Date: 2018-08-06
From: My Washington summit 

To: Pinkham notch to Rattle river hostel
Miles today: 13.5

Such a great experience last night!Shooting stars,beautiful moon,clouds racing over very close by,and some really strong winds.I had to get up to relieve myself during the night and my sleeping pad and bag almost blew away.Had to put my backpack on them to hold them down.Woke up a couple of times in thick clouds.Was so cool to see them separate and blow away to reveal the clear skies.  Didn¢t sleep the greatest from all the excitement of being up here but was so worth it.My sleeping bad is pretty soaked on the outside.Think it¢s from the cloud moisture.Woke early to catch the sunrise on the opposite side of the mtn..I was the only one up there.Was really beautiful.A worker at the weather observatory came out and talked to me for a while and was telling me about some of the crazy weather he sees up here.He said lightning storms are amazing to watch from in there.I would love to see that.He was also explaining how the wildfires out in California were affecting the way the sunrises looked.A little hazy.Looked beautiful to me. Really clear and crisp morning.Started the hike down Washington by the cog railway tracks.Views were spectacular.Deep valleys and huge mountain tops with the sunrises red tint on everything.ATrail takes you by Mt Clay and Jefferson.All open with views that just make you feel like you are on another planet.All rocky and open and very rugged.Beautiful white boulders and many others with sparkly pieces all through them.Just hard to believe such a beautiful place can exist without getting ruined . After many ups and downs made it to Madison Spring hit for a break.Was very busy and filled with mostly day hikers.Got a quick bite to eat and headed up Mt Madison.I did Madison before a long time ago and had no views at all.Today was perfect so I couldn¢t wait to see the view.Its a pretty serious steep climb up on mostly open rock slabs.This is my favorite kind of climbing.Made it to the summit and couldn¢t believe what I couldn¢t see my first time up here!Mt Washington and Jefferson and others right in your face.Very impressive to look at their enormous size.I know I keep saying it but this was one of my favorite views on the AT.Looking in the other direction shows the very long and open ridge line down to Pinkham notch where we would end our day.  I was really excited to do this ridge descent..until I started doing it.Views were spectacular all the way down to the tree line,but was just seriously sharp and jagged rocks all the way down.Was pretty hot and sunny too.I get a little frustrated when I can¢t make good time when I hike.This stuff just slows you down so much!Once back in the trees it was still super rocky and rugged and steep down climbing.Came across 2 young day hikers who pointed out a little owl in a tree about 15 feet from the trail.One of them just happened to look over and saw it.Was really cool for me to see this.Love owls and have never been this close to one.It just stared at me with its huge eyes for a few minutes,then flew off without a sound. Still down,down and more down.Something happened and I missed a turn and we went down the wrong trail for a mile or more.I knew something wasn¢t quite right because the trail was so nice and not beaten up like most of the AT is.Checked my GPS and had to head way back to a river crossing where the sign for AT north was on the south side of the tree .First time we have done this.Added 2 or more miles to an already hard day.After more rugged trail and a few hours made it to Pinkham Notch.Met the other Comfortably Nimb there and some others northbound AT hikers I never met yet.Sally Forth,Inside Out,and Pit Boss.All really nice.Numb and I decided to go to Rattle river hostel for the night.Really great place.They picked us all up and away we went.Lots of southbound AT hikers were there.Wayward was there.Went into town and got some beers and fast food. Had a great night here with Wayward ,Numb,and Serena (the Notch hostel owner)hung out with us for a while.Also talked to Pancakes who I haven¢t seen since Va...She is a really cool lady and we had a pretty serious conversation about some things we have in common.Hoping to be able to hike and talk with her some more.Hostel is a really old house with lots of character.Numb and I are doing a 21 mile hike tomorrow over a really hard section.I am a little anxious about it. Ahhhhhh,really nice bed here to crash in.Feels so good.Goodnight all!