The morning was clear weather, so I left the hut right after breakfast and headed for Mt Washington, 1.5 miles away and 1265ft up. Surprisingly, it didn't take long, I was on top by 8:45. Some light mist had blown in but I got my pictures and headed over to the gift shop and snack bar. I also found an open wall socket and plugged in my phone and battery. TK, Antwerp, Pfunk, and surprise, Language Barrier and Doppleganger were all up top. I decided to hang out until my phone hit full charge and see the sights. The old hotel was cool and the museum had some interesting winter pictures. The cog railroad was running the Diesel engines and the older coal fired steam engine.
I finally started out for Madison about eleven thirty. The trail was rocks the whole way but only bad in a couple of short spots. I made the hut by 3:45. Twenty Names and Pan got work for stay, TK went on to Osgood Camp about three miles away. Olaf showed up late, very tired, and a woman took pity on her and let her use her daughter's reserved bunk as the daughter is sick and stayed home. So Olaf got a free stay!
Tomorrow I'll hike a steep trail eight miles to Pinkham Notch and go into Gorham for resupply and a hostel.
9/5/15 Gorham, NH. White Mountain Lodge hostel
One of the hut hikers woke me last night at about one and told me that I was snoring and choking and should sleep on my side, presumably so they could get some quiet. I told him that I knew I snored and that I was choking because my nose was clogged due to the mold in the bunk room and that I was already sleeping on my side! What a jerk!
I woke this morning and did not want to hike anymore. I can't face doing the Wildcats or Mahoosic Notch. I don't even want to do the right miles needed over Mt Madison to get to Pinkham Notch and the road. It's just too many boulder scrambles. I'm supposed to be hiking, not rock climbing!
After another great hut breakfast, I pulled on my pack and headed out. I didn't even say goodbye to the three gentlemen whom I've been eating with the last three days. They were hut hiking buddies out for a weekend in the Whites. A bit older than me, Kemo has a double knee replacement, Lefty doesn't have a right hand anymore and the third fellow I didn't get his name just has a tough time in the rocks. But they're having fun and they were nice enough to include a lonely thruhiker.
The trail leaves Madison Springs Hut and starts immediately into a scramble up Mt Madison. It goes right over the top and I found it harder than climbing Mt Washington. Getting down involves scrambling and hopping for nearly two miles. Several younger hikers going south back to Madison told me to enjoy the view. I finally told one the views in the Whites aren't as majestic as those in the Rocky Mountains and that I had come to hike not climb. They were a bit nonplussed. I met a man coming up that agreed and gave me an accurate picture of what I was facing. Sure enough, a mile later the trail got below the tree line and turned into real trail again. The sad thing is that the above tree line sections between Webster Cliffs and Lake of the Clouds hut were mostly real trail. The Mt Madison section just has never been improved.
I stopped for lunch about two miles short of the road. Lots of day hikers passed me headed for Madison Springs. Most had only minimal gear, some just carried cameras and water bottles. Crazy! There were even families with four year olds. No way the kids will be able to do those rocks. Lots of French speakers for some reason. One family had an enormous dog that looked vaguely like a poodle with a docked tail. I was told it was a (sic) Bouvier de Flanders. Very calm dog but muscular and large.
On the hike down I was able to start working my problem. I needed to zero, despite wanting to hold to my schedule. And I probably needed to break the Wildcats into three days rather than two. So that opened up a stay at the last AMC hut.
I got to Pinkham Notch and the AMC Visitor Center about one thirty or so. Marni at white Mountain Lodge needed an hour for pickup. I didn't mind, the hostel was full and she had warned me last week at the Notch hostel and I'd forgotten. TK, Noseblind and I hung out on the front porch at the Center watching the tourists. Pringles came in from the North after finishing the Wildcats, it was good to see him. TK decided to hike on, Marni will store most of his gear until he gets to he place on Route 2 in a couple days. She dropped Noseblind at a hostel/campground up the road from her place and instead of bunking me on the floor, asks me to test a tent in the backyard with a bed. Sure! I slept well despite the nearby road.
Soda, Last Chance, Cornelius, Marni's son Nimble, Lone Ranger and Kat, and several section hikers and motorcycle tourists were in the hostel. Soda told me Pockets had gone home after Moosilauke with bad knees. Too bad but he got a long ways north.
9/6/15 - Zero at Rt16, Gorham NH
I spent the day doing resupply, making a schedule update through the Mahoosics and ordering some long pants from Amazon. I still need to book the Carter Gap AMC hut, but I'll have to wait until tomorrow after nine. It will take me now until October 6th to finish, but I believe I have a better chance. At worst, I will need until hopefully the 10th. We'll see.
Tonight, the hostel is full again. Bull, TK and Squirrell are here, they're ahead of me three days by my schedule. Janezilla, Mushu and their dog Luna have caught up to me again.
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