Showing posts with label NH. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NH. Show all posts
Saturday, July 17, 2010
July 8th
Although the Presidentials get most of the hype, the trail along Wildcat Ridge was really rugged. The climb out of the notch was really steep (plus it was really humid and hot day—I woke up at 5:30am sweating already!). Stopped in to visit Carter Notch Hut—the hut croo (college-aged kids who staff the huts each season) were really friendly and gave me some free baked goods. They also showed me their Ice Cave. About 2 minutes from the hut is a big cleft in the rock, which holds ice for most of the summer. It was probably used a fridge at the hut before they got power. It was very refreshing to stand inside the “air conditioned” cave for a little while. I was impressed with Mt. Moriah—very nice views from its rocky top. Ran into Moonpie and Doozy—I hadn't seen them since the Delaware Water Gap! I also saw Roaring Lion and Rocker.
July 5th
After a lovely wedding in Bethel and TWO zero days with my parents at Dolly Copp Campground, I hit the trail in Crawford Notch with Jerry (chemistry prof at UNE). We headed into the Presidentials with a wonderful weather forecast. Unfortunately on the second day we woke up to summits in the fog...with winds gusting up to around 60mph. That's enough to knock you sideways, and off your feet if you stumble. We had an ambitious 12 mile day planned, hitting all the mountain peaks along the ridgeline (Clinton, Eisenhower, Washington, Clay, Jefferson, Adams). We had lunch on Washington, and luckily as we descended the clouds started to lift. By the time we reached Jefferson we had clear views. The timing worked out well, as I had never hiked on the northern half of the Presies before, so that's where the views mattered most. Jerry got off at Pinkham Notch to head home, and I finished out the Whites through the Carter-Moriah Range.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Emily Writes Again
Great stay at a frat house in Hanover--cheers Dan. I appreciated the real bed. Easy couple days out of Hanover. New Hampshire did a nice job getting us ready for the whites...first a couple 1000 foot mountains, then a couple 2000 footers, a couple 3000 footers, and then MOOSILAUKE (a 4000 footer). Unfortunately I had no views from the top (the cloud ceiling was around 2000 feet that morning), but the summit was still amazing. The first real alpine zone of the trip. I'll definitely come back to day hike it in nice weather.
The first half of the White Mountains treated me fairly well. A few cloudy summits on the Kinsmans, but views late in the afternoon across to the impressive Franconia Ridge. The trail up the Kinsmans was RUGGED!! I had hiked North Kinsman last February, but the 3 or 4 feet of snow we hiked on made the trail seem smooth. I wasn't expecting the steep, wet rock ledges. Moosilauke and N. Kinsman both had rebar, wooden steps attached to rock faces, and lots of places you had to kind of jump and hope you landed on a flat, non-slippery surface. But it was a fun challenge. I love this kind of hiking. I spent a night at Liberty Spring campsite, just below the crest of Franconia Ridge. That afternoon I slack-packed up Mt. Liberty and Flume and got some awesome views. I'm glad I did, because the next day's "slight chance of rain, summits in the fog" actually meant that Franconia Ridge was cloudy, rainy, and winds gusting to 40mph. Nasty weather. I crossed the ridge without getting hypothermia, and ended up working to stay at Galehead Hut.
The Hut System
The AMC runs huts in the White Mountains, catering to weekend hikers with lots of money ($100 a night!!). Luckily, the college-aged hut croos have pity for thru-hikers who can't afford this price, and can't make reservations months in advance. If there is space, thru-hikers can work for about an hour (cleaning bunks, bathrooms, kitchen, etc.), then eat the leftover food from dinner and breakfast, and sleep on the floor in the dining room. It's kind of a strange system, makes the thru-hikers feel inferior to the paying guests, but I was glad for the option Thursday night. The weather cleared over night, and I had perfect weather (it felt like fall—40 degrees with a windchill) for the hike down to Crawford Notch, where my parents picked me up for a weekend off trail (to attend a wedding in Maine).
Sobos
I've finally met my first southbound hikers who started in Maine. Most have started around May 30 (taking a month to cross Maine and get into New Hampshire). Hit and Miss cruised past Rob and me when we were in Vermont, but I stopped to chat with Whoopie Pie (a girl from Ellsworth, ME), Hickory, Easy, and Bird. Bird spent the night at Galehead with me and another Nobo named Alpine (different from the guy who works at Neels Gap).
The first half of the White Mountains treated me fairly well. A few cloudy summits on the Kinsmans, but views late in the afternoon across to the impressive Franconia Ridge. The trail up the Kinsmans was RUGGED!! I had hiked North Kinsman last February, but the 3 or 4 feet of snow we hiked on made the trail seem smooth. I wasn't expecting the steep, wet rock ledges. Moosilauke and N. Kinsman both had rebar, wooden steps attached to rock faces, and lots of places you had to kind of jump and hope you landed on a flat, non-slippery surface. But it was a fun challenge. I love this kind of hiking. I spent a night at Liberty Spring campsite, just below the crest of Franconia Ridge. That afternoon I slack-packed up Mt. Liberty and Flume and got some awesome views. I'm glad I did, because the next day's "slight chance of rain, summits in the fog" actually meant that Franconia Ridge was cloudy, rainy, and winds gusting to 40mph. Nasty weather. I crossed the ridge without getting hypothermia, and ended up working to stay at Galehead Hut.
The Hut System
The AMC runs huts in the White Mountains, catering to weekend hikers with lots of money ($100 a night!!). Luckily, the college-aged hut croos have pity for thru-hikers who can't afford this price, and can't make reservations months in advance. If there is space, thru-hikers can work for about an hour (cleaning bunks, bathrooms, kitchen, etc.), then eat the leftover food from dinner and breakfast, and sleep on the floor in the dining room. It's kind of a strange system, makes the thru-hikers feel inferior to the paying guests, but I was glad for the option Thursday night. The weather cleared over night, and I had perfect weather (it felt like fall—40 degrees with a windchill) for the hike down to Crawford Notch, where my parents picked me up for a weekend off trail (to attend a wedding in Maine).
Sobos
I've finally met my first southbound hikers who started in Maine. Most have started around May 30 (taking a month to cross Maine and get into New Hampshire). Hit and Miss cruised past Rob and me when we were in Vermont, but I stopped to chat with Whoopie Pie (a girl from Ellsworth, ME), Hickory, Easy, and Bird. Bird spent the night at Galehead with me and another Nobo named Alpine (different from the guy who works at Neels Gap).
Saturday, June 26, 2010
New Hampshire!!! (state #13)
Finally out of the mud hole that was Vermont. There were actually some really nice peaks (Glastenbury, Stratton, Bromley, Killington), but a lot of muddy tread way in between. Rob and I got a lot of trail magic in Vermont, starting of course with Uncle Don. The next day New York Minute ('08 thru-hiker) and Val had a grill set up at a road crossing, with hot dogs, hamburgers, fruit, and cold soda. On the 23rd we met Leo and Ana from Boston--they were really excited to meet a thru-hiker, and gave me a little bottle of Irish Whiskey. I redeemed my "Get out of trail jail free" coupon that Rob gave me for Christmas by getting a shower, laundry, and a bed a their house in Richmond for the night on Thursday. Very nice after getting drenched in a downpour earlier that day. Rob ended his trip 10 miles short of NH, to match Rosemary's schedule for picking him up.
June 24
Rob dropped me off in West Hartford, VT and I walked into New Hampshire. The last stretch was really easy, through a pine forest. I found a cooler of watermelon and sweet bread by the road in Norwich, VT. It was very much appreciated because it was a long hot road walk into Hanover, where I was met by Dan Mott. We spent the afternoon eating Ben and Jerry's and playing cribbage. Rachael joined us in the evening for dinner and Toy Story 3 (in 3D). It was very funny. I enjoyed it.
While in Vermont we met Kite and Sandpiper, Beans, Wazi, Tommy (PA to ME), Freedumb and Redtail (PA to ME), Cookie Monster, Olaf, Cool Tool, Yukon and Litterbox, Turtleback, The Roaming Gnomes (POW and TLC, finishing their thru hike from 08 and 09), Roaring Lion, Cakon, and Camp Chair. Most of them are now ahead of me.
I'm looking forward to Moosilauke and the White Mountains!!! Updates may be few and far between for the rest of my hike, as I don't have many town stays planned, but I will do my best.
June 24
Rob dropped me off in West Hartford, VT and I walked into New Hampshire. The last stretch was really easy, through a pine forest. I found a cooler of watermelon and sweet bread by the road in Norwich, VT. It was very much appreciated because it was a long hot road walk into Hanover, where I was met by Dan Mott. We spent the afternoon eating Ben and Jerry's and playing cribbage. Rachael joined us in the evening for dinner and Toy Story 3 (in 3D). It was very funny. I enjoyed it.
While in Vermont we met Kite and Sandpiper, Beans, Wazi, Tommy (PA to ME), Freedumb and Redtail (PA to ME), Cookie Monster, Olaf, Cool Tool, Yukon and Litterbox, Turtleback, The Roaming Gnomes (POW and TLC, finishing their thru hike from 08 and 09), Roaring Lion, Cakon, and Camp Chair. Most of them are now ahead of me.
I'm looking forward to Moosilauke and the White Mountains!!! Updates may be few and far between for the rest of my hike, as I don't have many town stays planned, but I will do my best.
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