I survived the night. I did wake up a few times glad to know a tree had not fallen on me. Once, I woke up and thought someone was shining their headlamp through the trees at my tent. I poked my head out and soon realized it was just the moon. It was crazy to see how bright it was. I spoke with Riverdog about it that morning and he said he thought the same thing.
I was the second out of the site behind Maple. I passed her soon after. The first few miles were a pretty good climb and then a steep decent. Eventually, the downhill became very nice. I was even able to get my pace back up to around three miles per hour. I made it to a shelter and took a good break there. Around 45 minutes later almost everyone else was there. It was fun to have us all together and joking around. Most of us left at the same time and walked in a mob down to the road. We actually spoke about what one calls a large group of thru hikers hiking together. I wish I could have remembered some of them.
Some people went back in to town from the road. Lola, Sunrise, Samurai, and I did not. We spent some more time hiking together until Lola and Sun stopped to eat lunch. I have really enjoyed my time getting to know them. I wish I had gotten to know them earlier in the journey. We all leap frogged a few times until they took one more break. They were going to hike a shorter distance and stay at a pond along the trail.
I did pass one guy who was looking for water. I told him there was a good source an easy two miles down the trail. He told me there was nothing from the direction he had come. He also proceeded to ask me if I had any extra water. I told him I only had a liter and would need that since he was telling me he hadn't seen water in some time. Plus, I knew he had a good source just down the trail. I was able to find some about 3 miles later.
The trail in the afternoon passed by some nice ponds. The blazes on the other hand were not too nice. They were lacking, and I even debated being on the correct trail. The AMC does not always label the AT at the trail junctions. Therefore, one has to pay attention to other trail names or look for the shelter or road crossing they know is ahead. It can get quite confusing.
Filo had now joined Sam and I. The three of us ended our day at Gentian Pond shelter. The view was quite nice of the valley. Sam and I sent up our tents while Filo was in the shelter. I made dinner and ate more than I expected. My food has not been as fulfilling as it used to be. Sam and I have commented on how hungry we have been lately. I don't know what it is. Perhaps we have no more fat reserves and our bodies are telling us to pile on the calories. Good thing is that I am eating a lot which means I am carrying less weight the next day. I tend to over pack with food and usually have quite a bit leftover when I go to resupply.
Sonic and Riverdog arrived after dark. They had gone to town to get more food. I expected some others to arrive too; however, they did not.
It was nice to do bigger miles again. Those days are limited as the terrain in NH and ME is very tough. I have also survived the Whites. Maine is approaching quickly.
Showing posts with label White Mtns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label White Mtns. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
July 25 - 13.1 / 1,873.2
I woke up dripping is sweat. Someone turned off the A/C during the night and my body didn't like that when I was using a 15 degree sleeping bag as a blanket. Everyone was up by 6 or so. That is uncalled for when sleeping in a house. I had to get up though as Sam's dad met us at the house around 7:30. I ate some donuts, drank some coffee, and jumped in his car to head back to the trailhead at Pinkham Notch. In regards to the donuts, I think this was the first time that I had ever had a cream filled donut. It was rather good.
Even though we got to the trail at a decent time, I don't think we started hiking until 9:30 or so. I think Sam and I had planned on starting early than that. At least we weren't sucked into the town vortex like we normally are. I came across an lady and gentleman fifteen minutes into our hike. I came upon the lady first. She turned around for the three of us to pass. That is when her and I realized we knew each other. It was Judi and Gene. They were the couple who gave some of us a ride into Waynesboro, VA. It was crazy to see them again. We swapped stories of the times since Waynesboro. They are in the area for about a month just enjoying the woods. They are also going to have some friends join them, and they will help supply their friends as they add miles to their AT journey.
After speaking with them, we continued up the Wildcat peaks. There were four of them that we had to go over. Some parts of the climb were tricky and straight up. We rested on top of the first Wildcat peak. There is a gondola up there that is also used during the ski season. It was funny to watch people wearing shorts and summer gear getting out of it. Sam, Sam's dad, and I all had on our rain gear to keep us warm. Our bodies definitely get cold from the sweat soaked clothes and the wind. Sam's dad hiked with us to the fourth Wildcat peak which overlooked the Carter Notch Hut in the valley below. It was a pretty cool sight as we were mostly in the clouds, but the sun was shining on other mountains.
Sam's dad turned around and walked back to the gondola while Sam and I headed down the mountain. I took a really hard fall and bruised my right hip pretty good. The terrain is some of the most difficult we have seen so far. It took us five hours to hike six miles. Sam and I stopped in at the hut before heading on. The croo was awesome. Every one of them introduced themself as they saw us. Most other croos wanted nothing to do with us it seemed like. They all asked if we were going to stay there too. We didn't even have to ask to do a work for stay. Both of us would have loved to stay, but we knew we needed to move on. We snacked on some cookies and coffee cake which they offered to us and soon were on our way.
Back on the trail, we passed Maple and Chewy while climbing up the Carter range. They had passed us while we were in the hut. Longshanks had stayed in town a little longer with his family so her wasn't with them. For the most part the four of us hiked together until we reached the Imp shelter and campground. I took another fall on the way in. This time it was more of a five foot slide down a rock. Luckily, I foot hit the ground at a good angle not causing it to twist.
As this was an AMC shelter which costs money, Chewy went on and stealth camped elsewhere. I wish he would have stuck around cause it was a packed house. A lot of people ended up showing up: Lola, Sunrise, Longshanks, Filo, Sonic, and Riverdog. This is the most thru hikers I have seen in months. The tentsite was very windy. It took me some time to get my tent set up. Since I was on a wooden tent platform, I had to use my bear bag rope to secure my tent from blowing away. All the trees around me we swaying a few feet back and forth. The ground around some of them was even moving too as the roots appeared to be getting a little loose. It was also quite cold. Perhaps the coldest it has been since the beginning of the trip and snow. It was nice to have my cold weather sleeping gear. I hunkered down in my test and was soon fast asleep.
Even though we got to the trail at a decent time, I don't think we started hiking until 9:30 or so. I think Sam and I had planned on starting early than that. At least we weren't sucked into the town vortex like we normally are. I came across an lady and gentleman fifteen minutes into our hike. I came upon the lady first. She turned around for the three of us to pass. That is when her and I realized we knew each other. It was Judi and Gene. They were the couple who gave some of us a ride into Waynesboro, VA. It was crazy to see them again. We swapped stories of the times since Waynesboro. They are in the area for about a month just enjoying the woods. They are also going to have some friends join them, and they will help supply their friends as they add miles to their AT journey.
After speaking with them, we continued up the Wildcat peaks. There were four of them that we had to go over. Some parts of the climb were tricky and straight up. We rested on top of the first Wildcat peak. There is a gondola up there that is also used during the ski season. It was funny to watch people wearing shorts and summer gear getting out of it. Sam, Sam's dad, and I all had on our rain gear to keep us warm. Our bodies definitely get cold from the sweat soaked clothes and the wind. Sam's dad hiked with us to the fourth Wildcat peak which overlooked the Carter Notch Hut in the valley below. It was a pretty cool sight as we were mostly in the clouds, but the sun was shining on other mountains.
Sam's dad turned around and walked back to the gondola while Sam and I headed down the mountain. I took a really hard fall and bruised my right hip pretty good. The terrain is some of the most difficult we have seen so far. It took us five hours to hike six miles. Sam and I stopped in at the hut before heading on. The croo was awesome. Every one of them introduced themself as they saw us. Most other croos wanted nothing to do with us it seemed like. They all asked if we were going to stay there too. We didn't even have to ask to do a work for stay. Both of us would have loved to stay, but we knew we needed to move on. We snacked on some cookies and coffee cake which they offered to us and soon were on our way.
Back on the trail, we passed Maple and Chewy while climbing up the Carter range. They had passed us while we were in the hut. Longshanks had stayed in town a little longer with his family so her wasn't with them. For the most part the four of us hiked together until we reached the Imp shelter and campground. I took another fall on the way in. This time it was more of a five foot slide down a rock. Luckily, I foot hit the ground at a good angle not causing it to twist.
As this was an AMC shelter which costs money, Chewy went on and stealth camped elsewhere. I wish he would have stuck around cause it was a packed house. A lot of people ended up showing up: Lola, Sunrise, Longshanks, Filo, Sonic, and Riverdog. This is the most thru hikers I have seen in months. The tentsite was very windy. It took me some time to get my tent set up. Since I was on a wooden tent platform, I had to use my bear bag rope to secure my tent from blowing away. All the trees around me we swaying a few feet back and forth. The ground around some of them was even moving too as the roots appeared to be getting a little loose. It was also quite cold. Perhaps the coldest it has been since the beginning of the trip and snow. It was nice to have my cold weather sleeping gear. I hunkered down in my test and was soon fast asleep.
Monday, July 26, 2010
July 24 - 7.8 / 1,860.1
Again, I woke up to guests coming into the dining room and the croo cooking. A part of me wished we had hiked on as the weather was now a misty haze. I wanted something nice to go over Mt. Madison.
As we waited to leave, the two ladies and some of the kids inquired about our trip. It was good to get questions. I did get a kick out of one though. We were asked if we were scientists. It must be the beards I guess. The two families hooked us up with some trail mix. It was nice of them to do that.
The climb over Madison was ok. The conditions could have been better. After summitting, we leapfrogged Graham Cracker. She is the one who said she is thru hiking but did 900 miles last year. I asked her about her trip again. I was eluding to her saying she is a thru hiker when she is really a section hiker. She had no idea what I was trying to do. I gave up and decided it wasn't worth it to flat out just tell her. Maybe she will realize it one day.
The decent down Madison and into Pinkham Notch was slow. I think we averaged a mile an hour the first three miles. We were able to pick up the pace the last three miles into the Notch and visitors center. We passed Chewy who caught back up with us. Sam and I were able to get a hitch from a gentleman who thru hiked a few years back. He had on an Alabama hat which I gave him a hard time about. It was good to see an SEC hat though. He took us all the way into Gorham and dropped us off at the outfitter. We looked around there before getting a hold of LS. LS and his brother came into town and picked us up to take us back to the house where LS' family was. Maple was already there and Chewy joined us too.
We relaxed and had a wonderful dinner. After dinner, we played a card game called "Oh Hell." It was like spades but with no teams. You bid tricks and try to win that number. It was fun yet amusing. I still don't think Sam and any idea of what was going on.
I also enjoyed a pint of ice cream. I got it out of the freezer, and everyone thought they deserved it. Reluctantly, I did share some.
As we waited to leave, the two ladies and some of the kids inquired about our trip. It was good to get questions. I did get a kick out of one though. We were asked if we were scientists. It must be the beards I guess. The two families hooked us up with some trail mix. It was nice of them to do that.
The climb over Madison was ok. The conditions could have been better. After summitting, we leapfrogged Graham Cracker. She is the one who said she is thru hiking but did 900 miles last year. I asked her about her trip again. I was eluding to her saying she is a thru hiker when she is really a section hiker. She had no idea what I was trying to do. I gave up and decided it wasn't worth it to flat out just tell her. Maybe she will realize it one day.
The decent down Madison and into Pinkham Notch was slow. I think we averaged a mile an hour the first three miles. We were able to pick up the pace the last three miles into the Notch and visitors center. We passed Chewy who caught back up with us. Sam and I were able to get a hitch from a gentleman who thru hiked a few years back. He had on an Alabama hat which I gave him a hard time about. It was good to see an SEC hat though. He took us all the way into Gorham and dropped us off at the outfitter. We looked around there before getting a hold of LS. LS and his brother came into town and picked us up to take us back to the house where LS' family was. Maple was already there and Chewy joined us too.
We relaxed and had a wonderful dinner. After dinner, we played a card game called "Oh Hell." It was like spades but with no teams. You bid tricks and try to win that number. It was fun yet amusing. I still don't think Sam and any idea of what was going on.
I also enjoyed a pint of ice cream. I got it out of the freezer, and everyone thought they deserved it. Reluctantly, I did share some.
July 23 - 7.1 / 1,852.3
I was woken up pretty early to the croo starting to cook breakfast. Also, guest were starting to come out of the bunk area and into the dining hall. That caused me to get out of my sleeping bag pretty quickly and clean up my stuff.
Lola and Sunrise left before breakfast since they had to get through the Presidentials to meet up with a couple they met earlier in their trip. The couple was taking them in, in Gorham, NH, for the weekend. The rest of us ate breakfast, again after all the guests. Maple and Longshanks headed out shortly after while Sam and I stuck around to perform our work for stay chores. We had to sweep the bunk rooms, fold/check the blankets on the bunks, and sweep the dining hall. It took quite a bit longer than we planned for it to. There were two families that consisted of nine or ten kids. I was sweeping the dining room and I think all of the kids took their turn walking right through my dirt pile. They were oblivious to what was going on. Finally, Sam and I made it out of the hut around 10.
The weather was perfect for our ascent over Mt. Washington. The mountain holds the record of the highest land speed recorded by man, and second (man or machine) highest land wind speed ever recorded. The mountain is in the clouds about 2/3 of the year. To have a clear day was pretty remarkable. The climb up was not too bad. I actually enjoyed the rock scramble. It is also a little nicer trail since a lot of hikers go between the hut and the summit. I met a lady, Alison, and her daughter on the way up. Alison mentioned that it was her daughters idea to be out their hiking and even was interested in hiking the AT. I believe he daughter was only nine too. How amazing it is to have someone that young and interested in hiking the trail. Alison said they might even hike it next year.
I continued to the top where I was overwhelmed by tourists. Most of them had driven or taken the cog railroad up to the top. They would then walk 100 yards to the summit or restaurant. It was quite amusing yet sad. Sam and I grabbed a bite to eat at the snack bar even though we had only been hiking for about 30 minutes. I saw Alison again and passed my blog on to her. I also saw some people who had stayed at the hut and some southbounders. I spoke with one girl, who I originally thought was thru hiking. She mentioned that someone died a few days ago after falling down one of the trails. She mentioned that they were not allowed to hike up the trail until 3 days later. The summit keeps a lists of all those who have died in the area to be a reminder of the dangers associated with the Whites.
Sam and I left the summit and went by Mt. Clay, Mt. Jefferson, and Edmands Col. The hike wasn't too bad as most was just along the ridge. It was also some nice rock scrambles. We also passed the two families with the kids. I have to give it to them for having all the kids out there. We made it to the Madison Springs Hut at the base of Mt. Madison. Maple and Sunrise were there. Maple's nose was bleeding again as she had accidentally blown the blood clot out. We did get a good laugh. A lot of people would ask if Maple was ok or if she wanted medicine. I would say 95 percent of those have no medical background. Longshanks is a wilderness EMT, and I am a wilderness first responder. Between the two of us, we were keeping an eye on her. As we were sitting outside the hut, a gentleman kept pacing by. He finally stopped and asked what had happened. He then mentioned he was a head and neck surgeon. We all got a kick out of it since his training is way above ours. There wasn't much he could do, but he did recommend for her to see a doctor since he bleeding was not stopping.
Also while we were sitting there, LS mentioned that he was meeting his family at the notch the next day. He said Sam and I could join them. Almost instantly, Sam and I knew we were done hiking for the day since the notch was less than 8 miles away. We inquired with the hut croo about a work for stay. They said they would allow two. Therefore, Sam and I stayed while Maple, LS, and Chewy hiked on. They were planning to keep moving anyway. That made it a really short day for Sam and I. We enjoyed the down time that we now had. We sat in the hut while all the guests were tended to. We got a few leftovers of chicken pot pie. We also ate some cheesecake brownies which were quite good. Our work for the evening was to clean the brownie pans and clean out the frig. The frig took some time. I wasn't too happy with them assigning that one to us.
Again, lights out was at 9:30. I was out shortly after that.
Lola and Sunrise left before breakfast since they had to get through the Presidentials to meet up with a couple they met earlier in their trip. The couple was taking them in, in Gorham, NH, for the weekend. The rest of us ate breakfast, again after all the guests. Maple and Longshanks headed out shortly after while Sam and I stuck around to perform our work for stay chores. We had to sweep the bunk rooms, fold/check the blankets on the bunks, and sweep the dining hall. It took quite a bit longer than we planned for it to. There were two families that consisted of nine or ten kids. I was sweeping the dining room and I think all of the kids took their turn walking right through my dirt pile. They were oblivious to what was going on. Finally, Sam and I made it out of the hut around 10.
The weather was perfect for our ascent over Mt. Washington. The mountain holds the record of the highest land speed recorded by man, and second (man or machine) highest land wind speed ever recorded. The mountain is in the clouds about 2/3 of the year. To have a clear day was pretty remarkable. The climb up was not too bad. I actually enjoyed the rock scramble. It is also a little nicer trail since a lot of hikers go between the hut and the summit. I met a lady, Alison, and her daughter on the way up. Alison mentioned that it was her daughters idea to be out their hiking and even was interested in hiking the AT. I believe he daughter was only nine too. How amazing it is to have someone that young and interested in hiking the trail. Alison said they might even hike it next year.
I continued to the top where I was overwhelmed by tourists. Most of them had driven or taken the cog railroad up to the top. They would then walk 100 yards to the summit or restaurant. It was quite amusing yet sad. Sam and I grabbed a bite to eat at the snack bar even though we had only been hiking for about 30 minutes. I saw Alison again and passed my blog on to her. I also saw some people who had stayed at the hut and some southbounders. I spoke with one girl, who I originally thought was thru hiking. She mentioned that someone died a few days ago after falling down one of the trails. She mentioned that they were not allowed to hike up the trail until 3 days later. The summit keeps a lists of all those who have died in the area to be a reminder of the dangers associated with the Whites.
Sam and I left the summit and went by Mt. Clay, Mt. Jefferson, and Edmands Col. The hike wasn't too bad as most was just along the ridge. It was also some nice rock scrambles. We also passed the two families with the kids. I have to give it to them for having all the kids out there. We made it to the Madison Springs Hut at the base of Mt. Madison. Maple and Sunrise were there. Maple's nose was bleeding again as she had accidentally blown the blood clot out. We did get a good laugh. A lot of people would ask if Maple was ok or if she wanted medicine. I would say 95 percent of those have no medical background. Longshanks is a wilderness EMT, and I am a wilderness first responder. Between the two of us, we were keeping an eye on her. As we were sitting outside the hut, a gentleman kept pacing by. He finally stopped and asked what had happened. He then mentioned he was a head and neck surgeon. We all got a kick out of it since his training is way above ours. There wasn't much he could do, but he did recommend for her to see a doctor since he bleeding was not stopping.
Also while we were sitting there, LS mentioned that he was meeting his family at the notch the next day. He said Sam and I could join them. Almost instantly, Sam and I knew we were done hiking for the day since the notch was less than 8 miles away. We inquired with the hut croo about a work for stay. They said they would allow two. Therefore, Sam and I stayed while Maple, LS, and Chewy hiked on. They were planning to keep moving anyway. That made it a really short day for Sam and I. We enjoyed the down time that we now had. We sat in the hut while all the guests were tended to. We got a few leftovers of chicken pot pie. We also ate some cheesecake brownies which were quite good. Our work for the evening was to clean the brownie pans and clean out the frig. The frig took some time. I wasn't too happy with them assigning that one to us.
Again, lights out was at 9:30. I was out shortly after that.
July 22 - 14.0 / 1,845.2
Like many times before, the plan before going to bed was to get up early and hit the trail. However, it was still raining. Neither Sam or I wanted to move. I pulled myself out of my sleeping bag and got going. The next three or so miles were downhill to the road. I figured we might see the others camping down there. We didn't see any tents in the woods though. We did see a piece of paper for one of the locals offering trail magic in the form of shower, supplies, and shelter. Sam and I were convinced that all the others called the girl the night before and ended up sleeping in an actual house.
The next few hours were an experience. We ascended up to Webster Cliffs. It began to rain and the trees got smaller. The terrain also turned from a path into rock climbing. Soon the trees disappeared, and there was nothing to block the wind. It had to have been wind gusts over 50 miles an hour. Not only was the rain going sideways, I was too. I would be blown one direction and then the opposite direction 2 seconds later. I would try to lean into the wind. It would then stop causing me to almost faceplant.
On the climb up, I also met two older ladies. One of them told me that they were thru hiking and started April 1st. I was baffled by how they had been doing such great timing. Plus, I had never heard of them. She then mentioned that she hiked 900 miles last year and skipped those miles this year. No wonder she is already in the Whites. Like the gentleman who also said he was thru hiking but started in 2008, it irritates me that they call themself thru-hikers. There is nothing wrong with being a section hiker. Personally, I think it would be a lot harder to hike over multiple years, both on your body and on the social aspect. We are all hiking the same trail, and it doesn't matter how one does it as long as they hike it all. Calling yourself a thru hiker when you are not only diminishes the accomplishments of those who complete the trail in under a year.
With the weather and terrain, it took an extra long time to make it to Mizpah Hut. Lola, Sunrise, Longshanks, and Maple were there when we arrived. Turns out that Maple somehow faceplanted during her hike. He face is pretty bruised around her eyes, nose, and lips. Her nose and lips are pretty swollen too. She mention she has a condition in which she bruises easily and her blood is slow to clot. That makes her injury look worse than it is.
I warmed up at the hut by getting some hot chocolate, soup, and some apple crisp (aka apples topped with oatmeal left over from breakfast. The croo also gave each of us some tangerines. The hike after the hut was along a ridgeline. I crossed over Mt. Pierce and Mt. Franklin. The trail went around the peak of Mt. Eisenhower and Mt. Monroe. Sam and I were talking about how the AT will go out of the way just to go over a peak. But we going through the Presidentials in the Whites, the trail will go close to the peak and not take us over the top. We could have taken side trails up to the top, but that is not the AT.
As we came around Monroe, the clouds started to lift and parted every once in a while. It was quite a sight being at cloud level and then all of a sudden being able to see other peaks and down in a valley. The top of Mt. Washington was still covered by clouds even though we were just a 0.1 or so away.
The stopping point was the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. It is the biggest in the Whites as it holds over 100 guests. Lola, Sunrise, Longshanks, and Maple were already there. Sam and I got settled and then asked for a work for stay. The croo was cool with it. The croo was a volunteer croo of older folks. They come in for a weekend and allow the original croo to have a break. Luckily for us, all the volunteers were really nice to us. Also, the two cooking were cooks in their normal life. Therefore, dinner was excellent. We had to wait for the guests to finish, but there were still plenty of leftovers. We joined the croo in the kitchen afterwards to chow down on some beef stroganoff and corn soup. I think I had four plate fulls.
Lights out were at 9:30. I was grateful for that since I was pretty exhausted. The wind was blowing very strong and the temp inside the hut was 55. It felt great to be in my sleeping bag and took me no time at all to fall asleep.
The next few hours were an experience. We ascended up to Webster Cliffs. It began to rain and the trees got smaller. The terrain also turned from a path into rock climbing. Soon the trees disappeared, and there was nothing to block the wind. It had to have been wind gusts over 50 miles an hour. Not only was the rain going sideways, I was too. I would be blown one direction and then the opposite direction 2 seconds later. I would try to lean into the wind. It would then stop causing me to almost faceplant.
On the climb up, I also met two older ladies. One of them told me that they were thru hiking and started April 1st. I was baffled by how they had been doing such great timing. Plus, I had never heard of them. She then mentioned that she hiked 900 miles last year and skipped those miles this year. No wonder she is already in the Whites. Like the gentleman who also said he was thru hiking but started in 2008, it irritates me that they call themself thru-hikers. There is nothing wrong with being a section hiker. Personally, I think it would be a lot harder to hike over multiple years, both on your body and on the social aspect. We are all hiking the same trail, and it doesn't matter how one does it as long as they hike it all. Calling yourself a thru hiker when you are not only diminishes the accomplishments of those who complete the trail in under a year.
With the weather and terrain, it took an extra long time to make it to Mizpah Hut. Lola, Sunrise, Longshanks, and Maple were there when we arrived. Turns out that Maple somehow faceplanted during her hike. He face is pretty bruised around her eyes, nose, and lips. Her nose and lips are pretty swollen too. She mention she has a condition in which she bruises easily and her blood is slow to clot. That makes her injury look worse than it is.
I warmed up at the hut by getting some hot chocolate, soup, and some apple crisp (aka apples topped with oatmeal left over from breakfast. The croo also gave each of us some tangerines. The hike after the hut was along a ridgeline. I crossed over Mt. Pierce and Mt. Franklin. The trail went around the peak of Mt. Eisenhower and Mt. Monroe. Sam and I were talking about how the AT will go out of the way just to go over a peak. But we going through the Presidentials in the Whites, the trail will go close to the peak and not take us over the top. We could have taken side trails up to the top, but that is not the AT.
As we came around Monroe, the clouds started to lift and parted every once in a while. It was quite a sight being at cloud level and then all of a sudden being able to see other peaks and down in a valley. The top of Mt. Washington was still covered by clouds even though we were just a 0.1 or so away.
The stopping point was the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. It is the biggest in the Whites as it holds over 100 guests. Lola, Sunrise, Longshanks, and Maple were already there. Sam and I got settled and then asked for a work for stay. The croo was cool with it. The croo was a volunteer croo of older folks. They come in for a weekend and allow the original croo to have a break. Luckily for us, all the volunteers were really nice to us. Also, the two cooking were cooks in their normal life. Therefore, dinner was excellent. We had to wait for the guests to finish, but there were still plenty of leftovers. We joined the croo in the kitchen afterwards to chow down on some beef stroganoff and corn soup. I think I had four plate fulls.
Lights out were at 9:30. I was grateful for that since I was pretty exhausted. The wind was blowing very strong and the temp inside the hut was 55. It felt great to be in my sleeping bag and took me no time at all to fall asleep.
Friday, July 23, 2010
July 21 - 14.0 / 1,845.2
I think the guy that I was not too fond of to begin with woke me up at least four times due to going to the rest room. I couldn't believe it. I think he made as much noise as he could. I was wide awake by 5:30 when the croo started cooking breakfast. It smelled real good. Again, we had to wait for the guests to finish breakfast before we could eat. Breakfast was pancakes and oatmeal.
Lola and Sunrise left after breakfast as they washed dishes the night before. Samurai had to sweep the bunk rooms and fold blankets. I helped him so we could get out of there quicker. I found a fleece vest which belonged to an older couple that had already left. I felt bad cause I figured it was theirs, but I didn't want to hike it out not knowing for sure. I saw the further down the trail, and they confirmed it.
The only major climb of the day was first thing in the morning. It was a 1,100 foot climb in 0.8 of a mile. the hike after the climb was wonderful. We followed a ridgeline for some time and descended into Zealand Falls Hut. The hut had a great view of a valley and had a waterfall just through the trees. Some of the people staying at the hut were sun bathing and enjoying the water. Lola and Sunrise were at the hut when we arrived. We joined them for soup and lunch at the hut. Huts offer soup and drinks for lunch.
Sam and I left the hut with 8 miles to go. Two miles in, we started to hear thunder. Then the thunder got closer and the rain started. Neither of us wanted to get wet nor did we want to set up a tent in the rain. So we decided to hike 3 miles to the nearest shelter. I felt as if the storm was right over top of us for those miles. We made it to the shelter to find Lola and Sunrise had made the same decision. Also there was the "section" hiker from the night before. The rain let up and Lola and Sun hiked on. Soon after, Longshanks arrived. It was the first time I had seen him since Pennsylvania. He said that he had been trying to catch up with us. I told him he just missed the other two and told him where they were planning to stealth camp for the evening. He was excited to know he was right behind them. He too hiked on. Sam and I ended up not hiking out which turned out to be a good decision. The wind and rain got stronger. We had to pay to stay in the shelter which sucked, but at least I was warm and somewhat dry.
My friend too decided to stay. The caretaker wanted us to cook in the designated area away from the shelter since the area was having a bear problem. I told my section hiker friend, and he just grumbled about it. I don't know if that is even a word. He eventually walked to go find the cooking/eating area. He returned saying that it was not covered; therefore, he was going to eat in the shelter. Shortly after, I went in search of the cook area and easily found it, tarp covered area and all. I went back and told Sam. I made sure to say it loud enough that I had found it and that it was covered by a tarp just so they guy would hear me.
Sam and I cooked and ate while in rained. Also there was a group of high school kids out for 20 days. They were taking a trip guiding course in which they learn to lead outdoor trips. It sounded really interesting. We talked to them for most of dinner. We even scored some of their leftover food. I joked with the male leader of their trip. He tried a SOBO hike a few years back but didn't complete it. I kept giving him a hard time, and he returned the favor.
The shelter was a little cool. However, I felt cozy in my winter bag. Good thing I got it back a few days ago. Sleep time.
Lola and Sunrise left after breakfast as they washed dishes the night before. Samurai had to sweep the bunk rooms and fold blankets. I helped him so we could get out of there quicker. I found a fleece vest which belonged to an older couple that had already left. I felt bad cause I figured it was theirs, but I didn't want to hike it out not knowing for sure. I saw the further down the trail, and they confirmed it.
The only major climb of the day was first thing in the morning. It was a 1,100 foot climb in 0.8 of a mile. the hike after the climb was wonderful. We followed a ridgeline for some time and descended into Zealand Falls Hut. The hut had a great view of a valley and had a waterfall just through the trees. Some of the people staying at the hut were sun bathing and enjoying the water. Lola and Sunrise were at the hut when we arrived. We joined them for soup and lunch at the hut. Huts offer soup and drinks for lunch.
Sam and I left the hut with 8 miles to go. Two miles in, we started to hear thunder. Then the thunder got closer and the rain started. Neither of us wanted to get wet nor did we want to set up a tent in the rain. So we decided to hike 3 miles to the nearest shelter. I felt as if the storm was right over top of us for those miles. We made it to the shelter to find Lola and Sunrise had made the same decision. Also there was the "section" hiker from the night before. The rain let up and Lola and Sun hiked on. Soon after, Longshanks arrived. It was the first time I had seen him since Pennsylvania. He said that he had been trying to catch up with us. I told him he just missed the other two and told him where they were planning to stealth camp for the evening. He was excited to know he was right behind them. He too hiked on. Sam and I ended up not hiking out which turned out to be a good decision. The wind and rain got stronger. We had to pay to stay in the shelter which sucked, but at least I was warm and somewhat dry.
My friend too decided to stay. The caretaker wanted us to cook in the designated area away from the shelter since the area was having a bear problem. I told my section hiker friend, and he just grumbled about it. I don't know if that is even a word. He eventually walked to go find the cooking/eating area. He returned saying that it was not covered; therefore, he was going to eat in the shelter. Shortly after, I went in search of the cook area and easily found it, tarp covered area and all. I went back and told Sam. I made sure to say it loud enough that I had found it and that it was covered by a tarp just so they guy would hear me.
Sam and I cooked and ate while in rained. Also there was a group of high school kids out for 20 days. They were taking a trip guiding course in which they learn to lead outdoor trips. It sounded really interesting. We talked to them for most of dinner. We even scored some of their leftover food. I joked with the male leader of their trip. He tried a SOBO hike a few years back but didn't complete it. I kept giving him a hard time, and he returned the favor.
The shelter was a little cool. However, I felt cozy in my winter bag. Good thing I got it back a few days ago. Sleep time.
July 20 - 13.0 / 1,819.4
For leaving a town, I was able to leave at a decent time. Five of us got a ride from the local cab service.
The climb up to Franconia Ridge was a good one. One the way up, I passed by Garrett, the caretaker we had seen a few days before while crossing over the Kinsman. He was glad to see me again. We spoke until Samurai caught up to me.
The ridge was beautiful. We got up above treeline and could see for miles. The clouds parted for almost the whole time we were up there. Sam and I stopped on top of Lafayette, the highest on the ridge, for about an hour or so just to enjoy the view. It started to get crowded so we knew it was time to go. Garrett joked with us that we would see a French Canadian. No lie, the first two ladies I came across on top of Lafayette matched the description.
Chewy ended up catching up to us on top too. With him, Sam and I started to make our way down the ridge. Sometime down the ridge, Chewy left us and Lola and Sunrise passed us. I joked with them that if they got to the hut before us and took all the work for stay spots then I would hurt them. The Whites are crazy when it comes to what a tourist will pay here. There are multiple huts in the Whites. The huts are large, enclosed lodges which sleep 36 to 90 people. People will pay over $100 for a bunkspace, dinner, and breakfast. The nice thing is, the huts let a limited number of thru hikers do a work for stay. For a limited amount of work, a hiker will get any leftover food as well as floor space for a sleeping bag. Yes, floor space is on the dining room floor.
Sam and I made it to Galehead Hut right before the rain started. We went in and asked the Hut Croo (crew) if they had any work for stay available. They told us that they would see what they could do. We knew they would come up with something for us. The two of us joined Lola and Sunrise outside as we were not allowed to be in the dining room while the guest were eating. We tried to stay dry from the rain, but eventually the rain let up and a rainbow covered the valley. It was probably the closest I have ever been to a rainbow, pretty remarkable.
After the guest dinner, we went inside to sweep the dining room. The four of us then were fed. The meal was salad, green peas, and vegetarian lasagna. It hit the spot. There was more lasagna then we knew what to do with. As we finished eating, I was told I was about to give my talk. I had volunteered to tell the guest about my hike in order to fulfill my work for stay. There we go, Chatty Cathy was able to talk even more.
The talk went well. I was quite surprised by the lack of questions. They did ask quite a few, but I was expecting more. I kept the conversation going with two of the adults which was nice. The rest of the night was pretty low key. I was able to fall asleep pretty quick even though I was sleeping on a table. It must have been the full stomach.
There was one other guy there that joined us that has rubbed me the wrong way. First off, he told us he was a thru hiker. However, he started hiking the trail back in 2008. He had to leave the trail due to an injury. Secondly, the only work he did was sweep under two tables. All the rest of us swept and performed additional duties. Ahhhh, he pissed me off.
The climb up to Franconia Ridge was a good one. One the way up, I passed by Garrett, the caretaker we had seen a few days before while crossing over the Kinsman. He was glad to see me again. We spoke until Samurai caught up to me.
The ridge was beautiful. We got up above treeline and could see for miles. The clouds parted for almost the whole time we were up there. Sam and I stopped on top of Lafayette, the highest on the ridge, for about an hour or so just to enjoy the view. It started to get crowded so we knew it was time to go. Garrett joked with us that we would see a French Canadian. No lie, the first two ladies I came across on top of Lafayette matched the description.
Chewy ended up catching up to us on top too. With him, Sam and I started to make our way down the ridge. Sometime down the ridge, Chewy left us and Lola and Sunrise passed us. I joked with them that if they got to the hut before us and took all the work for stay spots then I would hurt them. The Whites are crazy when it comes to what a tourist will pay here. There are multiple huts in the Whites. The huts are large, enclosed lodges which sleep 36 to 90 people. People will pay over $100 for a bunkspace, dinner, and breakfast. The nice thing is, the huts let a limited number of thru hikers do a work for stay. For a limited amount of work, a hiker will get any leftover food as well as floor space for a sleeping bag. Yes, floor space is on the dining room floor.
Sam and I made it to Galehead Hut right before the rain started. We went in and asked the Hut Croo (crew) if they had any work for stay available. They told us that they would see what they could do. We knew they would come up with something for us. The two of us joined Lola and Sunrise outside as we were not allowed to be in the dining room while the guest were eating. We tried to stay dry from the rain, but eventually the rain let up and a rainbow covered the valley. It was probably the closest I have ever been to a rainbow, pretty remarkable.
After the guest dinner, we went inside to sweep the dining room. The four of us then were fed. The meal was salad, green peas, and vegetarian lasagna. It hit the spot. There was more lasagna then we knew what to do with. As we finished eating, I was told I was about to give my talk. I had volunteered to tell the guest about my hike in order to fulfill my work for stay. There we go, Chatty Cathy was able to talk even more.
The talk went well. I was quite surprised by the lack of questions. They did ask quite a few, but I was expecting more. I kept the conversation going with two of the adults which was nice. The rest of the night was pretty low key. I was able to fall asleep pretty quick even though I was sleeping on a table. It must have been the full stomach.
There was one other guy there that joined us that has rubbed me the wrong way. First off, he told us he was a thru hiker. However, he started hiking the trail back in 2008. He had to leave the trail due to an injury. Secondly, the only work he did was sweep under two tables. All the rest of us swept and performed additional duties. Ahhhh, he pissed me off.
July 19 - 0.0
When I woke up, I checked out the weather for the 20th time during the night. The forecast called for thunderstorms starting at 10 in the morning. Therefore, we decided to not hike since we would be above treeline on Franconia Ridge. That was all of us except for Inferno. She decided to move on and left in the late morning.
Sam and I went to Woodstock Station for lunch. A few people along the trail had told me to stop there. While there, we met Lion King. He is a trail legend. The rest of the afternoon was spent getting coffee, going to the post office, and getting more ice cream. Inferno did fail to mention that we bought ice cream the night before too. Waddey, since Inferno hiked on, I asked Samurai to respond to your question. He said, "Yes!" He even had ice cream for breakfast one day.
Sonic and Riverdog were at Chet's when we made it back. It was the first time running into RD since Fontana Dam. He is the one who told me about the compression socks for shin splints. The two of them, Sam, and I went and grabbed dinner together. We wanted to go to a place called Gypsy Cafe as many people had recommended it to us. However, it was closed and so we went to a Chinese place instead.
For dessert, I had another Ben & Jerrys. This time it was Mud Pie which was a new flavor to me. The night before, it was another new flavor of peach cobbler. I was a fan of that one.
I can't remember if Inferno spoke about this, but Chet has hikers sign different areas of his house in the hiker area. I created a logo for my name in the shape of a bowtie. "2010" is the knot of the bowtie.
Overall, it was nice to have a day of rest, but the weather wasn't as bad as they forecasted. A part of me was upset for not hiking. It is better to be safe though. Plus, what's another day out on trail?
I'll end on the story about Chet. He was an avid hiker growing up. One day he was priming his camp stove when it unexplainedly exploded. He ended up being burned over 40 percent of his body. He is legally blind and wheelchair bound. He is able to walk short distances with the assistance of a walker or canes. Wanting to give back to the hiking community, he started to open his house to hikers. It has now turned in to a hostel. He is one of the most genuine people I have met and would do anything to help a fellow hiker out.
Sam and I went to Woodstock Station for lunch. A few people along the trail had told me to stop there. While there, we met Lion King. He is a trail legend. The rest of the afternoon was spent getting coffee, going to the post office, and getting more ice cream. Inferno did fail to mention that we bought ice cream the night before too. Waddey, since Inferno hiked on, I asked Samurai to respond to your question. He said, "Yes!" He even had ice cream for breakfast one day.
Sonic and Riverdog were at Chet's when we made it back. It was the first time running into RD since Fontana Dam. He is the one who told me about the compression socks for shin splints. The two of them, Sam, and I went and grabbed dinner together. We wanted to go to a place called Gypsy Cafe as many people had recommended it to us. However, it was closed and so we went to a Chinese place instead.
For dessert, I had another Ben & Jerrys. This time it was Mud Pie which was a new flavor to me. The night before, it was another new flavor of peach cobbler. I was a fan of that one.
I can't remember if Inferno spoke about this, but Chet has hikers sign different areas of his house in the hiker area. I created a logo for my name in the shape of a bowtie. "2010" is the knot of the bowtie.
Overall, it was nice to have a day of rest, but the weather wasn't as bad as they forecasted. A part of me was upset for not hiking. It is better to be safe though. Plus, what's another day out on trail?
I'll end on the story about Chet. He was an avid hiker growing up. One day he was priming his camp stove when it unexplainedly exploded. He ended up being burned over 40 percent of his body. He is legally blind and wheelchair bound. He is able to walk short distances with the assistance of a walker or canes. Wanting to give back to the hiking community, he started to open his house to hikers. It has now turned in to a hostel. He is one of the most genuine people I have met and would do anything to help a fellow hiker out.
Monday, July 19, 2010
July 18 - 8.8 / 1,806.4
I have been a little behind on my blogs. It is partly due to my laziness and partly due to the lack of cell service. I made an offer to Samurai and Inferno to right my blog for me. Inferno has taken me up on the offer. Therefore, here is her perspective of my day.
In Inferno's words...
"BT has been whining about not wanting to write. Apart from not wanting to listen to him complain anymore, I thought he was starting to make the trail sound a little boring. So I agreed to write this entry.
It was a beautiful clear night when BT, Sam, and I all set up our tents and went to bed. I must have been tired because I only woke up a little bit when I heard BT outside saying something about lighting off in the distance, and if there was anything outside that shouldn't get wet it might be a good idea to move it. I sleepily thought that if I just ignored the lightning it would go away. Next thing I knew it was torrential downpour and lightning directly on top of us. Sam had made a joke earlier about how if it started raining our tent pads would turn into kiddie pools--which is pretty much exactly what happened. Although with lightning striking within a hundred feet of us I was too scared to even move, and BT says he was in his tent huddled in the fetal position. By the time the thunder and lightning let up I was lying in several inches of water. So I made a bare foot dash for the shelter with my sleeping bag. In the morn, BT had his tent hanging from a tree and pointed to his tent sight which was a puddle several inches deep. What the heck was the AMC thinking? (It's always nice to have some one to blame.)
I headed out a little before BT and Sam, but I imagine their conversation went along these lines: why the heck does it take me (BT) so long to pack up in the morning, and what on earth do I (BT) have in my pack that is so freakin' heavy?
There was a steep rock scramble up to Kinsman Mnt. BT caught up with me a little before the top. When we reached the summit, it was all cloudy and mysterious, but then as we were standing there, holes started to appear in the mist--it was very cool. Yeah for being in the Whites at last. Sam caught up with us while we were enjoying the view and talking to the caretaker of the shelters near there. We saw a glider plane while taking a break on Kinsmans north peak. It was so silent BT heard the people in the plane talking. On the way down I was ahead of the guys. I am a slower hiker, but BT likes to stop and talk to all the southbounders and day hikers. I have secretly nicknamed this side of him Chatty-Cathy. But I actually admire the way Chatty-Cathy asks everybody about their day and how they are doing with such enthusiasm that it usually leads to a conversation, in which he answers many of the same questions about hiking over and over-and yet never seems to get tired of it.
We stopped at our first AMC hut in the early afternoon. We sat there a bit awkwardly at first trying to decide the best way to yogi food. BT informed me that since it was a guy working, it was my job to be friendly. He was out of soup but said he could whip more up. I am pretty sure that all it was, was watery instant mashed potatoes and dill, but it was delicious. It turned out the guy working was an old friend of Tumbleweed. He gave us chips and hummus and was very friendly. There was a pull-up bar there and Sam did 15 pull-ups. It was a challenge which BT and I lost. So we paid for Sam's soup.
When we got to the road we tried to hitch for awhile without any luck so BT called a shuttle. The driver of the taxi must have weighed over 400 pounds. But he knew of most of the places on the trail just from driving so many hikers around. He took us to "Chets, one step at a time hostel" which is more then a little inspiring once you know his story, and especially once you meet him. Chet is warm,friendly, and kind. (BT will have to tell you his story, because this is taking foe ever as it is.) He has turned his house into a wonderful place for hikers. Pancakes with real maple syrup in the morning! After we all showered, we walked into town and went to G&H pizza (which is a tradition with my brother and me when we are in Lincoln). People watching was great. BT: "watch this guy get a soft drink re-fill without paying" or "that lady is lookin' to get some tonight, watch her touch his butt one more time." BT was correct on the butt touching. There were pamphlets for a machine gun safari, and one for "operating a real excavater for only 250.00."
At the grocery store the cashier asked BT if he wanted a stop and shop card. "No, too heavy!" She had no idea what he was talking about. It is a beautiful evening. Chet asked everyone to sign one of his fridges in marker with their trail names, so we decided we should have cool logos like a lot of other hikers do.
Wow this has taken forever to type; no wonder BT wanted a break from blogging. Thanks for reading, I hope everyone is doing well."
Inferno
In Inferno's words...
"BT has been whining about not wanting to write. Apart from not wanting to listen to him complain anymore, I thought he was starting to make the trail sound a little boring. So I agreed to write this entry.
It was a beautiful clear night when BT, Sam, and I all set up our tents and went to bed. I must have been tired because I only woke up a little bit when I heard BT outside saying something about lighting off in the distance, and if there was anything outside that shouldn't get wet it might be a good idea to move it. I sleepily thought that if I just ignored the lightning it would go away. Next thing I knew it was torrential downpour and lightning directly on top of us. Sam had made a joke earlier about how if it started raining our tent pads would turn into kiddie pools--which is pretty much exactly what happened. Although with lightning striking within a hundred feet of us I was too scared to even move, and BT says he was in his tent huddled in the fetal position. By the time the thunder and lightning let up I was lying in several inches of water. So I made a bare foot dash for the shelter with my sleeping bag. In the morn, BT had his tent hanging from a tree and pointed to his tent sight which was a puddle several inches deep. What the heck was the AMC thinking? (It's always nice to have some one to blame.)
I headed out a little before BT and Sam, but I imagine their conversation went along these lines: why the heck does it take me (BT) so long to pack up in the morning, and what on earth do I (BT) have in my pack that is so freakin' heavy?
There was a steep rock scramble up to Kinsman Mnt. BT caught up with me a little before the top. When we reached the summit, it was all cloudy and mysterious, but then as we were standing there, holes started to appear in the mist--it was very cool. Yeah for being in the Whites at last. Sam caught up with us while we were enjoying the view and talking to the caretaker of the shelters near there. We saw a glider plane while taking a break on Kinsmans north peak. It was so silent BT heard the people in the plane talking. On the way down I was ahead of the guys. I am a slower hiker, but BT likes to stop and talk to all the southbounders and day hikers. I have secretly nicknamed this side of him Chatty-Cathy. But I actually admire the way Chatty-Cathy asks everybody about their day and how they are doing with such enthusiasm that it usually leads to a conversation, in which he answers many of the same questions about hiking over and over-and yet never seems to get tired of it.
We stopped at our first AMC hut in the early afternoon. We sat there a bit awkwardly at first trying to decide the best way to yogi food. BT informed me that since it was a guy working, it was my job to be friendly. He was out of soup but said he could whip more up. I am pretty sure that all it was, was watery instant mashed potatoes and dill, but it was delicious. It turned out the guy working was an old friend of Tumbleweed. He gave us chips and hummus and was very friendly. There was a pull-up bar there and Sam did 15 pull-ups. It was a challenge which BT and I lost. So we paid for Sam's soup.
When we got to the road we tried to hitch for awhile without any luck so BT called a shuttle. The driver of the taxi must have weighed over 400 pounds. But he knew of most of the places on the trail just from driving so many hikers around. He took us to "Chets, one step at a time hostel" which is more then a little inspiring once you know his story, and especially once you meet him. Chet is warm,friendly, and kind. (BT will have to tell you his story, because this is taking foe ever as it is.) He has turned his house into a wonderful place for hikers. Pancakes with real maple syrup in the morning! After we all showered, we walked into town and went to G&H pizza (which is a tradition with my brother and me when we are in Lincoln). People watching was great. BT: "watch this guy get a soft drink re-fill without paying" or "that lady is lookin' to get some tonight, watch her touch his butt one more time." BT was correct on the butt touching. There were pamphlets for a machine gun safari, and one for "operating a real excavater for only 250.00."
At the grocery store the cashier asked BT if he wanted a stop and shop card. "No, too heavy!" She had no idea what he was talking about. It is a beautiful evening. Chet asked everyone to sign one of his fridges in marker with their trail names, so we decided we should have cool logos like a lot of other hikers do.
Wow this has taken forever to type; no wonder BT wanted a break from blogging. Thanks for reading, I hope everyone is doing well."
Inferno
Sunday, July 18, 2010
July 17 - 15.9 / 1,797.6
I am starting to reach the White Mountains. This means big mountains with some pretty intense terrain. Miles are going to be cut down, and my miles per hour will be greatly reduced.
The morning took us up and over Mt. Moosilauke. This is the first mountain at alpine and above treeline. I actually got some good trail magic just as I started my climb. A group was about to start their ascent when I crossed their path. They offered me two ice cream sandwiches and a beer. Again, I gladly accepted. I packed the beer for the top. The climb up was a good one, but didn't seem too bad. I think a lot had to do with the fact I knew I was going to get an awesome view. It took some time to make it up to the top. Inferno was the first up as Sam and I stopped to talk with some SOBO's.
When we got to the top, we were met by Samurai's dad. He had hiked up the other side. Him and Samurai had hiked the mountain before. We stayed at the top for some time until it started to get too crowded with day hikers. The decent was tougher than the climb. The rocks were extra slick, and I felt like I was going straight down.
Sam's dad treated us to some trail magic in the parking lot at the base: drinks, pb&j, cookies, snickers, and other goodness. We sat there for some time. I even took a nap right on the asphalt.
We had to say our goodbyes before it got too late. We had around 7 miles to go. The terrain didn't look too bad on the map. I was about an hour and a half in and feeling good when I made it to a trail junction. I looked at the sign and realized I had only hiked 3.5 miles. Two miles an hour was not what I expected.
I finally arrived at the shelter. It was crowded, but the three of us were able to set up our tents in the group camping area. We discussed leaving early the next morning. Only if we knew what was about to come...
The morning took us up and over Mt. Moosilauke. This is the first mountain at alpine and above treeline. I actually got some good trail magic just as I started my climb. A group was about to start their ascent when I crossed their path. They offered me two ice cream sandwiches and a beer. Again, I gladly accepted. I packed the beer for the top. The climb up was a good one, but didn't seem too bad. I think a lot had to do with the fact I knew I was going to get an awesome view. It took some time to make it up to the top. Inferno was the first up as Sam and I stopped to talk with some SOBO's.
When we got to the top, we were met by Samurai's dad. He had hiked up the other side. Him and Samurai had hiked the mountain before. We stayed at the top for some time until it started to get too crowded with day hikers. The decent was tougher than the climb. The rocks were extra slick, and I felt like I was going straight down.
Sam's dad treated us to some trail magic in the parking lot at the base: drinks, pb&j, cookies, snickers, and other goodness. We sat there for some time. I even took a nap right on the asphalt.
We had to say our goodbyes before it got too late. We had around 7 miles to go. The terrain didn't look too bad on the map. I was about an hour and a half in and feeling good when I made it to a trail junction. I looked at the sign and realized I had only hiked 3.5 miles. Two miles an hour was not what I expected.
I finally arrived at the shelter. It was crowded, but the three of us were able to set up our tents in the group camping area. We discussed leaving early the next morning. Only if we knew what was about to come...
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