Through the Thunder and the Rain

Made it to Gorham New Hampshire! Successfully completed my first state on the AT, just 13 more to go. Also, about to take my first 6 days off.

Day 22 (June 29) Lightning and Baldplate

Favorite town exchange
between the waiter and me
"Sir, more water?" "Yes."

Sleeping in is great
doubly when it avoids
morning thunderstorms

Sleeping past seven
awful idea because
PM lightning storm

Lightning at the peak
decided not to die here
guess I'll hike back down

It rained a little. Everything was kind of wet. But also pretty

Description:
This morning, I awoke (very tired) to a thunderstorm. The folks at Pine Ellis said the storm should blow over by 11 AM, so I decided to wait until the 9 AM shuttle instead of the 7 AM shuttle. This was a mistake (though the breakfast at the dinner was fabulous).

After hiking my first 4 miles, I passed a shelter and began climbing Baldpate, which has 1.5 miles of exposed rock on a hilltop. Unfortunately, I needed to ascend through rain while hearing thunder (about 2 miles away, so probs fine). There were many excellent views as I climbed. Also a rappelling rope and a couple ladders. See pictures.

The rope and later made climbing this rock easy. The torrent of water going down it (see minor water fall on left) made it harder.

After making a false summit with an ~300 degree view from which I could observe the storm and weather from above most of the clouds. There were a pair of thunderclouds on either side of the mountain I was hoping to finish climbing. I broke for a lunch and 'hope it passes' break.

Looking back while climbing: worth it

View from a bald peak looking left of the mountain I'm contemplating climbing

After eating, I saw that there was now a thundercloud forming behind the mountain, on the ridgeline I'd need to hike along. Settling back to watch I looked back down the trail... and saw a cloud forming and coming up the trail I had just taken.

Deciding that blind on an exposed patch of rock in the middle of a cloud during a thunderstorm wasn't where I wanted to be, and that I also didn't want to hike into a thundercloud, I hiked back down. It was discouraging and my boots got soaked. I also passed two other hikers who just decided to keep going.

The view from the path I came up before that mist turned into a full blown cloud (full blown cloud picture not taken because of frantic scramble to get down the mountain)

By the time I got back down to the lean-to  (a hard and bruising feat given the terrain and effective river I hiked down in) my boots were squelching up to my ankles.

Stats:
Milage: 4.5 miles
Elevation change: 1500 feet up, 500 feet down
Boots: damp and the duct tape is wearing off (again)
Slept with: Gonzo, Cinder, Booty, Troubadour, a lightning storm, and a leaking shelter

Day 23 (June 30) Summit success!

Baldpate post-storm view
multiple hilltop vistas
wind and clouds above

Description:
Today, we attack the mountain again! This time with soaking boots and socks! But with clear(ish) skies and dry(ish) ground. Also a lot of wind.

I tried to recreate some of the pictures I took yesterday, but it was rather windy and cold and I didn't want to get caught in another storm in case it got bad again. Took plenty of pictures though.

Much more clear (similar location to picture directly above this one)

No thunderclouds through the trees today

Finally reached the top

Eventually, I passed through and rested a bit (mostly to let my feet and boots dry a little, the trenchfoot was coming back.

After a meal, I pressed on to my second mountain for the day. This one is well traveled by day hikers, so had a pretty well maintained trail up it. My feet were getting the wrinkles again, so I stopped for a moment and changed into my chacos for the first mile descent down the other side of the mountain. Turns out it was sheer rock. Was moderately perilous and aggravatingly slow (did impress several NOBOs though).

An interesting formation of discolored rock. Coincidentally right on a popular day hikers trail too!

After going just over a mile (and taking over an hour), I reached the pay for stay shelter (where I was not planning on staying because I'm a cheap guy), and changed back into my boots for the remaining 3 mile descent.

It... was perilous. Turns out that section of the trail might be the most dangerous, and it was wet from the night before... and my boots have terrible traction. Much sliding on my butt was done. But eventually I made it to the campsite I was shooting for.... or.... at least a couple of trees I could hang my hammock in (found out the next day we hadn't quite reached the campsite)

Stats:
Milage: 12.8
Elevation change: 4000 feet up, 4000 feet down
Slept with: Troubadour, Cinder, and a dead tree.

Day 24 (July 1) The notch

[No haikus from here on]

For the past 100 miles or so, I've heard about the 'hardest mile' alternatively referred to as the 'funnest mile.' Today I went through it. It's about a mile of a tumbled boulder pit through a notch canyon. There were caves and ice. Also 12 foot drops and rappelling down trees. It was excellent, though my arms got pretty tired by the end. Took about an hour and 45 minutes to make it all the way through.

Welcome to Mahoosuc Notch. It eats trekking poles.

With a side of pack straps

Served with ice

Looking back on my first rappelling tree in the Notch

Some of the caverns to go through. Also: blazes!

Looking out of the notch

After that, I decided to go a little short, so went just to the boarder of Maine and New Hampshire, rather than passing into NH, as was my initial plan.

Maine: who put a bog on top of this mountain? Also: can you find the terrifyingly over laden AMC worker?

Turns out this was a great idea, because 30 minutes after I stopped, it started thundering and raining. I was safe in a waterproof shelter. Also it turned out the ball of my feet were both blisters (can't feel my feet much when hiking, so didn't really notice until I'd taken a couple hours break)

See the discoloration on the ball of my foot? That's one blister.

Stats:
Milage: 7.1
Elevation change: 2000 feet up, 1500 feet down
Slept with: Cinder, Gonzo (showed up at 10 PM soaking wet), and the soothing sounds of a thunderstorm that isn't threatening to kill you

Day 25 (July 2) Farwell Maine!

Time to leave Maine! Just .5 miles left!

Huh. That looks like a straight up untamed mountain.

*20 minutes of climbing later*

Yeah... I must be off trail again... let's backtrack.

*10 minutes of climbing down later*

...nope. That was the trail. Guess I'll go climb it. Again.

*30 minutes of climbing and one 5 foot fall with a couple bruises later*

Success! First .1 miles of the day done! At this rate, I'll only get 1 mile from a 10 hour hike, but that's still enough to leave Maine. YOU CAN'T STOP ME MAINE! (Maine and I have a mildly antagonistic relationship)

One thing I will say: you really notice the difference between different groups maintaining the AT. Most of Maine was maintained by the Maine Appalachian Trail Conservatory (MATC), a volunteer organization which, while understaffed, knew what they were doing. The trail was always pretty clear where you should go, there were things to help on sheer rock, but there were a few more fallen trees on the trail than one would prefer. The southern part of Maine and New Hampshire are maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club, a membership based organization sustained by dues and absurdly overpriced campsites. They hire teenagers who don't know what they're doing to maintain the trail. So often the trail is not blazed well and it's a guessing game where the trail goes. They also pander to weekend hikers (who spend $130 per night to stay on a mountain), so sections that only thru hikers use aren't maintained, but are just sheer rock or some such nonsense.

The AMC and I disagree about what a "trail" is. This picture was taken with my phone pointing straight outward. The trail just goes up.

After passing the much easier travelled trail (including the appropriately muddy boarder), I met up with Gonzo and Cinder at the next shelter for lunch. Gonzo's sister and her husband were coming to join them for the day... and promised to pack in food... and they invited me. So, I went to the campsite 7 miles before Gorham with them rather than the town proper.

The steak fajitas were delicious.

ME-NH border. Appropriately: over a bog bridge on a mountain

Stats:
Milage: 10.1
Elevation change: 1000 feet up, 2000 feet down

Day 26 ( July 3 ) Gorham!

After a suitably late morning to sleep off the party last night, I finally hit the trail around 10 AM. Honestly, this part of the trail was kind of boring and I just wanted to get into Gorham.

Wilderness!

Interestingly, the last half mile or so of the trail was along actual roads. It felt like a foreign world. I didn't have to avoid rocks and roots.

Must have been a big beaver

When I got into Gorham, I got the last bunk at the White Mountain Lodge (the best hiker hostel in town). Once there, I met up with a bunch of the SOBOs who had gotten ahead of me, there were 20 of us staying at WML. Also: we had a Walmart. Walmart is a huge and terrifying place. Definitely wanted a map and got lost. Found the Ramen eventually though, so it all worked out.

Stats:
Milage: 7.2 miles
Elevation change: 1000 feet up, 2500 feet down
Slept with: showers, full bellies, and friends

Day 27 (July 4) The slacking NoBo SoBo

I decided to try 'slack packing' 21 miles from one entrance to Gorham to the other. That said, I decided to do it over 2 days, so still took some gear (end pack weight was about 25 lbs, a little over half what it normally is).

Right from the start, I felt much more spry. The first mile flew by, and once I hit the first mountain, I went pretty fast up the side (propelled in part by a very filling breakfast and headphones from Walmart).

They explained the view

Eventually, I passed a gondola that some people use to get to the top of the mountain to hike (doesn't really make sense to me: it's only about 2000 feet above the road). After that, I started passing some day hikers who kept saying "happy 4th" instead of "happy hiking." Weirdos.

First sighting of the hiker hut. Right side of view blocked by a pack of day hikers

Eventually, I reached a 'hikers hut.' Which are fairly common in the Whites (this mountain range). They are massive constructs with purified water and stoves and a full-time work force. They also cost $130 to stay for a night (though they also have work for stay, which I'll likely do later). This one let me fill up my water and fed me their leftovers from a couple days ago! I ate turkey and lasagna and peas as lunch on a hike! It was great.

Mt. Washington. I'll tackle that mountain next week. And not in a car up the road

While eating, two NoBos came in and also filled up on food and water. I wound up hiking my remaining 7 miles with them that day and was pleasantly surprised to find I didn't have any real problems keeping up with them (and their normal packs are the weight of my slack pack).

I guess the views were ok

We made the campsite I was aim8ng for, though the NoBos pushed another 6 miles to another free campsite (this one cost $10).

I decided to just sleep instead of try to see the fireworks from the ridgeline, but disaster struck! For the past week, I had heard Cinder and Gonzo talk about a hiker, Banshee, they had hiked with for a while. He got his name because his snores sound like a shrieking Banshee. He showed up to our shelter, and I can confirm: his name fits. I can also confirm I only slept from midnight to 3 AM. Did get to see the fireworks after all though.

Stats:
Milage: 13.1
Elevation change: 5000 feet up, 4000 feet down
Slept with: didn't sleep

Day 28 (July 5) back to Gorham

This morning, I was up and out pretty early, wanting to get back to Gorham and a bed without many sounds. So, I left camp at around 5:45 AM, made the final ascent, then descended back to Gorham. It was quite tame. Once in Gorham, I caught the NoBos I had hiked with yesterday, and chatted with them for a bit before going back to the WML for a shower and bed.

Stats:
Milage: 8 miles
Elevation change: 1000 feet up, 3000 feet down
Slept with: showers and sheets.

Now, I'm going to take a zero tomorrow and hang out in Gorham (the hostel is a little outside of town), then take a bus to Boston, then a plane to CA, then go to a wedding, then fly back to Boston, then bus back to Gorham, then resume hiking. I should be back on the trail on July 12 (and will get to a town a while after that). I'm hoping Moose, Peaches, Camp Shoes, and Double Dip pass me while I'm gone (or at least catch up) so I can hike with them when I return.
Until then, stay safe.

Blessings,
David "Mad Scientist" Martin

P.S. my actual trail name is only and has only been "Grizzly," but I enjoy recording other things people have called me, and I write my haikus in logbook signing them Pretty Toes because they're for Camp SHOES who likes to call me that.

P.P.S the wedding was great, and civilization is shell shocking because there are too many people and things and people stay awake past sundown and sleep past sunup. Fortunately, it turns out having a giant unkempt beard and smelling like you haven't showered for a week and only own one pair of clothing is fairly good protection against random people trying to interact with you. From intermittent texting, I have determined that Moose, Camp Shoes, Double Dip, and Peaches have all passed Pinkham Notch (where I'll be starting). I dropped some weight from my pack and am ready to start catching up to them in two days (once my flight to Chicago, flight to Boston, bus to Gorham, shuttle to a hostel, then shuttle to the trailhead are finished).