Date: 2004-08-22
From: North Woodstock, NH

To: Garfield Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

Day #161 "Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road Healthy, free The world before me, The long, brown path before me Leading wherever I chose." Walt Whitman From "The Song of the Open Road" Catdog, Quest, Hawk and I shared a room at one of the local hotels in North Woodstock. First on the agenda was to dry our equipment and re-supply. Yesterday was a rough day for Catdog and Quest. There was a hint of taking a zero day to recuperate.It is amazing how the weather can change mental attitudes in less than 12 hours. The weather forecast for the next five days: low humidity, mild temperatures and sunny days. The weatherperson has been more wrong than right in the past, so we had a wait and see attitude. Dawn broke with a cloudless, clear blue sky, a glorious bright sun rising above the mountains and the air cool. These ideal conditions caused the air among thru hikers to be electrically charged, knowing the first test of the White Mountains, the Franconia Ridge, would become a reality within hours. Quest, Catdog, Diesel, Maya Quez, Skippy, Now or Never, Poppins, Hawk and I piled into a shuttle van and headed for the trailhead at 9:00. I was on the trail at 9:30 heading up a steep grade. My heart was racing, not because of the climb, but because of the excitement. Closing in on the ridge I could smell the Christmas tree aroma of the firs. The trees got smaller indicating I was nearing an alpine environment. Suddenly, I heard a YA-HOOOO and then another. I must be close to that first impression of seeing the vast world before you or, these folks were seeing their world go by them from a fall. The climb was almost straight up. Hiking poles were of no use, so I would throw them up to the next level and climb hand over hand. My heart was beating faster, the excitement intense. Any minute, my world would become a view of wonderment. Suddenly, I am above tree line, looking up at Little Haystack Mt. (4760 ft.) with Mt. Lincoln (5089 ft.) rising behind. Tiny assorted colors of clothing can be seen moving on the summits and on the brown trail connecting the mountains. The size reminded me of watching a colony of ants going about their work in a long line, single file. Turning around, behind me in the distance, are waves of purple mountains and, closer in before me, are green mountains and valleys. Incredible! Breathless! I don't remember my feet hitting the brown rocky path to the summit of Little Haystack, but there I was, on the summit spinning like Julie Andrews in the "Sound of Music" looking at the 360 degree panoramic views. Some of my thru-hiker family was already there, others were only minutes behind. We all had the same expression of amazement and accomplishment on our faces.We were not the only people on the ridge. There were also day hikers and section hikers, young and old with the same face. It was so clear you could see in the distance, Mt. Washington 35 miles away. After a brief rest I continued following the white blazes on the brown path to Mt. Lincoln and further to Mt. Lafayette (5249 ft.) I broke for lunch on Mt Lafayette, staring at the beauty before me, where ever the eye could see. A large group of thru-hikers collected on the summit of Lafayette and we took a group photo of us around a cairn. One by one we split up going to our night destinations, not all in the same place. My intention was to go over the summit of Mt. Garfield (4488 ft.) and stay at the AMC Galehead Hut. Quest, Hawk, Catdog and I planned a meeting place at the Garfield Ridge Campsite before continuing on to the hut. Hawk was hiking in front of me and must have by-passed the campsite, because I was the first one there. I was there not more than 30 minutes when one of the Hobbits came running in saying April Showers fell and severely sprained here ankle before the climb up Mt. Garfield. Quest, Catdog, Now or Never, Diesel and Maya Quez were with April, but Hawk and I were requested to move back up Mt. Garfield to assist. Not knowing how long I would be gone, I made a little bag of survival items to take with me and headed back down the trail. April made good time coming down the mountain with everyone splitting up her pack load. I met them just below the summit. The ankle was indeed swollen even in the boot and I felt her pain both physically and mentally, having been there myself. Walking back to the campsite I learned both Pappa Bear and Badger stayed behind due to the injuries from Saturday's bushwhacking adventure, hope all is well and, with a day's rest that you guys are back on the trail. Due to the lateness of the day Quest, Catdog and I spent the night at the Garfield Ridge campsite. I stayed in the shelter while the other two tented.