interaction muted, the generosity perfunctory. The Croo boss told us that we'd be given jobs in the morning. Tomorrow, Pinkam Notch and Pat!
View of Adams & Madison from Washington
Day 57/65, July 17, Tuesday, Pinkam Notch, NH
Miles From Katahdin: 319.0; Miles Hiked To Date: 845.9; Miles Hiked Today: 7.8
Madison Hut at Base of Mt. Madison
Mt. Washington from Summit of Madison
Day 58/66, July 18, Wednesday. Carter Notch Hut, NH
Miles From Katahdin: 313.1; Miles Hiked To Date: 851.8; Miles Hiked Today: 5.9
On the 16th the weather turned a bit bad with near freezing rain. We summited Mt. Madison. Descending the peak, while still above the tree line, in our haste and aggravated by the foul weather, we missed the turn for the AT and headed down the Hawker/Mistaff Trail. As it turned out, the trail was clearly marked. My only excuse is that in the White Mts, they do not use the white blaze consistently. Instead, they rely on trail signs, cairns and only the occasional white blaze. The trail we mistakenly took was marked as leading to Pinkam Road (we were heading to Pinkam Notch). The correct trail was the Gulf Side Trail but the sign does not mention Pinkam at all. Thus, the confusion. Regardless, we screwed up and were well down the mountain before we realized our error. With near freezing rain, prudence dictated our not going back up the mountain to the correct our mistake. We trudged on.
The Howker Trail intersects the Pine Link Trail descending quickly to a road leading to Dolly Copp Campground. Dolly Copp is near the Pinkam Notch information Center where we were to meet Pat and so that's where we were headed. We tried to reach Pat several times but only got her recording. We left messages for her to call us. She didn't. Around 11:30 am , we came off the trail onto a gravel road. A car came by as I was opening the map to see which way to go. I flagged it down. I only wanted to confirm the name of the road we were on (the name on the map differed from a nearby road sign). The driver, a young man, was a senior at Exeter Academy. He offered us a ride into Gorham (where Pat had made hotel reservations – the Royalty Inn). What a break! He dropped us at the Mr. Pizza's restaurant on Main Street. We called Pat several more times unsuccessfully. We had a voice mail from Pat telling us she was in the area and confirmed where she had made the hotel reservations. Expecting to hear from Pat shortly, we ordered milkshakes and appetizers. Time passed. We ordered lunch. More time passed, no word from Pat. We left a message indicating that we were checking into the hotel (3 buildings down the street). Mildly concerned by not having heard from Pat, we called her again, giving her the motel room number. We took baths, watched TV, began worrying some, left more messages. I went to the front desk and asked about shuttles to the Pinkam Notch Information Center. The woman at front desk told me the Information Center was about 5 miles from town. I called a taxi and found that it would cost $40 roundtrip.
I decided to walk, leaving Brad at the hotel in case Pat called or came to the motel. The walk was flat and the road had wide shoulders. I walked about 5 miles and arrived at the “White Mountain Forest Ranger Information Center” which is not the Pinkam Notch Information Center. The young woman was mistaken. It's still 7 more miles to the Center. I called the taxi service. Now, the rate is $30 each way! “When I called before,” I said, “You told me it was $20 each way from Gorham. Now I'm 5 miles closer. How can it cost more?!” “Well, we operate out of Berlin.” he responded. I said, “That doesn't make any sense, I'm still closer to where I'm going. You don't have to drive further.” He offered no explanation, so I hung up and started walking again.
The Dolly Copp Campground is only a couple of miles away and I headed there, thinking I can get a ride from there. They have a shuttle service to the AT. Just as I get to the entrance of the campground, a Forest Service Ranger pulls up in his pickup truck. “Are you all set?” he asks. I explain my situation and need to get to the Pinkam Notch information Center. He offers me a ride there, but says he can't get me back (actually, he's off duty and on his way home). Since 9/11, he tells me, he has to run a “22” to verify my id. I guess he needs to make sure I'm not Osama Bin Laden in disguise planning to sabotage the AT. The beard may have made me suspect. He's a really nice guy. He circled the parking lot with me looking for our car. Finally, I spot it. He dropped me off with much thanks from me.
I left a note on the windshield of our car and search for Pat. At last, I found her sitting on a bench near the AT trailhead. She's been waiting there for 6 hours! With no cell phone service, she couldn't get any of the messages we left. She logically assumed that we didn't have phone service either and that sooner or later, we'd show up! We were both worried about each other; thinking that something had happened. She had talked to some other Thru Hikers. None of whom had seen us. Actually she was there long enough to make several friends! Anyway, all's well that ends well.
We picked up Brad and went to “Js” for a great dinner – filet, salad, garlic mash, clam chowder! We also had a discussion about the fact that we hadn't completed that section of the AT – Madison to Pickham Notch. Brad and I agreed that we had to go back to where we screwed up and do it right. This will mean a 14 mile hike and an extra day. We ended up taking Monday as a “zero day” as planned and hiked a loop that would enable us to be honest Thru-Hikers on Tuesday.
On Monday, we bought some gear (a new light weight sleeping bag for me and new convertible pants for Brad - the leg zipper on his old pants busted) along with some miscellaneous stuff. We got our provisions and then went to see the new Harry Potter movie. A good day followed by a terrible dinner at the Gorham Mexican Restaurant. Bad service, cold food!
Tuesday, after breakfast, we headed up Howker Trail, retracing our steps up Madison to where the AT branches to Pinkam Notch. Great weather, great day. We had a great day and finished in the early afternoon, meeting Pat again at the Information Center.
Today, we headed back to Pinkam Notch and the AT. Our plan was to summit Wildcat and its 5 peaks, pass the Carter Notch Hut, proceed to Imp Shelter, about 14 miles in total. Unfortunately, our late start, couple with a cold drizzle slowed us down.
We arrived at the Carter Notch Hut around 2:00 pm, ate some soup and after a brief discussion agreed to stay here under a 'work for stay' arrangement. Due to the distance between the shelters, we don't really lose anything by staying. Had we reached Imp Shelter, we would have had only a 6 mile hike to the next shelter or a 19 mile hike to the one after that. Nineteen miles is not realistic. Now we will have a 13 or 14 mile hike tomorrow and end up where we planned. Besides, it's pretty cozy at the Hut. It's raining steadily now and the same conditions are predicted through Friday. We met a young couple SOBO, Thru Hikers, who were pretty discouraged by the difficulty of the Whites. Of course, they hadn't seen the hardest part yet, but I didn't say that.
I wanted to mention that our stay at the Madison Hut was not nearly so enjoyable as the one at Mispah Spring. The Hut Mistress, a dour middle aged woman, treated Brad badly when he asked about “work for stay”. The “Croo” hardly spoke to us and we felt like 2nd class citizens instead of the celebrities we have come to see ourselves. Getting to know Dan, whom we first met at Garfield, then saw again at Mispah, mitigated the experience a bit. He's working for stay as well. Dan teaches 2nd & 3rd Grade at Portal City in Yosemite National Park. His wife , a former DOT transportation engineer, consults with the DOT and the Park service. She provides direct advice to the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Interior. Dan told us a lot about DOT politics, Bruce Babbitt (former Secretary of the Interior under Clinton. Contrary to my understanding, Dan said that Babbitt was no friend of the environment), and about teaching in a rural school of 50 students K-8. He's section hiking for a couple of weeks.
Tonight we had a whole bunkhouse to ourselves. No one else in the building. There are only about 8 guests here, staying in another bunk house. As one of the older Huts, Carter Notch, has only recently re-opened. It's smaller than most, but sits near a beautiful pond nestled in a steep walled canyon. The Croo here are very nice. Staying here has given Brad another chance to interact with people his own age. We played scrabble and listened to a lecture on mountain flowers. There was to be a nature walk, but the weather forced a cancellation. Now we are waiting for dinner and our work assignments – tonight we wash dishes and in morning sweep the bunkhouses. Shouldn't be too hard.
Day 59/67, July 19, Thursday. Gorham Royalty Motel, NH.
Miles From Katahdin: 297.9; Miles Hiked To Date: 867; Miles Hiked Today: 15.2
The rain stopped by midnight and we woke to a pleasant but foggy morning. After I swept out the bunkhouses and Brad washed silverware, we ate a large Carter Notch breakfast of oatmeal, scrambled eggs, toast, coffee all prepared for us by Dana, the Hut cook. We were on the trail by 9:00 am, our destination either the Rattle River Shelter or Gorham depended on the weather and circumstances.
The hike challenged us with a long climb out of the notch and up over 4 peaks exceeding 4000' and one at 3620'. It was slow going over slippery rocks – particularly on the descent. We passed several SOBOs, seeing more every day now. We also saw a number of short distance hikers. The Trail provides numerous views of the Presidential Range. While we had a lot of fog, sometimes we were above the clouds and got some interesting views of the shrouded valleys. The rain started again around 2:00 pm, just as we were eating lunch. It drizzled continuously the rest of the day. During our descent we stopped and talked to a SOBO, solo woman. She carried a huge pack and expressed her pleasure at having completed the Maine portion of the trail. She thought the Whites weren't nearly as difficult. However, she hasn't seen anything yet! I hope she's wrong about the difficulty of the Maine trail, but we'll certainly find out.
We reached the Rattle River Shelter around 5:00 pm only to find 7 hikers already ensconced there. Mostly SOBOs, they willingly offered to make room for us but we decided to press on. Only 1.9 miles away, Rt 2 intersects the AT. Gorham and Mr. Pizza with their great milkshakes were within striking distance. When we reached the highway, Brad called a taxi and we headed into town, checking into the Gorham Royalty Motel.
Soaked from two days of hiking in rain, we enjoyed hot baths and I did the laundry. Pulling the clothes from the dryer, I found Brad's cell phone. It nice and clean now, but alas it doesn't work.
Day 61/69, July 20, Friday. Gentian Pond Shelter, NH.
Miles From Katahdin: 286.1; Miles Hiked To Date: 878.8; Miles Hiked Today: 11.8
This shelter offers a great view of the Carters and Mt. Imp – where we were yesterday. Today, we hiked 11.8 miles from Gorham. We didn't get on the trail until just after 10:00 am and arrived at 5:00 pm. My unsuccessful attempt to resuscitate Brad's cell phone contributed to our late start. I opened the back and used the motel's hair dryer to dry it out. I did get the power on but the screen remained blank. We feel like we've left the Whites. This trail has a very different feel – no more “above the tree line” hiking. The morning rain stopped, the sky cleared and the weather turned nice. Our hike was uneventful and offered a few great views of the mountains in which we'd spent the last week. We saw no one on the AT for the first time since we entered the White Mountains.
Moss Pond
Even with the late start, we made our goal. Maine remains a puzzle for us mileage wise. The elevations don't seem that great, but most everyone says it's tough. Tomorrow we'll start to find out. We have to be in Rangeley by Wednesday afternoon in order for Pat to pick us up and head to the family reunion. That means averaging 12 miles per day. Given what we've done so far, I believe we can do it. We are joined tonight by “Red”, hiking the Maine section south, solo and a couple of NOBOs, Patrick and 'Hellbender', a young woman. Red is heading to Gorham tomorrow and will end his hike. He hiked the AT some years ago. He's 50 years old and works at a plant nursery in Burlington ME. Patrick and Hellbender met up and are hiking together. Patrick says he remembers Brad but doesn't know from where.
Sunset from Gentian Shelter
Tomorrow we cross into Maine!
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