Date: 2010-08-21
From: Glencliff NH

To: NH 112
Miles today: 9.5

Today is the day! I have finally arrived at the White Mountains. First up is Mt Moosilauke. I first learned about this mountain as I researched and prepared for my hike last fall and winter. The nobos in the bubble I've been moving in have been discussing it a lot in the last few weeks. She has a tough reputation and many accounts say especially for nobos, the north side descent is especially notorious. I started the day out feeling really tense, afraid, and nervous. Well, first things first, breakfast. A case of nerves never kept me from eating! Also, had to pack up. Get the summer clothes shipped home. Love the heavier pack with winter gear too. What a day. Get this, I FINALLY set off to hike around 11:30. Talk about putting yourself behind the eightball, there are NO campsites until after you hike over Moosilauke. I was stressed to say the least.Today's hike began by crossing a creek. Met a sobo named Yogi, attempting his hike on a dollar a mile, which is a challenging way to go. His spirits were great, excellent attitude, and he assured me I would do fine in the Whites. It was good for me that my hike began today by meeting Yogi. I like sobos.Up I went through the Jeffers Creek area, a brief roadwalk, some meadow climbing, then the uphill really began. Overall it was a 5.7 mile ascent and took me almost four hours, not quite. It was a long steep hike with short stretches of climbing up rock jumbles. Mostly it was a long steep uphill. Near the top it levels out somewhat, so my slow pace continues but I was happy enough with it. About one hour into the climb it occurred to me that Hey! I have walked a long way to get here. I have worked hard to get here. I should be excited and thrilled to climb this mountain! This is a chance to see what I am made of, how far have I come! I needed to adjust my attitude! And so I did and the day just got better and better.The AT community is really pretty small. When I reached the stretch where the trail levelled off I ran into Mindy. Check this out! Mindy and her family accompanied her niece as she began her thru hike last spring in Georgia, same day as me. They were at camp every night till Neels Gap. She recognized me! Must be the braids, LOL! I remembered her too. So much fun to see her. After that I got to the summit. Whoa. What a spectacular place I was at. The views were fantastic, open all around. I ate a sandwich and drank a coke that I carried all the way up the hill. Delicious. Food tastes so good on top of mountains. Well, the wind was chilly, it was spitting rain, and as always I was chasing sundown. I headed down. The downhill is the notorious part. Not too bad to Beaver Brook Shelter, then it got steep. A waterfall descends next to the trail and there are woodblock steps affixed to the rock and rebar handholds to aid the hiker, so yes, it was quite steep. And, quite doable! I did it! Not only did I do it, I enjoyed the descent and the waterfall and the beautiful forest I was in and the views as I descended. It was fabulous. I have come a long way. When I got to the trailhead I took a shuttle into Lincoln to Chets One Step At A Time Hostel. What a day!