17 July - Gentian Pond Shelter

Hot and humid. Upper 80s for Gorham but cooler up here with occasional breezes. Some brief, light rain this afternoon on the way to the shelter.

We hiked 12 miles today - the first double digit day since we first entered the Whites and crossed Moosilauke. The trail is obviously getting easier because could do 12 miles. It is obviously still difficult because it took us from 7:30 until 6:20 this evening to do it.

We got a farewell look at Mount Washington today. It was haz Mount Washington is the farthest and near the center. Mount Madison is in front and to the right. The other two pictures are taken here at the shelter and pond.

We saw a beaver swimming and slapping its tail telling us to go away. We also picked some Blueberries today. They are just getting ripe and grow wild along the trail.

16 July - Zero day, Royalty Inn, Gorham, NH

Low 80s.  Threatened rain most of the day but that is OK because we had an indoor and outdoor pool.  And a hot tub and a sauna. These were all medically necessary after completing the Whites.

Correction!  We learned today from Snowman (a NOBO from Maine) that we really haven't finished the Whites, just the park.  The White Mountains extend into southern Maine.  We may have to celebrate again.

Anyway, we had a good rest and therapy (I have been to the indoor pool and health club three times and the outdoor pool twice).  We also went to Walmart to resupply and to the local outfitters.   I now have my fourth pair of shoes for this trip.  The sole was coming apart on the Keens I just brought in Hanover.   I now have another pair of Merrells.

Tomorrow it is back to the trail and Sunday we should cross into Maine.

15 July - Gorham, NH

High in the mid 80s.  There was alternating sun and cool breezes on the trail but it was sure hot in town. 

This morning at Imp Shelter the two older guys who were section hiking, had decided to give up and hike out.  One had fallen yesterday and hurt his shoulder.  It didn't improve overnight and the climbing necessary to follow the AT south would have been too difficult.

For us, it was another tough climb and steep downhill today but the last two miles were normal trail.   It gives me hope that the trail is improving as we leave the Whites.   It is just a line on a map and the next four days are still going to be very hard (Mahoosuc Notch, the hardest mile on the AT), but it will slowly get better.

It is now only 297.9 miles to Katahdin!  Katahdin is our only goal now. Thinking about the second part of the hike is too much.  Some days I am ready to quit.  After our break, we will know what to do.   Will we miss the trail?  Feel the need to exercise more?  That is what others have reported.   We will see. 

Morning brings a better day.

The rocks and roots are still wet and slippery but the sun is coming to the rescue.

14 July - Imp Shelter

Rain, upper 60s. More rain tonight.

Another hard day.  We hiked almost eight miles - It took us about eight hours.  Ridiculously slow.   The trail is so steep and I am so tired of wet rocks and wet roots.  We all fell today.  I fell twice.

It is raining now and and there is thunder near.  So nice to be in a shelter with three walls and a roof.  This is another AMC pay shelter.  It costs $8/person to stay here.  There are four others here: two older men who have been section hiking for many years and two young guys just out who are hiking the Presidentials.

Eight miles tomorrow and we get to town.  It will be our last day in the Whites.  We will take a well earned zero day.

13 July - Carter Notch Hut

Cooler and cloudy most of the day.  Rain and thunderstorms around but none on us until after we arrived at the hut. 

Only six miles today but again they were steep, tough, White Mountain miles.  Plus, there was the weather forecast which made us more cautious.   We considered going a little farther and camping but we new we would be tired when we got here so we made reservations.  Several groups passed us today with plans for bigger miles.   Most are here tonight.  We are having a thunderstorm right now and more tonight and tomorrow. 

This hut also claims to be the oldest so I am not sure which actually is.  The hut is high in the notch with two lakes close by.  Very pretty but it is raining so no pictures.

We climbed 2400 feet first thing this morning then up and down across Wildcat Ridge which had five peaks (E D C B A).  Then down 1100 feet to the lakes.  Near Wildcat Ridge Peak D, there is a ski lift.  The slopes act as an alpine meadow for wildflowers.  

We were in the Alpine today and mainly below tree line.  I confirmed that the trees at higher elevation are mainly Balsam Fir and some Red Spruce .

12 July - Pinkham Notch, Joe Dodge Lodge, on Rt 16.

Partly sunny with thunder storms in the afternoon.

Climbed Mount Madison then descended 3500 feet to the AMC lodge.  Tiring climb down.  We heard thunder but again, we did not get rained on.

We crossed the auto road near the bottom of today's hike.  I keep thinking about how we could have walked down the auto road yesterday and been here in a few hours.  Instead we followed the AT in a big horse shoe pattern through the Presidentials yesterday afternoon and all of today.

In the last few days in the Presidential Range, we have crossed or summited Mounts Lincoln, Garfield, Jackson, Pierce / Clinton, and Madison.  

11 July - Madison Hut

Partly sunny and mostly cool - low 60s.  The weather was good all day until afternoon.  We had thunder on the trail but got to the hut before it rained.

Today is day 101, a good day to go up Mount Washington.  For Flatlander it is a big day.  A few years ago he was vacationinng on Mount Washington and saw some thru-hikers.  This is when he learned about the Appalachian Trail and long distance hiking.  That became the inspiration for his AT thru-hike and today closes the circle.

We spent 3 hours on Mount Washington and had a wonderful time.  We got our picture on the weather cam, saw the cog rail train, took lots of pictures, and dried our shoes and packs after yesterday's rain. 

There was a bicycle race up the auto road to the summit.  Hiking up was hard.  Bicycling is crazy.  But the road was closed for the race so there were fewer tourists.

We continued across the Presidential Range to Madison Hut. 

Mount Washington Pictures

A great day on Mount Washington!

Mount Washington weather cam photo of Kite, Sandpiper, and Flatlander.

Lakes of the Clouds

Built in 1915, at an altitude of 5050, this is the highest, largest, anda most popular of the AMC Huts. 

It is also known as Lakes of the Crowds due to it's popularity.  Certainly true last night - a full house of 96 guests plus work for stay.  Too crowded!

The sunset picture is from last night. 

10 July - Lake of the Clouds Hut

Woke to rain before dawn.  By the time we left, everything was soaked.  Stayed cool, rainy, and in the clouds all morning.   We got cold the one time we stopped to rest.

Glad we only had 5 miles to get here.   It rained most of the trip - Wendy actually said she smelled like a wet dog.  Fortunately the trail was good, just a climb.  We made good time and got here by noon.

We were still in the clouds through afternoon but we got some openings with views of Mount Washington and the valleys.  By sunset the skies were clearing and the forecast has no more rain. 

Hoping for clear weather when we summit tomorrow.  It should be in the morning early - not long after 9:00.

09 July - Mizpah Spring Hut

Sunny and humid with high in upper eighties.  Cloudy and cooler in afternoon before rain tonight.

We gave in and have made reservations it the AMC huts, at least to get us across Mt. Washington and down to Pinkham Notch.  Too much uncertainty not knowing where you can stay each night and lots of restrictions on where you can't.  We are entering a long section above tree line where we are not allowed to camp. 

We started the climb today that will take us to Mount Washington.  We came up Webester Cliffs Trail 2800 feet to Mount Jackson, then down a little to the hut.  Tomorrow we climb Mt. Clinton and Mt. Franklin to Lake of the Clouds Hut at 5012 feet which is just below Mount Washington at 6288 feet. 

We have cut down our miles and made these reservations because unfortunately, it is supposed rain tonight and thunderstorm tomorrow and continue into Sunday.  This allows extra time to travel slowly across the wet rocks and ensure we have a dry place to sleep.

The second to last picture shows a view today of Mount Washington (the top is lost in the clouds).  The little white dot in the left is the hut we are in tonight and you can see the ridgeline we will follow to get to Mount Washington.

07 - 08 July - Crawford Notch

It has been hot and humid here (low 90s). Thankfully it is a little cooler at altitude.

Yesterday we hiked from Galehead Hut to Zeeland Falls Hut.  It was less than 8 miles but incredibly steep so quite difficult and tiring.  (But the views are incredible! )

When we arrived we were told we could not do work for stay (even though we were the only thru-hikers there).  He made up some lame excuse but basically he did not want us to stay.  I think we were too old for him. 

This is consistent with what I have heard about the AMC.  They do not care about the AT and thru-hikers.  It can be very expensive and difficult logistically to get through the Whites with the AMC rules.

So we hiked another five miles (on flatter trail thankfully) to Ethan Pond.  We paid $8 each to sleep in our tent.  We had a cold dinner down at the pond with Flatlander, Muddy (a SoBo), and the caretaker.  I was beautiful with high mountains to our side and the even larger mountains we crossed that day across the lake in the distance.  A moose came out to feed.  It was across the pond but we could see it was a male with antlers.  Beautiful!

It was a short hike today down to Crawford Notch.  We (Flatlander is with us) are resting in a motel and doing laundry and resupply.

Tomorrow we start up again in a climb that will take us to the top of Mt. Washington by Sunday. 

Phone and data connection has been in short supply and I expect it to continue.  

Galehead Hut

06 July - Galehead Hut

Cold, wet, windy, hot and dry.  It was probably 90 down below but up here it was cool and foggy.  We crossed Franconia Ridge first. It was incredible but not because of the view.  We were in the fog.  The wind was blowing and the left side of our bodies and packs got wet.  The wind increased to a steady 30-40 mph plus higher gusts.  It got up to 40-50 mph a couple of times.  We were scrambling up/down rocks going across the ridge line.  Very difficult!   We have had our Mt. Washington experience now.

The rest of the trail was very difficult, very steep.  We did 10 miles and that was too much for me.  The Whites are living up to there reputation.  I plan to do fewer miles. 
We are at our first AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) hut.  We are doing "work for stay".  Paying guests pay $80+ per person per night.  They have been very nice to us.

We are here with Flatlander, POW and TLC.  We are all headed to Katahdin.

05 July - Liberty Springs Campsite

Hot, forecast 90+°. 

Chet's Hostel is nice.  He is an inspiration.  He was in a bad accident with a camp stove.  He was badly burned and  not expected to live but did and is thriving.  He runs the hostel to stay involved with the hiking community.

We were very tired from yesterday so we slept late (7:30) and rode bikes to grocery store.   Did not leave until 11:00 and it was getting hot. 

Only 3.5 miles today.  But it was all uphill and very steep.  Enough after yesterday.  At least we are up at altitude.  Back to 10 +/- miles tomorrow. 

The campsite is crowded and noisy due to 4th of July week.  There is a group of Boy Scouts next to us.  One has just fallen and broken his arm.  They seem to be packing to leave.

04 July - Kinsman Notch to Francoia Notch

Supposed to be hot today but only in the 60s to 70 and cloudy  in the mountains.  

Up early for a long, hard hike (see sunrise picture taken on way to breakfast).  Saw a moose on the way to the trail head.  It was a large female with a beautiful, dark brown coat.

Hiked 17 miles and the trail was much steeper and tougher than expected.  Hiked from 7:00am until 9:00pm. 

Although we did not go over tree line, there were beautiful views, waterfalls, and scenery.  A surprise was the two gliders we saw while on Kinsman Mountain. 

We are staying in another trail hostel in Lincoln called One Step AT a Time.  Not sure about tomorrow yet.

03 July - Mt. Moosilauke!

Warm night in the hostel. Hard to sleep with the women snoring. Cool morning, great for hiking. Only in the 50s and maybe 60 when we got out on top. Hot when we came back down, low 80s. Gonna be a hot night in the hostel.

Today was our first full day in the Whites. We started the day with a good breakfast.
















Then we began our climb. Mt. Moosilauke! What an introduction to the Whites. It is a 3500 foot vertical climb. It went better than expected. The first part followed a stream and it was a nearly continuous waterfall up the steep part of the climb.




















Then for the first time we went above tree line. It was a very clear doy and the view were incredible. We could see Mt. Washington to the northeast, which was intimidating. We could see the mountains in Vermont.

















Here we are approaching the summit...















We are hiking with Flatlander (from North Dakota) and will at least for a while through the Whites. It is good to plan things with someone else. More pictures from the summit...


































































Hiked back down for another night at the Hikers Welcome Hostel. Tomorrow we are trying a big day, 17 miles. But we will be slack packing again so hopefully it will not be too bad.

(Note, the map is up to date but the last location is messed up. I should get one tomorrow morning.)