Date: 2004-07-18
From: Mizpah Springs Hut

To: Madison Hut
Miles today: 11.8

My work-for-stay arrangement was that I sweep out the bunkrooms in the morning and shake out some of the blankets, so I didn't actually start walking until 10.I walked quickly, though, anxious to make good time, and even though the terrain was difficult I still managed a 2 mile an hour pace for 5 miles to Lake of the Clouds, which is the biggest AMC hut in the Whites. It's situated in a little nook in the Presidential Range, which climaxes at Mount Washington, about a mile farther down the trail and 1200 feet higher up. The ridge is amazing, actually-- it's a fairly nice day (our first one in the Whites), and you can see for miles along the ridge. It's definitely our best view in the Whites so far.We even get a view off Mt. Washington. The mountain is situated at the intersection of several storm tracks, and is famed for having the worst weather in North America. The top is enveloped in fog 300 days a year, but we get a view. Not a great one-- cumulus clouds are beginning to build high, and clouds are moving across the summit on occasion. The place is also chock full of tourists, since an auto road and a passenger railway both lead right to the summit. But that means there's a snack bar, and I have a lunch of hot dogs, chips, and soda.Starting down Mt. Washington, I get some great views of the Northern Presidential Ridge where I'll be hiking this afternoon. The clouds are getting thicker, though, and I hope I don't get trapped on the ridge in a thunderstorm. A while later, a thunderstorm does begin to pour in the valley far off to my left, and I watch the distant rain with fascination. The rain is spitting here, but not bad at all.My destination for the day is Madison Hut, which is only about 5 and a half miles from Mt. Washington, but the trail is rockier than anything I've seen since Pennsylvania, and the going is incredibly slow. About 3 miles from the hut, the fog rolls in and it begins to rain in earnest. The wind is whipping along the ridge, too, which makes for quite a hiking experience as I hurry as fast as I can along the rocks. About a mile later I pass a family moving slowly, and I think that maybe I should stop to offer help, but what could I do? Reluctantly, I move on.Another interesting incident up near the top of the next mountain, when I come across part of the A.T. that it marked with blue blazes instead of white blazes. Luckily, the section is only about fifty yards long, and there's a signpost at the end of it that assures me I'm still on the A.T. After that, it's back to the reassuring white blazes once again-- though why there are blue blazes up there, I'll never know.Finally, I reach the hut about 6:30 and score another work-for-stay. Squish, Paul, and Rockhound arriver soon after and are also invited in-- I don't think they'd turn away anyone in weather like this.About 8, the family I passed two miles from the hut still hasn't shown up, and Squish, Rockhound and I, along with a member of the hut's "croo", go out searching for them. We find them only about a quarter-mile from the hut, thank goodness-- if they had gone down the wrong trail or something like that, I highly doubt we would have found them. So we take their packs and help them back to the hut; an interesting end to an interesting day.