Date: 2016-07-10
From: Cloud Pond Lean-to

To: Logan Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 23.9
Weather: few clouds

Today might top the Carters for toughest day of hiking I've had, but that is also being compounded by my heavy pack, the terrible weather and my general emotional exhaustion with the trail. I am ready to be done. Ready. It rained more overnight, but I slept decently even though I think Wonka and I shared sleeping pads at a couple points. Wonka was gone crazy early as usual, but I was up nearly after her. Lightning and I ended up being ready to go significantly before Seal Tree and Goldie and decided to just get moving. The weather was about the same as yesterday, just a bit less blustery. Everything is damp, and it just seems like it won't dry out ever again.The first part of the day was a rollercoaster over a bunch of peaks in the Chairback range. Some of them would have had nice views, it looks like. I was less exhausted than I thought I'd be over them, but we moved pretty slow. It took us just under three hours to get to Chairback Gap Lean-to, six miles into our day. Christ. Climbing down from fourth mountain my foot slipped out from under me, and I tumbled down about ten or twelve feet of steep rocky terrain. Somehow I managed to avoid getting hurt at all, all the abuse landed on my pack, but it was an impressive fall. Lightning was right behind me, fortunately, but says that in that moment flashed through his mind the possibility that he was about to have to carry me out. It was good to have corroboration that it was an impressive fall, because it felt impressive. Thank God I'm okay.Steve caught us at the first shelter where we sat and snacked and marveled at how long this was taking us. Down off the back of Chairback (First) Mountain, we descended through a rock slide, some of the sketchiest hiking since the whites, and worse because of the weather. It was also tough to find the trail. I suppose this was what that Canadian Sobo was on about when he described the Chairbacks as "cathedrals of rock." Ridiculous. It was just fine. We did find a hiker taking cover from the weather under a boulder and eating lunch. We originally could not see him and it was fun having a conversation with a rock.The next bunch of miles fortunately went pretty quickly, but threw more little ups and downs at us. The weather was a little clearer at lower elevation, and the pine trees were spectacular. The trail tread was better as we passed through the border of Gulf Hagas, a canyon with very large waterfalls that we decided to pass up. We eventually came to Carl Newhall Shelter around 3, and from the voices we heard, decided to just move on the 7 more miles over the White Cap Range. This was not a little decision, however, as we had already gone a pretty full day over tough terrain. We also didn't want to leave Seal Tree and Goldie out of the loop, so we stopped in and left them a note in the log book just in case.And so began one of the most draining but satisfying sections of hiking I've done. Ahead of us were four peaks, each one pushing higher than the last, each climbing about 600 feet then falling 200. I led us onward, first up Gulf Hagas Mountain. We then descended to the Sidney Tappan Campsite, where we had been counseled to stay earlier in the day by a Sobo. It was nice, with lots of lovely tenting space. But at only a mile past the shelter, why stop here? Lightning filled up water and we moved on.West Peak was next, and the trail often felt like a staircase. On the descent of the other side, we met a southbounding couple, and when we asked the man how he was doing, he replied: "dying." We find this kind of stuff funny. We would get to the tops of these mountains then fall back to the gap in the ridge to see another mountain rising ahead of us. We regrouped at the top and bottom of each, motivating each other to go. God it was tough. Fortunately, the next, Hay Mountain was pretty doable, and barely registered as a summit. Then, finally, was whitecap. The trail widened out into rocky path similar to the tops of the carters in NH, but this just meant more wind and drizzle to hit us. The summit was completely exposed, with a big cairn and a lot of open rock. I was getting cold even in my coat. This is supposed to be a Nobo's first view of Katahdin, but no such luck today, not even close. I tried without luck to find cell reception. Another day of no word from me for Ali and my parents. We picked our way down through the rough rocks and headed into a fold in the mountain called Logan Gorge.It was about 6:30 at this point, and we were ready for camp. Logan Brook Lean-to fell into sight and I was disappointed to see tents already up, suggesting that the shelter was full. Which it was. And here's what gets me: it was full of people who had just taken a zero there. Yeah, a group of five sobos had decided that it was too rainy and depressing for them even to go five miles to a reasonable campsite. There are one-night-stay rules in Virginia and other places to prevent exactly this from happening; it doesn't leave equal opportunity for folks to use the amenities that the trail provides. And they seemed so self-satisfied with it, like they had outsmarted the weather. I was pretty furious with them. And unfortunately, as the person earlier today had warned us, there are precious few camping spots outside the shelter. But moving on was out of the question. We were fucking beat. I managed to find an open plot of ground between trees (and next to a cliff) exactly the size of my tent, so i set up without too much trouble. Lightning and Steve had a great deal of trouble finding spots for their hammocks, though. Unfortunately, the tenting area .1 down the trail is being used up by a maintenance crew, so pickings are very slim. Seal Tree and Goldie showed up having had just about as exhausting a day as we had. Goldie seemed especially down once again - when you don't have a pack cover, everything gets wet, and when everything gets wet, you get sad. They seemed to have less trouble finding hammock spots than lightning or steve, but maybe they were just more willing to compromise. I made dinner on the deck of the shelter as the sobos sat there in the dark. I was even more annoyed to learn that two of these guys have flip flopped from Harper's, and should know better. I didn't say anything because it couldn't change anything, but damn. I really resented that. The one ray of sunshine right now is that because we did huge miles today, we can make it to a place that would be a nice recovery for us tomorrow: White House Landing, a hostel in the middle of the 100 accessible via a side trail and speedboat ride. The prospect of a bed cheered us for tomorrow.