Date: 2014-07-18
From: Nauman Campsite at Mizpah Hut

To: Madison Springs Hut
Miles today: 11.8

Day 128-July 18, Mizpah Hut/Nauman Campsite to Madison Hut, 11.8 miles. Today was an excellent day. It was 45 degrees when we got up this morning which kept us moving resulting in a hike start time of 6:20. Our first destination was the Lake of the Clouds hut, 4.8 miles from our campsite. There was a fairly steep, rocky climb right from camp but then the trail settled into a series of gentle ups and downs. The sky was clear and we were above treeline once we made the initial steep climb, so I was wearing my sunglasses. In spite of walking in the sunshine, we could see that Mt. Washington was wearing its usual hat of clouds. We hoped that the sun would burn off that cloud by the time we got there. We hiked into the cloud as we approached Lake of the Clouds hut. We went into the hut to see if they had any leftover breakfast (which they would give away free to thru-hikers!) but the only thing available was cold oatmeal-no thank you! So we got some snacks for our packs and and walked to one of the big dining tables to eat. There we discovered three of our thru-hiker friends-Peppa, Roshambo and Shakespeare. Yesterday when we saw Peppa she told us they were all going to the hut, but we figured they'd be long gone by the time we arrived. They were waiting for the weather to clear. We ate and then moved on. Lake of the Clouds is the biggest hut in the AMC hut system and the place was very busy with folks deciding what to do and getting ready for their hikes. Our next destination was Mt. Washington, only 1.4 miles away. It was all uphill but very manageable. The cloud cover remained in place as we reached the summit but the sun was visible through the clouds which gave us hope for a clearing. After getting our photo taken at the summit sign we headed indoors to find the snack bar. There we ran into 2 other hikers we haven't seen in a long time, Marshmallow and Fresh. It was good to see them. We bought and ate an early lunch and noticed that the clouds were breaking up and some views were opening up. We put on another layer or two of clothes and went back outside. We watched in amazement as the clouds thinned and moved on, presenting stunning views of the mountains in all directions! It was spectacular! We are so glad that we took 2 zero days to allow the rainy weather to move out and this clear weather to move in! Our final destination for the day was Madison Springs Hut, 5+ miles from the summit. The initial descent from Washington was a bit steep but was on dry, grippy boulders so the risk of falling was minimized. We skirted around Mt. Clay, Mt. Adams and Mt. Jefferson before descending to this hut in the shadow of Mt. Madison. I cannot believe that I complained (whined) about the rocks in Pennsylvania because these New Hampshire rocks clearly trump anything else we've seen so far! Boulder fields abound and rock slides dominate and we cross or climb them all! When we arrived at our hut, we found Roshambo and Shakespeare enjoying a large pan of cold lasagna. After checking in we told the croo that we were thru-hikers and they gave us plates and forks and told us to help ourselves to the leftover lasagna-for free! It was delicious! Croo is the term and spelling used to describe the workers at the huts, usually college-aged kids. We are settled and resting in our bunks at the moment. My day was complete when I entered our assigned bunk room and discovered a bottom bunk was still available. Jim doesn't mind climbing into a higher bunk (and there are 3 levels of bunks!) but I'd prefer not to. The Madison Springs hut was the original hut built in the Whites in the late 1800's and recently went through a renovation so everything is fresh and up to date. We will be very comfortable here tonight. For those keeping score, I've now had two consecutive days in the Whites without crying. Tomorrow will be the real test as most of the day is down hill! All is well.