Date: 2015-08-27
From: White Mountain Lodge and Hostel, Gorham

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I did not sleep well. I was worried about what was coming up next. I checked the weather, fortunately the report was good for the next few days.As usual I was up between 5 and 5:30. Breakfast was served at 7 - OJ, a thick creme Brule French Toast, 2 small sausage links, and a large blueberry muffin. It was too many bread carbs and too much for me to eat all at once. I saved the muffin for later.The Hostel took 2 car loads of Hikers to Pinkham Notch. Some were doing the 21 miles in 3 days, some in 2, and some were slack packing it in just 1 day (the very young and fit, and Germans - they are hiking machines!) One of the German guys is attending a fine arts school. In addition to hiking 20 miles per day, he takes breaks during the day and draws on birch bark. He was selling his artwork for $10 during breakfast to help fund his trip.I got dropped off at Pinkham Notch. I hoped to do the 21 rugged miles in 3 days, but just in case I brought food for 4 days. I finished putting my pack together, bought a map covering the rest of NH and the beginning of Maine, and ate the muffin and an orange.The AT crosses NH 16 right in front of the AMC Joe Dodge Lodge and follows the relatively flat Lost Pond trail for about 1 mile before turning onto the Wildcat Ridge trail, which is steep and rocky. Before the day was over, I knew I would be climbing from 2000 feet to 4000 feet, drop down a little, then climb to over 4000 feet, all within 4 miles. The steep climbs were bad, but I was more worried about the extremely steep declines. The climb was so steep that I strapped my hiking poles to my pack so I could use both hands to pull myself up and over the rocks. It was steep but manageable, with only 2 spots that really scared me.The AT guide mentioned a "Rocky crevasse, stairs." I had no idea what to expect, then I saw it. A long almost vertical crevasse formed by 2 smooth rock walls a few stories tall. The top 1/3 had large boulders stacked and wedged in the crevasse. There is no rebar or wooden steps for the lower 2/3 of the crevass.Somehow I wedged myself and the beast into the cravass, and like an inch worm I worked my way up the cravass until I reached the first boulder, and pulled myself up and over it. I honestly do not know how I did it other than by just sheer will power and determination. (What other choice did I really have?) Once I finally climbed over all the boulders and reached the top I did not look back. I did not want to know just how far I could have fallen if I had slipped. But I did warn all the southbound hikers I saw that day about the cravass and the boulders. I could picture someone backing down over those rocks and not realizing that the rocks run out about 1/3 of the way down. That last step would be a long drop. I have no idea how you go up or down over that in the rain.The other scary spot involved a very narrow ledge in the middle of a smooth almost vertical rock face. The ledge was not as wide as 1/2 the width of my hiking boot. There was nothing to hang onto. So I just leaned into the wall as I inched my way along the narrow ledge. If my pack shifted or I otherwise lost my balance I was going to fall off the ledge, tumble down the rock face, and fall off the mountain.The first peak, reached after 2 miles of hard climbing, was almost humorous. Wildcat Mountain is used for skiing in the winter. The gondola operates in the summer, taking tourists to my exact location for just $12!! I could have avoided the long climb, the cravass, and the death defying ledge for a mere $12!! But then I would not be a true thru hiker.After a short decline, the trail climbed to over 4400 feet. The weather was beautiful, so the views were wonderful. Pictures will never do the Whites justice. Fortunately the descent was not as bad as I expected. It was steep and tedious, but not scary. I had hoped to go further today, but I was beat from all the climbing. I decided to try for WFS at Carter Notch Hut, the most eastern AMC Hut and, therefore, the last one I would see.Carter is one of the oldest and smallest Huts, accommodating only 40 guests (Lakes of the Clouds holds 90 guests). One of the thru hikers who already had WFS and was waiting outside until the guests finished eatting told me that I was not too late and they were still serving dinner - he thought I was a guest, not a thru hiker.I humbly asked for WFS, and mentioned all my certifications. I was given WFS and I was able to do a nature talk as my chore. So at 8 the Hut Naturalist and I took a small group down to one of the small ponds near the Hut. I talked primarily about squirrels. We looked for signs of Moose but found none. The near full moon in the clear sky over the pond and mountains was beautiful. Dinner was cabage soap, bread, and a vegetarian dish made with black beans and corn. I do not like black beans, and I have a problem digesting corn, but I ate everything I was given. Afterall, I essentially begged for table scraps, and beggers cannot be picky.There were a total of 4 WFS thru hikers, 2 northbounders, and 2 southbounders. I was the only woman and old enough to be their mother. We exchanged information about the trail and had a very nice conversation during dinner and before turning in for the night on the dining room floor. The AT is calling. So far so good. I hope the rest of the 21 rugged miles goes as well.