Date: 2008-08-12
From: Crawford Notch, NH

To: Mizpah Hut\Nauman Campsite, NH
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: light rain

Back to hiking in the Whites today. Karen took me through McDonald's drive thru so I could tank up on totally unhealthy food, but it sure tasted good.We took the 45 min. drive from Gorham back to Crawford Notch, and arrived a bit after 8 a.m. I could see the climb I had ahead of me, 2 miles up to Webster Cliffs. It looked daunting.I wrote my hiking plan out for Karen and we said our goodbyes, but it isn't nearly as stressful since I know she's picking me up @ Pinkham Notch in 4 days.I was off @ 8:37 a.m. The forecast called for cloudy, but clearing in the afternoon. Wrong again....I started up towards Webster Cliffs. The trail goes over a fantastic stream that was golden in color. To my surprise, this climb wasn't as bad as I'd anticipated. It was hard, but the trail wrapped around the mountain and then came back up, so it was like 1 giant switchback. I stopped for more water about 1\2 way up, and I stopped and talked to Lady and Tramp, a married thru-hiker couple from AZ. Nice people. A married section hiker couple, Fiddlehead and Lambswool (VT) also came thru.At 10:20 a.m., I emerged and found myself at the top of Webster Cliffs. It was awesome because I recognized the visitor center and a pond down below, along US 3. I could also see the parking area @ Crawford Notch. The trail actually parallels US 3 for quite awhile, obviously way up high though.It was windy and cool, with some low clouds but patches of blue sky. There was a view!I enjoyed it, then headed on. Today's hike was quite physically demanding with a lot of rock scrambling, some almost totally verticle. The trail goes along the outer edge of this ridge, going above treeline for a few minutes then dipping back below treeline. It did this all day with the exposed parts being at the top of the mountains.After Webster Cliffs, it's a climb up Mt. Webster, which was challenging. See, the Whites are hard because so much is not hiking, but is rock scrambling, bouldering, and butt scoting, hanging on to tree roots, wedging your foot into tiny crevaces to have a place to grip, and stuff like this. You can't be in a hurry, and it's all wet too, which is very slick.It took quite awhile for me to get to the top of Mt. Webster. Below treeline, the trail was very muddy and flooded.It started to rain lightly, so I put my hat on and pack cover, but the climbs were keeping me plenty warm. It was a short steep .5 mile descent from Mt. Webster, then a more gradual climb to within .2 from the summit of Mt. Jackson, which again was above treeline, but the last .2 were steep. At one point, I had my feet as far apart as they would stretch, lying on my stomach and trying to push myself up with nothing to grip. It was a giant slick boulder with nothing to grip and where you'd normally stand on the ground, it was deep muddy water.I could see Mizpah Hut, 1.7 miles away, and the Mt. Washington Hotel along US 3. There was also another rainstorm moving swiftly across the mountains, and towards me. Amazing how quickly weather can move.I tried to move swiftly, but the rocky steep slabs are just to slick to move fast upon, so I made my way slowly. I got back down below treeline and the rain started. Now, there were no more significant climbs, so I had to put my rainjacket on to stay warm. It was 58 degrees.Lady and Tramp passed me, and then later, I caught up to them. I talked to them a bit and looked over to see the world's dumbest Grouse. They usually wait till you're on them, then they scare the crap out of you by flying suddenly from the ground. Well, this grouse decided it just wanted to peck around in the mud, and it was about 15 ft away and didn't care that we were all there.Next, the trail passed thru an exposed boggy boardwalk where you are literally surrounded by what looks solid muddy ground, but it is actually quicksand mud. My hiking pole sunk 2\3 of the way down, and it was thick nasty stuff. One of the boards was submerged, but you don't really have a choice but to walk in thick wet mud about 3" deep, where the board has sunken.You eventually end up back in the woods, and it's about .4 to Mizpah Hut. I got to the hut @ 2:58 p.m. There's a campsite here, so I decided to camp and not sleep in the hut.I walked to the caretaker's tent, and Brent greeted me. Very very nice man who actually took me over to a totally secluded campsite that he said would be private. He was right. There's a bearbox where he's at, which is nice too.I got camp set up and took my food into the hut to make dinner. You can't cook inside, so I cooked my dinner outside and met Animal (CT) and Zero (NJ) 2 cool men. It started raining again, so I moved my cooking operation right outside of the hut door. There's no overhang, so I stood inside while my food cooked.I ate dinner and talked to Lambswool and Fiddlehead, who are both getting their Ph.D.'s right now.I finished around 4:30 p.m., and the rain stopped for a bit. I walked over to Brent's and paid him and put my food in the bearbox. He said they have a juvenile bear that has been causing problems. Just last week it tried to DRAG the bearbox AWAY!Brent said something was out there again last nite too, but he didn't see tracks.I got tucked in around 5:30 p.m. Very early, but it's quite chilly @ 56 degrees with sprinkles. I'm pretty tired though, so I'm going to water the leaves again and call it a nite.I'm just going to Lakes of the Clouds Hut tomorrow, which is about a 4 hr hike. Oh, the Companion suggested you call and resrve a place in the Dungeon, a basement shelter that sleeps 6 @ Lakes of the Clouds. I called and found there are no reservations for it. I thought it was odd, but am glad I know now.Most of today was below treeline by the way. Yes, parts were very exposd, but hanging between Crawford Notch and Mizpah Hut would not be a problem. There were plenty of potential spots to hang.One last bit. Fiddlehead and Lambswool were turned away @ Galehead Hut @ 6 p.m. a few nites ago during a lightening storm. They were told to go to the next shelter, so they ended up hiking over the very exposed Twin Mtn. in an electrical storm. The next day, some other hikers they know told them they were accepted @ Galehead and they showed up afer Fiddlehead and Lambswool left. I guess the lesson is it depends on which croo member you talk to. Galehead Hut needs get a clue. Rumor has it Carter Hut is another problem child and you should avoid it as well. I was planning on staying there, so I may have to come up with another plan.It's too bad the AMC hut situation has to be this way. Many of us hikers were talking tonight and we decided if they could build these huts with full kitchens, perhaps the solution would be to build shelters at\near the hut sites as well, so long distance hikers could use the shelters instead of "bothering" the hut croos. I don't know, it just seemes ridiculous to have any sort of tension between the groups. We'e all out here to enjoy or help others enjoy the Whites.Well, gotta get bundled up and warm up more.~Certain