Date: 2009-08-10
From: Crawford Notch (and Campground)

To: Mizpah Hut
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: fog

Hope was abundant in the morning that our drop and Tmax's protein supply would come in the mail today. Hope is good, but without luck we were screwed. We gathered all the best choices from the small store they had and before TMax had her pack tightened up, we had a ride back to the notch. While I have heard bantied about that maybe going up the Kinsmans was very difficult, and others found getting to South Twin a strain, ascending Crawford Notch was the toughest part of the whole trail that I have seen so far. Franconia was longer and maybe even steeper, but the footing was generally easy going. Getting to the Webster cliffs, a mere 2100 feet of gain in 1.8 miles was a scramble. Footing was almost never exact, and just when you thought you had a rhythm, you had to stop and meander around this rock or that and get a damn good hold of a higher rock and hope that your pack did not off-balance you. At the cliffs, you are still over a mile from Webster, and that mountain does not even count, being too close to Jackson. The day was windy, but the views and visibility were fantastic. TMax had a bit of a slow-go, which often happens when she has to worry about contorting her still injured right foot into small (sometimes almost non-exsistant) crotch holds. I told her to take her time, since carrying her pack, let alone her, up or down this trail to safety was not in my itinerary for this day. We enjoyed the views along the ridge when we could, and Jackson offered us some quality summit time. Then we had a quandry. She thought that she could go on for a few more miles, but once past Mizpah Hut, it was a long five miles to Lake Of The Clouds Hut. These were not easy miles. There is good reason the Backpacker magazine called the entire Pesidential Traverse the second toughtest dayhike in America a few years back (number three was the GRIAD - Entire Adirondack Great Range In A Day). We took our time and arrived at the hut to find that Egg and Choo-Choo were also allowed to work for stay. There was time to kill, and after all was said and done, little was asked of us that night, since the crew was having a party for one of its members. They even dispensed earplugs to us, in case they got out of hand (which they did). All I know is that the birthday girl came in crying and lots of stomping on the boards was noticable. One of the revellers left at three to hike the five miles in the dark back to the Lakes hut, where he was the cook of the day. "You can do a lot of crazy shit working here, and get away with most, but if you don't have food ready for the guests, you are pretty much screwed." ****It totally sucks that her food didn¢t come. Never mind me, I can, and do, eat almost anything. Being vegan, I hate to see her not enjoy food. She said she had bought some goodies, though she was now stuck with Oreos (Oreos are vegan, whodathunkit). Crawford Notch was a tough little bugger. It may well have been the most demanding climb of the trip for me. There were many places with narrow purchases to place your feet. The terrain was rugged and the wind did not help things. By the time we topped Mt. Webster, the tank was running low. Maybe it was the off day and all that cuddling. You see we stayed in a yurt last night, so we were afforded plenty of privacy. Two others were at the hut and work-for-staying, Egg and Ranger. Ranger was a real nice guy and a southbounder. He was not weird at all. The croo was having a party that night, so we were not asked to do much until morning. They also had a lot of extra chicken (and bacon the next morning) so us carnivores were very happy. TMax also had plenty to eat also. There was much joviality by the workers that night, followed by what usually happens when certain ingredients are mixed together, such as alcohol, merriment, and paying guests who want to sleep. Ah, to be young again (not!).