Date: 2003-08-30
From: Campsite

To: Mount Lafayette
Miles today: 4.8

Nine and a half hours of hiking....4.8 miles covered. Welcome to the Whites! For now, all I can say is man oh man......When we woke up this morning, it was very, very cold! Very. I got packed up, ate some breakfast and headed up the mountain. That long, rocky, meandering, uphill climb that we did yesterday? Well, we only did half of it, so the second half was waiting for us. It was fairly uneventful. I just went up for a really long time! Things were going along fine, and I was looking forward to catching up with Bumpkin and Jerry for lunch when all of the sudden, the rocks started getting bigger. Like, size of a VW Bug big!!! After my third gut-wrenching climb up a big rock face, I had just about had it! It took four different attempts to get up the last one, and I was on the verge of tears. I told Bumpkin that I wanted to go home and she just laughed at me. She wouldn't laugh if she knew how serious I was!However, as my mom says, this to shall pass, and right after lunch..it did! We went above tree line and stayed there for the rest of the day.For those of you that have never been above tree line it is amazing! If the stunning, 360 degree view doesn't get you, the clear air will! We had 120 miles of visibility, and at one point, I counted 13 mountain ranges off in the distance! My friend Stevesays this is his favorite hike in the world, and I certainly understand why!The trail as we know it is gone completely. Instead, it looks like you are walking on the moon! Rocks and tan dirt as far ahead as you can see, interspersed with pine trees that are two feet tall, and surrounded by alpine growth. In some places, rocks line the path that you are supposed to take, but in othersyou are somewhat on your own. Tall piles of rocks called cairns mark the direction you are supposed to go in and from time to time, there is a white blaze painted on a rock.We crossed a whole slew of mountains, each one taller than the next. The end result was that when we reached Mount Layfayette, you could turn and look behind you and see miles of the rocky roller coaster you had spent the last few hours climbing. I really enjoyed this part of the AT! Being a holiday weekend, there were a million people on the trail. Many times, we would wait in line to go up or down a narrow section. I enjoyed meeting a bunch of nice people, but I did get sick and tired of skinny, young people with no packs bounding up past me and saying cheerily, "Keep it up! You're almost there!" Only pure exhaustion kept me from pushing their water bottle-carrying, LL Bean wearing, purfume-smelling selves down the mountain! :) But I did meet tons of nice people, and in general, had a really great day!As the sun started to head down, we came to the top of Mount Lafayette. 5249 feet, thank you very much! It was windy, cold, and utterly spectacular! There is an old rock wall that forms a big triangle, providing a bit of shelter from the wind. Bumpkin suggested we stealth camp, and we jumped on the idea! Now, understand, we are not supposed to be up here! The alpine areas are very fragile, so the AMC, Appalchian Mountain Club, does not allow camping. However, given that our campsites were in an area that was completely rock....no vegetation...we decided to take our chances.I am laying here on a reflector, and a pad, in a 20 degree bag. I have on expediton weight long johns, fleece jacket, gloves and a hat. And, I am colder than I have ever been in my life!!!!!!!BUT, I am looking out my tent at a technicolor sunset that usually only exists in the Bahamas. Add to that a view of Matrs that will be amazing, and I think the cold will be worth it! Know that if they find my frozen body, fingers clinched around my pocketmail, tomorrow.....I died happy! :) Love, Anna aka Mud Butt