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WEEK 16 - July 6 to July 12, 1981 |
July 7, 1981 (morning)
I’ve been in the Whites three days now and have yet to see a view from the mountain tops. It has always been raining or foggy. Today does not look much better with the heavy fog and wind whistling by at Mitzpah hut. After the rain, the AT crossing at Zealand was interesting! I found a somewhat wide spot upstream and waded through in water up to my knees. The little signs at the huts say that the common birds around the huts are the myrtle warbler, white throat sparrow, and gray-cheeked thrush. I have been hearing a distinctive bird which I have nicknamed the su bird. It has a thrush-like tone. The weather yesterday was cloudy but only a brief shower in the early afternoon. It was sunny and clear at one point that was well timed. The scenery just north of Zealand hut for about two miles has to be the most spectacular on the AT. It would be well worth a "tourist" trip with a camera. Al, one of the hut boys at Mitzpah says that it is beautiful in the fall. Staying at the huts has both advantages and disadvantages. You are rested and well fed but you invariably get a late start. I left immediately after breakfast and arrived here just before sunset (racing what appeared to be an approaching storm). I dallied very little on the way and much of the walk between Zealand and Ethan Pond was very easy walking, yet I managed only 20 miles.
July 7, 1981 (evening)
I finally got clear weather in the Whites. Unfortunately it was accompanied by 50 mph winds. This made the traverse of the presidentials much more difficult than it should have been. When I started my descent from Mt. Washington I went around the corner of a building and encountered an irresistible force. I finally had to stoop low to reduce the surface area exposed to the wind and practically crawled the first 50 feet or so down the mountain. The tops of the mountains were in the clouds until I got to Lake of the Clouds at which time it finally cleared. I did stay hazy, though - not nearly as good a view as last year’s trip. At Madison hut I called an early halt. What decadence! Only twelve miles today but maybe the wind will be less feisty tomorrow.
July 8, 1981
The wind on Madison this morning was 60-70 mph with 92 mph gusts! I spent a lot of time traveling on all fours. I would also cling to a large rock until a slight lull in the wind whereupon I would dash to the next rock. Occasionally this was badly timed and the wind would throw me off the trail or plaster me against a rock. I finally got below treeline. What a job! It nearly two hours to go a little over a mile. This combined with the usual late (~7:45 a.m.) start from the hut made a bit of a hustle necessary to cover the Wildcat/Carter ranges to Imp shelter. I did make it just at sunset. The shelter is relatively new - a nice one with an upper and lower deck. I shared the shelter with only one other hiker - a southbound thruhiker named Sarah. She is traveling alone as her hiking partner injured a knee. The caretaker here (subbing for the regular caretaker) is going to try a hut traverse soon. I had heard about this feat while at Mitzpah. It involves a complete circuit of the huts in the shortest possible time. The record is something like sixteen hours. I should suggest to Pete or "Bamaman" that they try it. It would be interesting to see what kind of time these marathon runner thruhikers could make. The caretaker here was the second AMC person to instantly guess that I had started at Springer.
July 9, 1981
This was restocking day. The first seven miles of the day were quite easy with an "empty" pack and only one significant climb. I tried a food experiment which had negative results. For breakfast I tried eating lunch food. It did not carry me much further than the usual breakfast - maybe a bit. The big disadvantage is that it seemed to upset my digestive system. So, after 1800 miles, I still have not determined the ideal breakfast. I had very good luck getting rides to and from Gorham. Only about a five minute wait going in and no wait coming out. A fellow in a pickup truck saw mw and gave me a ride to North Road, where he lives. He says his son is leading a group south from Katahdin to Mt. Washington. I arrived at a reasonable hour at Trident Col shelter in a light rain, the aftermath of a late afternoon thundershower. Out of the touristy Whites! I am here by myself. Even though I arrived fairly early (around 5?), I was tired - the usual heavy-pack-out-of-a-town-and-climb-a-hill syndrome. I’ve arrived this year too early for the blueberries (so far).
July 10, 1981
Mileagewise a short day from Trident Col to Full Goose shelter. I stopped here primarily to get water and two section hikers arrived - a man and his wife. I had met them previously while hiking in the Presidentials just north of Mt. Washington. This couple is from Chicago and they are completing the trail this year with only the stretch from here to Pinkham Notch remaining. In any case it was 5 p.m. and I could not possibly get to Speck Pond, my original goal. About 7 p.m. another section hiker arrived. He had stayed at Gentian Pons shelter and I saw him there this morning. He has blistered feet and is calling it quits for this year at Grafton Notch tomorrow. I can’t seem to make good time through the Mahoosics. Its too much rock climbing up and down, I guess. The water here is ice cold - literally. There is still ice in the gorge upstream. I remember stopping here with Connie after a waterless night on Goose Mountain. It was the first good water of the trip. There has been no problem with water this time except for the dry stretch between Gorham and Trident Col. Even so, there was water in the gap two miles south of Trident Col.
July 11, 1981
This evening finds me camped in an arbitrary spot 2-3 miles south of Andover-B Hill Road. The trail has been relocate away from Frye Brook. Its too bad since that’s such a pretty area but is was being abused by the locals. I was tempted to follow the old trail, especially as the relocation adds two miles, but, purist that I am I followed the white blazes. The new trail drops to a new campsite/future-shelter at the headwaters of Frye Brook then climbs back up close to the top of Surplus Mountain and follows just below the ridgeline on the east side. This morning when I arrived at Speck Pond the weekenders were already beginning to fill the site. I have not seen another person since I crossed the road at Grafton Notch, though. The wind was still pretty strong above treeline today - probably around 40 mph. Maybe July is March here. The Notch and Mahoosic Arm did not seem quite the chore they were the last time I was through. I broke my walking stick again in the Notch so a dose of Elmer’s has been applied again. I can definitely notice the difference in pace and difficulty without it - especially downhill. Saw moose track today - didn’t know they came this far south. < As of the year 2000, they had spread as far south as Massachusetts! >
July 12, 1981
Covered about 18 miles today. That seems par for the course over the broken and often steep terrain. The area around Elephant Mt. shelter is much more obviously used than when I was here last. A large area to the right of the shelter has frequently been used as a tenting area. Probably by large groups such as the camp group that is here now. Finished covering the Frye Brook trail relocation this morning. It has no particular value over the previous route except, of course, that the old AT passed through an area heavily used by the locals. Had some steep climbs today. Still, I am tired than I should be. The upcoming day off, planned for Pierce Pond, will be most welcome. A good view from Old Blue Mountain. Saw more moose tracks today. I suppose this large noisy group will keep the moose and the pine grouse chased away, though.