Start: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
I felt spoiled today! We woke up to the hut croo playing guitar music and to a breakfast of oatmeal, quiche, bacon, and warm coffee cake. The plan for the day was 14.8 miles back up to the summit of Mt. Washington and then over past Mt. Clay, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Adams, over Mt. Madison and down to Pinkham Notch. The weather report given to us by the croo at breakfast though called for even higher winds than yesterday (over 80 mph) and thunderstorms. Almost our entire day today was along exposed summits and ridges. We decided that we would climb to the summit of Washington and make a decision then. We packed up, left the hut, and I made the 1.5 mile climb up 1200 feet in 45 minutes. It was a difficult climb because the wind was whipping us around like we were rag dolls. I was sniffling the entire way because my nose wouldn't stop running and the wind was blowing the snot across my face... In the words of Brian, "Snot very pretty." Haha. Walking across the summit, I was swaying back and forth, my movements in full control of the wind. I finally blew into the summit building and met Brian (why is he so fast?!??). We sat for a while and kept an eye on the weather. We watched as the thick, dark clouds descended on the top of the mountain. The wind had reached speeds of over 84 mph. We already hiked the 14.8 miles we had planned to do today when we did a section hike in 2010. After taking that thought and the weather into account, we asked ourselves if we really wanted to take the risk and do the hike... The answer... NOPE! We left the summit building and walked the 20 feet up a rock pile to the actual summit sign (which we already have at least 7 or 8 pictures together at, but needed this one because it was the climax of our journey). The wind was brutal. We had to crouch down as we climbed the rocks and then we each had to sit as we took pictures of each other. Coming down, the wind literally took control of my leg and smashed it into one of the rocks. I instantly had a swollen, bruised lump on my leg. We blew over to the hiker shuttle building and purchased tickets for the shuttle that takes hikers down the Mt. Washington Auto Road to Pinkham Notch. It turned out that we were not the only hikers with this idea. A full shuttle went down just as we arrived and our shuttle sold out too! Just as our shuttle pulled out of the parking spot, the rain started, then the thunder and lightening started. I think we made the right choice! We arrived at Pinkham Notch and spent some time in the visitor center. As I looked at the model of the Presidentials with the white blazed AT traversing over and around their high peaks, my eyes filled with tears. Our journey was over for now. Brian and I hugged... Although, we didn't make it to our intended destination of Mt. Katahdin, we made it to Pinkham Notch. We walked over 600 miles this summer and spent 70 amazing days together surrounded by the beauty of nature. I've laughed, I've cried, I sang, I yelled, I've been awed, I've been scared, I've been proud, I've been sad, but most importantly, we have both ended our journey happy and healthy. What more could I possibly ask for?
End: Pinkham Notch - stayed at Top Notch Inn in Gorham, NH
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
I will be writing a reflection of our trip after I gather my thoughts and emotions a bit more. I will also write about the gear I used and what I loved and hated about the gear.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
August 30, 2012
Start: Nauman Tentsite
We woke up to a COLD morning! It had been in the 30s overnight and windy. At 7 am, we were awake, but we didn't emerge from the warmth of our sleeping bags until 9! Once we finally braved the cold (it was somewhere in the low 40s now), we broke down camp and used the hut to get dressed and eat our breakfast in. The weather report at the hut from Mount Washington Weather Observatory called for clear skies and 50-70 mph winds!!! We put on our cold weather hiking gear and headed out. Right out of Mizpah, we had a 500 foot steep climb to Mt Pierce (4,312 feet). The trail then skirted past the summit of Mt Eisenhower on the way to the peak of Mt. Franklin (5,004 feet). Just after Eisenhower, we passed the spot where I broke my leg 4 years ago. We've been on Crawford Path once since then, but it's still amazes me to think I hopped that last mile before Lakes of the Clouds Hut (not as much as I am amazed by the fact that Brian carried me up the last 1.5 miles to the Mt. Washington summit though) especially since its rocky terrain with precipitous drop offs on two feet! Just before Lakes of the Clouds Hut, the trail skirted the summit of Mt. Monroe. Since the AT ALWAYS seems to go up, it surprises me that the trail hasn't been re-routed over all the summits. I assume the history of Crawford Path being the oldest maintained trail in America is the reason the AT remains the way it is. We reached Lakes and dropped some of our things off since we were spending the night there. We then began the 1.5 mile, 1200 foot climb to the summit of Mt. Washington (6,288 feet). It was cold and windy!!! My legs and poles were being controlled by the wind. Each time I picked them up to move, it seemed that I had no say in where they would land. At the summit, I learned that we had climbed in 50+ mph sustained winds with gusts up to 73 mph!!! Once we reached the summit, I was overcome with so many emotions. I was relieved to be out of the wind and eating pizza from the tourist-filled summit snack bar. I felt proud and accomplished that we were standing in the place we have been looking forward to since we took those first steps on the bridge crossing the Potomac River. I felt sad that the journey was coming to an end. I was happy and excited to return home to my family, friends, cats, and luxuries, but worried about the transition to "real life." I have been changed out here. I feel more alive, more inspired, more introspective, and more appreciative of the little things. These feelings have made me a better person and I don't want to lose them when surrounded with faucets to drink from rather than rivers to pump from, and buildings to look at rather than mountains, and a gym to go to for an hour a day rather than a walk to go on for 10 hours a day. The 6.1 mile trek today was a cold, windy one, but it was one filled with happiness, pride, and excitement. It felt good to be "home!"
After we spent some time at the summit, we hiked back down to the hut. We descended in just over a half hour. Dinner at Lakes was pumpkin ginger soup, homemade bread, beef tips, rice, and broccoli with oatmeal cookies for dessert. Delicious! Just after dinner, the sun went down and what a gorgeous sunset it was from 5,048 feet. The pink sun set behind mountains that appeared blue in the distance, but the beauty didn't stop there. The full moon (blue moon) came out and illuminated the lenticular clouds around it! Brian captured some gorgeous pictures of both!
End: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
We woke up to a COLD morning! It had been in the 30s overnight and windy. At 7 am, we were awake, but we didn't emerge from the warmth of our sleeping bags until 9! Once we finally braved the cold (it was somewhere in the low 40s now), we broke down camp and used the hut to get dressed and eat our breakfast in. The weather report at the hut from Mount Washington Weather Observatory called for clear skies and 50-70 mph winds!!! We put on our cold weather hiking gear and headed out. Right out of Mizpah, we had a 500 foot steep climb to Mt Pierce (4,312 feet). The trail then skirted past the summit of Mt Eisenhower on the way to the peak of Mt. Franklin (5,004 feet). Just after Eisenhower, we passed the spot where I broke my leg 4 years ago. We've been on Crawford Path once since then, but it's still amazes me to think I hopped that last mile before Lakes of the Clouds Hut (not as much as I am amazed by the fact that Brian carried me up the last 1.5 miles to the Mt. Washington summit though) especially since its rocky terrain with precipitous drop offs on two feet! Just before Lakes of the Clouds Hut, the trail skirted the summit of Mt. Monroe. Since the AT ALWAYS seems to go up, it surprises me that the trail hasn't been re-routed over all the summits. I assume the history of Crawford Path being the oldest maintained trail in America is the reason the AT remains the way it is. We reached Lakes and dropped some of our things off since we were spending the night there. We then began the 1.5 mile, 1200 foot climb to the summit of Mt. Washington (6,288 feet). It was cold and windy!!! My legs and poles were being controlled by the wind. Each time I picked them up to move, it seemed that I had no say in where they would land. At the summit, I learned that we had climbed in 50+ mph sustained winds with gusts up to 73 mph!!! Once we reached the summit, I was overcome with so many emotions. I was relieved to be out of the wind and eating pizza from the tourist-filled summit snack bar. I felt proud and accomplished that we were standing in the place we have been looking forward to since we took those first steps on the bridge crossing the Potomac River. I felt sad that the journey was coming to an end. I was happy and excited to return home to my family, friends, cats, and luxuries, but worried about the transition to "real life." I have been changed out here. I feel more alive, more inspired, more introspective, and more appreciative of the little things. These feelings have made me a better person and I don't want to lose them when surrounded with faucets to drink from rather than rivers to pump from, and buildings to look at rather than mountains, and a gym to go to for an hour a day rather than a walk to go on for 10 hours a day. The 6.1 mile trek today was a cold, windy one, but it was one filled with happiness, pride, and excitement. It felt good to be "home!"
After we spent some time at the summit, we hiked back down to the hut. We descended in just over a half hour. Dinner at Lakes was pumpkin ginger soup, homemade bread, beef tips, rice, and broccoli with oatmeal cookies for dessert. Delicious! Just after dinner, the sun went down and what a gorgeous sunset it was from 5,048 feet. The pink sun set behind mountains that appeared blue in the distance, but the beauty didn't stop there. The full moon (blue moon) came out and illuminated the lenticular clouds around it! Brian captured some gorgeous pictures of both!
End: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
August 29, 2012
Start: Unmarked Campsite (near Zealand Falls Hut)
We woke up with a lot of excitement today! The plan was to end our 14.3 mile day at Mizpah Hut, which was the first hut both of us had been to (on different occasions). Just before the hut, we would pass our first white blaze too. We got an early start because we wanted to get to Mizpah with time to enjoy it. The beginning of the day was relatively flat until the descent to Crawford Notch. We crossed the street and up we went. We climbed nearly 3000 feet and summitted Mt. Webster (3,910 feet) and Mt. Jackson (4,052 feet) along the way. It was beautiful and clear so we had 360 degree views! It left me speechless to look up and see Mt. Washington with it's peak hidden in the clouds. Mt. Washington was my first mountain, my first backpacking trip, my first trip with Brian, and where I broke my leg back in 2008. It's the place where I knew for sure Brian and I would get married (since he carried me to the peak rather than leaving me : ) ). Looking at that mountain, it is still so surreal that we have walked here from West Virginia. I remember back on June 23rd, walking hand in hand with Brian down the C and O Canal Towpath, talking about how we could not wait to get to Mt. Washington and what it would feel like. Now, we are almost there!!! Once I got past the surreal feeling, I felt proud of us for making it this far on our journey. I felt thankful that we had this opportunity. I feel fulfilled, content, and free... Some of the best feelings I've ever experienced. From the peak of Mt. Jackson, we could also see our intended destination, Mizpah Hut. We walked the 1.7 miles to the hut and as soon as we reached it, I let out a loud "Woohoo!!!" We spent the afternoon in the hut eating the delicious baked goods they have for $1 and soup that they have for $2 (for the first bowl, $1 for refills). Nauman Tentsite is right near Mizpah and we are staying there tonight on tent platform 7... The first tent platform that Brian and I ever stayed on together (and the platform that Brian has stayed on numerous times). What a day!!! Good climbs, beautiful views, our first white blaze, our first hut, and our first tent platform.
End: Mizpah Hut- Nauman Tentsite
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
We woke up with a lot of excitement today! The plan was to end our 14.3 mile day at Mizpah Hut, which was the first hut both of us had been to (on different occasions). Just before the hut, we would pass our first white blaze too. We got an early start because we wanted to get to Mizpah with time to enjoy it. The beginning of the day was relatively flat until the descent to Crawford Notch. We crossed the street and up we went. We climbed nearly 3000 feet and summitted Mt. Webster (3,910 feet) and Mt. Jackson (4,052 feet) along the way. It was beautiful and clear so we had 360 degree views! It left me speechless to look up and see Mt. Washington with it's peak hidden in the clouds. Mt. Washington was my first mountain, my first backpacking trip, my first trip with Brian, and where I broke my leg back in 2008. It's the place where I knew for sure Brian and I would get married (since he carried me to the peak rather than leaving me : ) ). Looking at that mountain, it is still so surreal that we have walked here from West Virginia. I remember back on June 23rd, walking hand in hand with Brian down the C and O Canal Towpath, talking about how we could not wait to get to Mt. Washington and what it would feel like. Now, we are almost there!!! Once I got past the surreal feeling, I felt proud of us for making it this far on our journey. I felt thankful that we had this opportunity. I feel fulfilled, content, and free... Some of the best feelings I've ever experienced. From the peak of Mt. Jackson, we could also see our intended destination, Mizpah Hut. We walked the 1.7 miles to the hut and as soon as we reached it, I let out a loud "Woohoo!!!" We spent the afternoon in the hut eating the delicious baked goods they have for $1 and soup that they have for $2 (for the first bowl, $1 for refills). Nauman Tentsite is right near Mizpah and we are staying there tonight on tent platform 7... The first tent platform that Brian and I ever stayed on together (and the platform that Brian has stayed on numerous times). What a day!!! Good climbs, beautiful views, our first white blaze, our first hut, and our first tent platform.
End: Mizpah Hut- Nauman Tentsite
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
August 28, 2012
Start: Guyot Shelter
It rained all night long, but we stayed dry. I love our tent! We woke up early, but it was still raining so we decided to wait it out. We got a late start around 10 am, but we only planned to do a little over 4 miles today to Zealand Falls Hut. The forecast was calling for rain all day and we were tired so we were happy to put in a short day and hang out at the hut. We walked the mile long side trail back to the AT and immediately reached the peak of Mt. Guyot (4,597 feet). The trail descended about 2000 feet over the four miles to Zealand Falls Hut. We were supposed to have some views along the way, but the rain and clouds didn't allow that. The rest of the week looks beautiful though, so we are excited. We reached the hut and hung out for a bit. The sky was starting to clear so we decided to hike on. Just a little bit after the hut, we saw an unmarked campsite we stayed in when we did a 50 mile section in 2010. The campsite was the site of my first bear encounter. The night we stayed there, another hiker came in late and didn't hang his food. A hungry bear came into the campsite at least 3 times that night, but I scared Yogi away with my whistle. We really enjoyed that campsite that night (other than the bear) and we were feeling tired, so we decided to call it a day. Hopefully, there will be no bears tonight!
End: Unmarked Campsite a little past Zealand Falls Hut
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
It rained all night long, but we stayed dry. I love our tent! We woke up early, but it was still raining so we decided to wait it out. We got a late start around 10 am, but we only planned to do a little over 4 miles today to Zealand Falls Hut. The forecast was calling for rain all day and we were tired so we were happy to put in a short day and hang out at the hut. We walked the mile long side trail back to the AT and immediately reached the peak of Mt. Guyot (4,597 feet). The trail descended about 2000 feet over the four miles to Zealand Falls Hut. We were supposed to have some views along the way, but the rain and clouds didn't allow that. The rest of the week looks beautiful though, so we are excited. We reached the hut and hung out for a bit. The sky was starting to clear so we decided to hike on. Just a little bit after the hut, we saw an unmarked campsite we stayed in when we did a 50 mile section in 2010. The campsite was the site of my first bear encounter. The night we stayed there, another hiker came in late and didn't hang his food. A hungry bear came into the campsite at least 3 times that night, but I scared Yogi away with my whistle. We really enjoyed that campsite that night (other than the bear) and we were feeling tired, so we decided to call it a day. Hopefully, there will be no bears tonight!
End: Unmarked Campsite a little past Zealand Falls Hut
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Monday, August 27, 2012
August 27, 2012
Start: Franconia Notch, NH
SORE!!!! Is an understatement of how we felt when we woke up this morning! Everything from my fingers (from gripping my poles so tightly yesterday) to my toes was aching. The excitement I was feeling to hike Franconia Ridge (my favorite spot EVER!!!) seemed to ease the aching though. We packed up, checked out of the motel and got a ride to Franconia Notch. We climbed almost 3500 feet to Little Haystack Mountain (4800 feet). Walking across the ridge, we summitted Mt. Lincoln (5,089 feet) and Mt. Lafayette (5,259 feet). The views were amazing! Looking to the left, I could see the mountains we have come from and looking to the right were the mountains we were headed towards. Garfield, North and South Twin and the Presidentials stood tall in the shadow of Mt. Washington in the distance. You can't beat the views along this ridge! We took a break on Lafayette just to soak it all in. The forecast for tonight and tomorrow call for rain so we were happy to have the clear views while we were on the ridge. We descended down Lafayette and then climbed Mt. Garfield (4500 feet). Just as we passed Garfield Ridge Campsite, we literally walked down a waterfall. Beautiful and slippery! We reached Galehead Hut and took a break before taking on the climb up South Twin. The trail literally shot up over 1100 feet in .7 miles before reaching the peak (4902 feet). The clouds were rolling in! We had 2 more miles to Guyot Shelter (plus a mile to the shelter on a side trail) and wanted to make it there before the rain. We continued on, reached the shelter, and set up camp just in time! It is supposed to rain through the night... I like the sound of rain on the tent, but I'm not big on dealing with wet stuff in the morning. Hopefully, we will stay dry along with most of our stuff! Today was another exhausting (15.8 miles), but beautiful day!
End: Guyot Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
SORE!!!! Is an understatement of how we felt when we woke up this morning! Everything from my fingers (from gripping my poles so tightly yesterday) to my toes was aching. The excitement I was feeling to hike Franconia Ridge (my favorite spot EVER!!!) seemed to ease the aching though. We packed up, checked out of the motel and got a ride to Franconia Notch. We climbed almost 3500 feet to Little Haystack Mountain (4800 feet). Walking across the ridge, we summitted Mt. Lincoln (5,089 feet) and Mt. Lafayette (5,259 feet). The views were amazing! Looking to the left, I could see the mountains we have come from and looking to the right were the mountains we were headed towards. Garfield, North and South Twin and the Presidentials stood tall in the shadow of Mt. Washington in the distance. You can't beat the views along this ridge! We took a break on Lafayette just to soak it all in. The forecast for tonight and tomorrow call for rain so we were happy to have the clear views while we were on the ridge. We descended down Lafayette and then climbed Mt. Garfield (4500 feet). Just as we passed Garfield Ridge Campsite, we literally walked down a waterfall. Beautiful and slippery! We reached Galehead Hut and took a break before taking on the climb up South Twin. The trail literally shot up over 1100 feet in .7 miles before reaching the peak (4902 feet). The clouds were rolling in! We had 2 more miles to Guyot Shelter (plus a mile to the shelter on a side trail) and wanted to make it there before the rain. We continued on, reached the shelter, and set up camp just in time! It is supposed to rain through the night... I like the sound of rain on the tent, but I'm not big on dealing with wet stuff in the morning. Hopefully, we will stay dry along with most of our stuff! Today was another exhausting (15.8 miles), but beautiful day!
End: Guyot Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
August 26, 2012
Start: Kinsman Notch, NH
We got an early start today since we had a 16.3 mile day planned. We were on the trail by 7:30 am and started the day with about an 800 foot climb over .7 miles. That woke me up better than any amount of coffee! We both felt great. The sun was shining, it was still cool, and we felt strong. We continued along a bumpy, gradually ascending 4 mile stretch to the peak of Mt. Wolf (3,478 feet). It's interesting how a 3000 foot mountain felt huge just a couple of weeks ago and now it feels like a warm up! We had a bumpy descent to Eliza Brook Shelter where we rested and ate lunch. After 45 minutes, we were ready to take on Kinsman Mountain. We had heard from numerous people that it was a tough, strenuous climb and didn't have quite the payoff that the Whites are known for, so I wasn't really looking forward to it. My mindset quickly changed though (sometimes I think I'm better off not hearing what others think about the trail that lies ahead of me). For almost a mile, the trail gradually ascended alongside Eliza Brook. There were beautiful waterfalls and small pools that formed beneath the falls. I love hiking to the sound of flowing water! After the trail left the brook, it shot UP! As we reached the end of the 2000 foot ascent, I found myself letting go of my poles to literally pull myself up and over ledges and rock faces. It slowed me down a bit, but it was fun. We reached the south peak (4,358 feet) and took a small break with Dangerfoot and a southbounder. Looking ahead to Kinsman Mountain North Peak, it seemed like a daunting climb, but it wasn't bad. We descended about 500 feet just to ascend 400 feet to the north peak (4,293 feet), but the view of the Franconia Ridge was spectacular. The tall mountains covered in green with peaks of granite shining in the sunlight literally left me speechless as I looked across at them. We've been on Franconia Ridge before, but I still can't believe we have walked here from West Virginia. Thoughts and pictures of our journey played in my mind in the same way the AT thru hike You Tube videos have played on my computer screen for years, but now the memories, the pictures, the happiness, the fulfillment were mine to revel in. We descended a steep 2.5 miles down rock faces, sometimes with wood blocks (placed by the maintenance crew for assistance), sometimes sitting and sliding down, and sometimes with a combination of careful hand and foot placement and a bit of luck. We reached Lonesome Lake Hut and took a break. Lonesome Lake is one of the two AMC huts we haven't been to yet, so we were excited to check it out. With 3 miles still to go and about 2 hours of day light left, we began our final descent (Whenever we are heading down at the end of the day, I literally say "We are beginning our final descent. Please place your trays and seats in the upright and locked position." It always makes us laugh). It was a nice gradual descent with patches of rock, a bunch of bog bridges and some stream and river crossings. The last crossing was a little tricky for me (the bridge had been washed out by Irene last year) but I made it across without falling in. Brian made it across easily before me and with his long legs, he made it seem so easy... I guess that's a second reason for his trail name along with his speed! When we finally reached the end of our day at Franconia Notch, we discovered that we had a .9 mile walk to the parking lot where the shuttle was picking us up. We were tired, but it was a paved bike trail so we figured it wouldn't be so bad. After .2 miles, we saw a sign pointing to a trail in the woods that said .6 miles to the parking lot. Back in the woods we went, walking quickly over rocks and roots in almost darkness (our headlamps were buried away and we were trying not to miss the shuttle). We reached the parking lot just in time for the shuttle! As we were getting in, we realized the paved bike path lead to the same place... Oh well! 16.3 miles may not be our longest day, but hiking those miles in the Whites definitely made it our toughest day yet. It was a great day, but we are both ready for a shower and food if we can get them in before our eyes close!
End: Franconia Notch, NH - Staying at The Carriage Motel in North Woodstock
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
We got an early start today since we had a 16.3 mile day planned. We were on the trail by 7:30 am and started the day with about an 800 foot climb over .7 miles. That woke me up better than any amount of coffee! We both felt great. The sun was shining, it was still cool, and we felt strong. We continued along a bumpy, gradually ascending 4 mile stretch to the peak of Mt. Wolf (3,478 feet). It's interesting how a 3000 foot mountain felt huge just a couple of weeks ago and now it feels like a warm up! We had a bumpy descent to Eliza Brook Shelter where we rested and ate lunch. After 45 minutes, we were ready to take on Kinsman Mountain. We had heard from numerous people that it was a tough, strenuous climb and didn't have quite the payoff that the Whites are known for, so I wasn't really looking forward to it. My mindset quickly changed though (sometimes I think I'm better off not hearing what others think about the trail that lies ahead of me). For almost a mile, the trail gradually ascended alongside Eliza Brook. There were beautiful waterfalls and small pools that formed beneath the falls. I love hiking to the sound of flowing water! After the trail left the brook, it shot UP! As we reached the end of the 2000 foot ascent, I found myself letting go of my poles to literally pull myself up and over ledges and rock faces. It slowed me down a bit, but it was fun. We reached the south peak (4,358 feet) and took a small break with Dangerfoot and a southbounder. Looking ahead to Kinsman Mountain North Peak, it seemed like a daunting climb, but it wasn't bad. We descended about 500 feet just to ascend 400 feet to the north peak (4,293 feet), but the view of the Franconia Ridge was spectacular. The tall mountains covered in green with peaks of granite shining in the sunlight literally left me speechless as I looked across at them. We've been on Franconia Ridge before, but I still can't believe we have walked here from West Virginia. Thoughts and pictures of our journey played in my mind in the same way the AT thru hike You Tube videos have played on my computer screen for years, but now the memories, the pictures, the happiness, the fulfillment were mine to revel in. We descended a steep 2.5 miles down rock faces, sometimes with wood blocks (placed by the maintenance crew for assistance), sometimes sitting and sliding down, and sometimes with a combination of careful hand and foot placement and a bit of luck. We reached Lonesome Lake Hut and took a break. Lonesome Lake is one of the two AMC huts we haven't been to yet, so we were excited to check it out. With 3 miles still to go and about 2 hours of day light left, we began our final descent (Whenever we are heading down at the end of the day, I literally say "We are beginning our final descent. Please place your trays and seats in the upright and locked position." It always makes us laugh). It was a nice gradual descent with patches of rock, a bunch of bog bridges and some stream and river crossings. The last crossing was a little tricky for me (the bridge had been washed out by Irene last year) but I made it across without falling in. Brian made it across easily before me and with his long legs, he made it seem so easy... I guess that's a second reason for his trail name along with his speed! When we finally reached the end of our day at Franconia Notch, we discovered that we had a .9 mile walk to the parking lot where the shuttle was picking us up. We were tired, but it was a paved bike trail so we figured it wouldn't be so bad. After .2 miles, we saw a sign pointing to a trail in the woods that said .6 miles to the parking lot. Back in the woods we went, walking quickly over rocks and roots in almost darkness (our headlamps were buried away and we were trying not to miss the shuttle). We reached the parking lot just in time for the shuttle! As we were getting in, we realized the paved bike path lead to the same place... Oh well! 16.3 miles may not be our longest day, but hiking those miles in the Whites definitely made it our toughest day yet. It was a great day, but we are both ready for a shower and food if we can get them in before our eyes close!
End: Franconia Notch, NH - Staying at The Carriage Motel in North Woodstock
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Saturday, August 25, 2012
August 25, 2012
Start: Kinsman Notch, NH 112
Yesterday, Phatchapp recommended that we hike Moosilauke southbound. He said descending down the north side of the mountain can be dangerous, so that's what we decided to do. We took a shuttle to Kinsman Notch and started the 9.3 mile day with a 3000 foot climb. For the first 1.5 miles, we climbed alongside a beautiful, cascading waterfall. It was a steep, difficult, but fun climb! For the next .5 miles to the shelter, the trail climbed up part of the waterfall that was just trickling, but still slippery. We reached Beaver Brook Shelter and took a break. We were hoping some of the clouds burned off so we could have a view of Franconia Ridge from the shelter, but we were still in the clouds. Towards the end of the break though, we could see the faint outlines of the mountains that are in our near future. Intimidating, but beautiful. We continued up to the summit. The 2.3 miles from the shelter to the summit were not as steep. About .4 before the summit, we left tree cover. It finally felt like we were in the whites! We ate lunch at the summit (4,802 feet, our first 4000 footer of the trip), but with the lack of sun, I was cold. We only stayed about 30 minutes before we started the hike down. On the way down, Brian and I were talking about what we've taken away from our hikes. I think the two greatest lessons I've learned out here are to live in the moment and to simplify life. Before the trail, I was always planning 15 steps ahead of where I was or what I was doing. On the trail, I've learned to live in the moment and the rest will come. This really stood out the other day with the sheep. I knew we wanted to get them to their owner, but I dealt with the situation without worrying what I would do next. As we were walking them down the mountain, I wasn't worried about what we were going to do. That kind of thinking was not characteristic of pre-trail Heather, but it is of Flicka and will be of post-trail Heather. I know some things in life require planning, but I will live in the moment as much as possible, because I now realize that if I'm always steps ahead in my mind, I'm unable to appreciate where I am or what I'm doing at that moment. The other lesson that Flicka has taught Heather is that life is enjoyable when it is simplified. Having my basic needs met and spending time with those who I love are really what make me happy. Everything else is just "fluff," and while fluff is sometimes nice, it isn't necessary to my happiness.
Somewhere during our philosophical (and one of my favorite) conversation, we reached NH 25 in Glencliff and walked to the hostel, where we found Baltimore Jack! Baltimore Jack is a bit of a trail celebrity, being featured in many trail movies and books, and having completed 9!!!! thru hikes. We met him back at the Doyle in Duncannon, so we caught up for a bit before Phatchapp drove us back to the hotel. We REALLY enjoyed our day today. Mt. Moosilauke is a beautiful hike with amazing views!! Tomorrow, we have a big 16.3 mile day from Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch so I am happy to be in a bed to rest up for that!!
End: NH 25, Glencliff, NH - Staying at the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock, NH
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Yesterday, Phatchapp recommended that we hike Moosilauke southbound. He said descending down the north side of the mountain can be dangerous, so that's what we decided to do. We took a shuttle to Kinsman Notch and started the 9.3 mile day with a 3000 foot climb. For the first 1.5 miles, we climbed alongside a beautiful, cascading waterfall. It was a steep, difficult, but fun climb! For the next .5 miles to the shelter, the trail climbed up part of the waterfall that was just trickling, but still slippery. We reached Beaver Brook Shelter and took a break. We were hoping some of the clouds burned off so we could have a view of Franconia Ridge from the shelter, but we were still in the clouds. Towards the end of the break though, we could see the faint outlines of the mountains that are in our near future. Intimidating, but beautiful. We continued up to the summit. The 2.3 miles from the shelter to the summit were not as steep. About .4 before the summit, we left tree cover. It finally felt like we were in the whites! We ate lunch at the summit (4,802 feet, our first 4000 footer of the trip), but with the lack of sun, I was cold. We only stayed about 30 minutes before we started the hike down. On the way down, Brian and I were talking about what we've taken away from our hikes. I think the two greatest lessons I've learned out here are to live in the moment and to simplify life. Before the trail, I was always planning 15 steps ahead of where I was or what I was doing. On the trail, I've learned to live in the moment and the rest will come. This really stood out the other day with the sheep. I knew we wanted to get them to their owner, but I dealt with the situation without worrying what I would do next. As we were walking them down the mountain, I wasn't worried about what we were going to do. That kind of thinking was not characteristic of pre-trail Heather, but it is of Flicka and will be of post-trail Heather. I know some things in life require planning, but I will live in the moment as much as possible, because I now realize that if I'm always steps ahead in my mind, I'm unable to appreciate where I am or what I'm doing at that moment. The other lesson that Flicka has taught Heather is that life is enjoyable when it is simplified. Having my basic needs met and spending time with those who I love are really what make me happy. Everything else is just "fluff," and while fluff is sometimes nice, it isn't necessary to my happiness.
Somewhere during our philosophical (and one of my favorite) conversation, we reached NH 25 in Glencliff and walked to the hostel, where we found Baltimore Jack! Baltimore Jack is a bit of a trail celebrity, being featured in many trail movies and books, and having completed 9!!!! thru hikes. We met him back at the Doyle in Duncannon, so we caught up for a bit before Phatchapp drove us back to the hotel. We REALLY enjoyed our day today. Mt. Moosilauke is a beautiful hike with amazing views!! Tomorrow, we have a big 16.3 mile day from Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch so I am happy to be in a bed to rest up for that!!
End: NH 25, Glencliff, NH - Staying at the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock, NH
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
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