Date: 2003-07-24
From: Glenncliff NH (Hikers Welcome Hostel)

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: moderate rain

Day 133 Avg Mls/Day 13.5Weather: Rain early morning. Thundershowers afternoon and evening. High around 80.Today' Nature: Fragile alpine growth atop Mt Moosilauke (couldn't see anything else through the fog)Falls Today 2 Total 8Well, today could very well be the most unpleasant day of the hike. I'll explain as I go along.Got up before 6 to find it raining outside. Decided to wait at least until 8 before hiking out. Had some coffee, pop tarts and left over pizza.PaHa said he was only hiking to the 2nd shelter today, about 7 miles. I was going to hike there too, but would decide what I was going to do when I got there, depending on the time and weather. Today I guess we technically start into the Whites. And the first mountain is Mt. Moosilauke at 4,802'.The rain let up and I left at 8. The first mile or so wasn't bad, then the climb began. It really wasn't that bad either, fairly gradual. It was just slow as it took me until 11 or so to reach the peak. On the way up I met and talked to several SOBO thru-hikers...Riddler, Junkie and Right On. All great guys. There were at least 2 others that I said hi to, but we didn't stop. The ones I talked with were obviously happy to be on their way out of the Whites. They were looking forward to less climbing and more towns.I also met a few day hikers. I saw no one else NOBO and hiked alone all day.Mt. Moosilauke was all fogged in. It reminded me of some of the early peaks down south. The wind gusts were strong and I considered stopping to put on my rain parka or the stretchtop. It was cold enough for gloves at one point.I arrived at Beaver Brook Shelter at 12:30 where I spent about a half hour eating lunch and reading the register. I knew the next mile and a half was some of the worst descent on the Trail. In fact there are warning signs before you enter it telling you not to do it if you're not experienced. I did it anyway. I also heard about the decline at the hostel. The weather seemed to be improving so I said "what the hell" and hiked on.It was slow going down a very steep Trail. In some places they built in steps. Most of the steep decline was a bed of jagged rocks that took time to negotiate. It was no fun. My first fall came on a slip backwards when I was carefully and slowly trying to handle an awkward step down. The 2nd one was a trip forward. Both I caught early enough to avoid injury.The big problem today was the afternoon and evening thunderstorms. The first one hit at 3. I used the emergency parka but the feet were soaked imediately. It rained hard enough to leave deep pools in the Trail that I couldn't always get around. It stopped after a half hour or so.The 2nd thunderstorm almost did me in. I didn't wear anything over my shirt and pack. It was a good 2 hours until I would reach my shelter destination when it hit. I got soaked! It just kept pouring and it seemed like forever getting here. The sky was so dark that it seemed like it was much later. I just kept moving, not even trying to sidestep the deep water in the Trail.What a relief to get to the shelter at 6:30. I was cold...so I immediately wiped off and changed into dry clothes. I can't tell you what a relief it was to be in this shelter.No one else was here so I set up my tent inside the shelter. I the cooked an instsant dinner for supper. I tried wringing the water out om my clothes best I could. The shelter is next to the brook that is rushing loudly over the rocks. The Trail crosses it but the water is so deep I'm not sure how I'll get across in the morning.Tomorrow I plan to hike about 9 miles to route 3 where I'm going to hitch into North Woodstock and dry out. I'll see what the forecast is before leaving for a 5 day stretch in the Whites. I'll talk more about that tomorrow.Thought for the Day: Hypothermia