Date: 2003-08-08
From: Kinsman Pond Campsite

To: Garfield Pond
Miles today: 13.3

As usual, it rained last night, first sprinkles, then it poured. But in about 5 minutes it stopped, like someone had turned off a faucet. That didn't mean much to me, since my shoes are soaked anyway, and nothing dries at night. It just made me roll over in my sleeping bag and think "It figures." One of the guys at the shelter with us (Jimmy C, I think) is a NOBO, but going south for about 3 days while his cousin hikes with him. Before Hotdog and I left the shelter, another hiker stopped by. He started a thruhike at Springer Mtn this year, flipped to Katahdin from Hanover, and is hiking south to complete his thruhike. He started March 2 and will be done within a week. It's funny that, at one of the least-used shelters in the Whites, we met two northbound thruhikers going south. It just shows how many different ways the AT can be hiked.I saw my first AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) Hut today, Lonesome Lake Hut, and had a great experience there. The croo member on duty let us have any of the food left over from breakfast. We each had about 3 pancake PB&J sandwiches, and I had a cookie bar and sausage link too. Cricket, the croo member, was quite friendly, and even though she was busy cooking, she conversed with us while we ate our snacks. Usually, the croo members treat thruhikers very well, and this Hut lived up to that. Last night, the two guys that stayed at the same shelter as us stopped at this Hut and were allowed to buy dinner and eat with the Hut guests. I'd like to try to stay at a Hut, doing work-for-stay. It just depends how we do each day, and if it will fit into our approximate schedule. It would be fun, one day, to tour the Whites, staying at Huts. That way, all I'd have to carry hiking would be any personal items, water and some snacks.Shortly after leaving the Hut, we had to cross a stream. The water has been a bit high, with all of the rain, and we'd heard that this stream crossing would probably require fording it, instead of rock-hopping. We were able to rock-hop almost all the way across, but there was a large gap between two of the boulders, and I, being shorter legged, was unable to jump across. I didn't even try, as a fall would have been dangerous. I gave Hotdog my poles, then asked if he could help pull me across, if I could, at least get one foot on the boulder. Before I got that far, I lost my balance while sitting on a pointy rock, and my pack pulled me backwards onto another rock. For a couple of seconds I felt like a turtle on it's back, and I couldn't get up. Finally, I was able to sit on the pointy rock again. Then I had to stand on a rock that was about a foot under water, just to be able to reach the next dry one. I put one foot on it, and, as Hotdog pulled, I stepped onto the dr! y boulder. Aaaahhh... made it with only one soaked shoe. The other one was just wet.The trail to US3 from the stream was quite nice, having a fairly rock-free footpath, and not much mud. It was a welcome break from the mud, rocks, and roots that have become so common lately. We took a break just past US3/Franconia Notch, and I took my shoes off, wrung out my socks, and aired out my feet. My feet do not like being wet all the time. Unfortunately, I don't see an end to the wetness. Oh well.We climbed 2700' to Franconia Ridge, and starting with Little Haystack Mountain, we were above treeline for the next couple of miles. When I first came to treeline and then above, I was, once again, in awe of its beauty. It was still foggy/cloudy, but it was still beautiful. I immediately forgot how tired I was, and just looked at the little bit of ridge that I could see through the fog. I could only imagine how incredible the view must be when it's clear! We crossed our first Presidental Mountain today, Mt. Lincoln, then continued along the ridge to Mt. Lafayette. We were above 4000' for about 5 miles and around 5000' for about 2 miles. It was awesome! I can't wait to see a ridge above treeline when it is clear out.About 0.7mi from the top of Mt.Lafayette, we saw a tent set up, and stopped to talk to one of the two hikers there. The lady is hiking with her son for a week, with an ending destination of Mt. Washington. While we were talking to her, the fog cleared slightly, and we were able to see down in the valley a little bit, and a couple of lakes off in the distance. To Hotdog and I, that was a view. It was awesome! Then the fog/clouds rolled back in and closed off the view. It showed that there is potential for a view though!We didn't have a plan for where to stay tonight, as the shelter/hut choices were at either 7mi or 15mi for the day, and neither one was attractive to us. Also, we didn't really want to climb another steep 800' mountain after hiking 13mi already. So the plan was to just wing it, and hope we could find something when we got tired. Around 6:30, as we were in the middle of a long descent, Hotdog found an old trail that appeared to lead to a couple of level areas. We pondered staying there, and decided to hike a bit more. It seemed like a mistake, when our downhill took a turn uphill, and I thought "Ted has something better for us." Not long after that, we came across a large level area just off the trail, and called it 'home'.Because there isn't a water source here, we ate snacks and cold food for dinner instead of cooking. Neither one of us wanted to use our water to cook with, as we would rather drink it. I think we are very near Garfield Pond, so we can fill up on water there in the morning, before climbing Mt. Garfield.It was another tough day today, but we actually put in a lot of miles. I figured we'd average about 10mi/day through here, but so far we're slightly ahead of that. I don't really care how many miles we do each day. I like hiking until I'm tired then looking for a spot. It's not as much fun since it's been rainy, but we lucked out so far today, getting only light sprinkles this morning, and again on the ridge this afternoon.During the long climbs, I try to maintain a steady pace, so that I don't need to stop and rest. I have a harder time getting going again, than if I just slow down to catch my breath, but continue hiking. Once I reach the summit though, I feel great! Today, the phrase "That which doesn't kill me, makes me stronger" came to mind. I truly believe it with this hike! All the sweat and pain is forgotten with incredible views or events. That's not to say the pain doesn't return when I get going again, but it makes it worth it.I have told numerous people that this is the most difficult, and best, thing I've ever done. That is absolutely true. I have never worked so hard physically, never been so miserably wet, never ached so much, but it is all worth it. Undeniably.