Down to Webster Cliffs

Our hike down was one of the picture perfect days. Down from 5,047 to 3,288 where we found a perfect stealth camp on Webster Cliffs overlooking Crawford Notch. Another short day, but no matter because the view was incredible. 

Short (potato soup) stop at Mizpah on the way. 

Lake of the Clouds

Our first work for stay!  Coming down from Mt. Washington, we ran into another thunderstorm. Lake of the Clouds took us in for the work for stay program. This meant that we sat around all afternoon, waited for the paying guests ate, bussed their tables, ate the left-overs and cleaned the kitchen. Joey Sydney and I worked hard for our meals (breakfast leftovers too). 

The sleeping arrangement consisted of pushing the benches aside and sleeping on the floor or table. 

On way down from Mt Washington

Lost Day in the Presidentials

The Benda hiking team didn't make it as far as planned. After a very short 4-5 miles, we were forced off the high ridge before Mt Jefferson and 5 miles before Washington. Winds were rocking is really hard with gusts that made it difficult to stay upright. 

We pulled the ripcord and went straight down below the treeline to The Perch. Total downhill: 1.2 miles. 

A day of relaxing had us edgy that we made a wrong decision. However, the very intense thunderstorm experienced late in the night had us feeling better about our decision. 

Dark Days of the White Mountains

...Not really.  When I'm on the phone, I usually end the call by saying "ok, talk to you later, I'm going dark now".  Which means that the phone is going to airplane mode so as to save the power.   In the White Mountains, there is no power.  The huts are powered by wind, water or poop and they don't give the power away to mere hikers.  So, if you've expired your battery and you've expired your external power supply, you're done.

I was done.  Hummingbird had power and the picture taken over some of the best mountains on trip are on her phone.   Garfield, Lafayette, the Franconia Ridge!  Great stuff.  Pictures do come.    Joey did get a trail name up on Lafayette.   Scenario:  we had just summit-ed on a picture perfect day and he immediately proceeded to lie down in his go-to prone position.  During his slumber, he felt something on his stomach then chest.   Opening his eyes, he stared straight into the eyes of a chipmunk checking him out.

So, now we are hiking with "Chipmunk Chuck"!

05:00 Mt. Washington

Hunkered down on the north side of Madison Hut. The two man tent is limited to one man due to the rocks that I'm perched between. The wind is blowing so hard that I've had to go outside and restate a couple times. Not a very restful sleep. 

Our goal today includes the 6,288 ft Mt Washington. The wind there is already near huuricane strength (50 mph with gusts to 63). 

We're going to try and lay low until 7:30, get some leftovers at the hut and go. 

Our planned route is less than 8 miles and we'll be heading into the wind ( of course). 

New Hampshire

Sydney and now Joey are doing great!  Barb drove over to NH to drop Joey off for some hiking. His first day was on of our most demanding - straight up the Wildcats! We were going to take a side gondola ride down, but a thunderstorm chased us to an early stealth camp at 4,000 ft. Not a big deal for westerners I know. After a month of hiking up and down mountain after mountain, we have only gone over 4K a half dozen times. Now, we are heading into the Whites which have several over 5k with Washington at 6,288. 

Been enjoying town meal now and again. All good (hips have passed all tests. 

Mile 298.3

Today, we will push over the 300 mile marker. Some quick stats to go with that:

32 hiking days

9.3 miles per day average (includes zero-no mileage days)

3 zero days

1 worn out pair of Vasque boots (Jay)

1 worn out pair of trail runners (Syd)

1 lost go pro

4 Hostels (Monson/Shaws, Caratunk/B&B, Rangely/The Farmhouse, Andover/ Pine Ellis)

1 hotel (Gorham/Town &Country)

1 Juan Diego T shirt - Paul Flanagan

1 night hiking (never again)

Don't push a rope...

While climbing Mt Mitchell in May (prep hike), I came across a rope to help with one section. This phrase came from there. We came across a similar situation for the first time the other day as we hiked out of Maine. 

We also hiked the Very famous Muhoosuc Notch. This was purported to be the "hardest or most fun mile of the AT". We made it the most fun. 

Our entry into the notch started with meeting a NOBO thru hiker named Brawney. She was crying/sobbing hysterically as well as bleeding (not badly) from several winds on her legs. We calmed her down, and proceeded into the gap. Now, this gal had already hiked over 1,800 miles on AT and she was broken. We left her sobbing. 

220 Mile Update

Syd and I are doing great. 220

miles into this. Food is great out here (Syd is genius)! Weather awesome (even though raining now). Zero blisters, minimal equipment failure and great people. The trail provides is a theme repeated day after day. Beer in towns or provide on the trail by magic are the best ever. We even had Lobsta pie in the middle of the 100 mile wilderness. Great stuff. A few hundred more miles and we'll have this camping thing dialed in. A few thousand more and I might even like rice cakes (ugg-throw me off the mountain). Still, limited cell but once in a while...

It isn't the mountains ahead that will wear you dow, it's the pebbles in your shoes...

Yep shoes failed. I will pick up a new set here in town today. Barb shipped for yesterday arrival. I just found out that I could have called Vasque directly and they would have shipped me boots. 

Don't do that...

If I put the 3 dots in the subject, it is a rule we live by out here. Sometimes rules wil be in rules. Such as: watch out for the wobblers-followed by: don't do that (when you proceed to step on a rock or log that isn't set and you have an incident. Fall, roll of ankle or knee or a good ol' fashion stick in the head. Don't do that. 

Boots

Didn't last as long as hoped. 

Nice Waterfall

Erik and Gem

First 150

1. 5.2 Katahdin stream 5.2/day

a. The falls

b. The Gateway Bars

c. Wind

d. Brian and Megan

2. 15.1 Abol bridge 9.9-7.55/day

a. Side Trails

b. The first ford

c. Meeting trail family

d. Joe

e. Vic

f. Jayson

g. Ricky

h. Abol camp

i. Swim

j. Cold hammock

k. Moose

l. The girls

m. First trail magic 3-Pabst

n. Dan - Ox doing it for his men

3. 26.3 Rainbow Lake camp 11.2-8.76/day

a. Last campsite up hill

b. Next to Driftwood

c. Swim

d. Catching 6 Brookies

e. Talking w/Rcky by water

4. 38.6 Side trail to Sandy Beach on Nahmakanta  lake 12.3-9.24/day

a. Inside knowledge from Jaymie gave us the primo lakeside spot

b. Hummingbird on Syd's shoes

c. Swim

5. 51.8 antlers 6/20 13.2- 10.1/day 

a. First cast smalley 

b. Bigger smalley for great dinner

c. The point

d. Father's Day

e. Full moon

6. 59.7 cooper brook falls 6/21 7.9-9.9/day

7. 71.4 Logan Brook Lean-to 6/22  11.7-10.2  

8. 78.6 Carl Newhall 6/23 7.2-9.97/day

9. 88.5 E Chairback pond 9.9-9.73/day

a. Swim

b. .4 to down to remote campsite

c. The little trout eating the eggs

10. 95.4 Cloudpond 7.9 -9.54/day

a. Swim

b. Losing shorts then finding

c. Grampa goes

11. 105 Big Wilson Stream 9.6   9.5/day

a. Trail Magic this day

b. 2 beers for Vic and Joe

12. 114.5 Monson 6/27 9.5 -9.

a. Shaws 

b. Poet

c. Hippy chick

d. Marbles

e.  cucumber

13. 114.5 Monson 6/28   0-

a. Syd's birthday

b. Zero

c. Dinner at the lake in Greenville

d. Morning coffee with Ricky

e. Lunch at the inn

f. Where's the order?

14. 126.5 West branch Piscataway River 12 miles

a. First rainy day hike

b. Deploy umbrella

c. Joes birthday

d. Someores 

15. 136.5 Bald Mt Brook Lean to 10-9.51/day

a. Sunny again

b. Andrews water shoe points the way

c. Canadiens on top

d. Swimming in the cave

16. 151.2 Caratunk

a. Kennebec River Brewery

b. Bed and Breakfast

Some photos

Shaw's Hiker Hostel - w/Poet and Hippie Chick

A nice cave swim at the end of the day

Birthday Celebration for Joe (hiker Family member)

Syd overlooking the lake she pulled Hummingbird