I called AMC from halfway up Wildcat Mountain and got Carter Notch Hut reserved for the evening. It was a tough day of climbing, there were some sections of trail that were unbelievable, climbing up cracks in slabs or stairs rebarred into rock faces. The trail through the Whites is less hiking and more rock climbing. I was glad to get into the notch and reach the pond near Carter Notch hut.
Antwerp and Pfunk came through on a southbound two day hike from Rt2 back to Pinkham Notch. They've been staying at the Hikers Paradise hostel in Gorham because White Mountain has been full.
One of the hut crew here is Cap. I last saw him back at Wapiti shelter. He finished his thru and took a Fall position here. Krummholz stopped by, he's going on a bit and tent.
It's just me and several section hikers here tonight, few enough that we each got a private bunk room.
9/8/15 - Imp shelter
I woke up this morning and realized why I've had so little energy the last few days. I have a cold. My nose is stopped up and running and my throat has major tickles. And I have a headache. I hate being sick.
The weather report called for afternoon and evening thunderstorms. I got on trail at 7:45 and headed up Carter Notch. It was steep and rocky but not too bad. Up top I had occasional mist clouds and wind but nothing bad. The trail was actual trail, a little rocky but real trail.
Coming down off Mt Hight was a bit steep. I had to use the B.A.D. technique (Butt Assisted Descent) once or twice. Zeta Pass had no water, the stream has gone dry. Good thing I'd packed two liters out of the hut.
The trail down from North Carter peak was insanely steep. Even using BAD, I was worried I'd slip and bend an ankle or worse. I had to resort to hand over hand backwards descent a couple times. Very scary. But after a half mile or so the trail settled down and the elevation slope smoothed a bit. Still fairly steep, and rocky, but trail again.
The shelter is off the trail a good 0.3 miles. I got here before two, and had I felt good, might have tried for the next shelter five miles ahead or even town at eight miles. But I'm worn out. A southbound section hiker from Germany, Tinka, came in exhausted. She's only on her second day of a trip down to Hanover and was very happy to find she wouldn't be camping alone.
9/9/15 - White Mountain Lodge again
Tinka and I both woke around five thirty and said our goodbyes just before seven. Climbing Mt Moriah wasn't too bad, at least not as bad as some other ascents. I could tell it was a drought area, the ground was cracking and the moss was browning in the bogs. Up on top, I came across a hen ptarmigan walking down the trail. She was obviously leading me away from her nest. She kept grunting at me, bug never let me get closer than five feet. She circled off the trail a bit and glared at me until I moved on.
Getting down from Mt Moriah was initially tough, but after a bit the trail eased. By the time I got to Rattle River shelter it was nearly flat sidewalk. The last two miles to Rt2 went fast. Then it was a simple one hundred yards to the hostel.
My cold is still bugging me and my body aches, so tomorrow I'll zero again, and maybe Friday if the weather doesn't clear.
9/10/15 - Zero at White Mountain hostel
Today was a light work day. I put together a food box and mailed it to Andover because word is the grocery store there is pretty basic. I also stopped by the outfitter and replaced the tips on my hiking poles. I should have done that probably in Hanover but I forgot, and one tip broke going up Mt Carter. My long pants and underwear arrived, so I have pretty much all my clothes for winter. The clothing bag is heavy again!
My knees are feeling better, they ached pretty bad last night. The Wildcats were a tough hike. My cold isn't any better, and with the rain supposed to last into tomorrow morning I may have to stay another day.
Blackout and Dora, Janezilla and Mushu, Chewbacca, and a bunch of other hikers are here, and there are hikers all through town.
9/11/15 - Sick Day at White Mountain Lodge
I woke early this morning with a hacking cough and full sinuses. The rain was steady all night long and the temperature was in the sixties, yet my shirt is damp with sweat. No fever this morning, but I'm going to zero even though I itch to be hiking.
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