Date: 2021-05-24
From: Mizpah Hut 

To: Osgood Campsite 
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

AT hike day 214.8 miles to the Osgood campsite. I didn¢t sleep well last night. The temperature got down to the upper 20s and my sleeping system didn¢t keep me toasty warm. We had to pitch our tents on a wooden platform and I think that cold wind was blowing up through the slats and making me cold on the bottom. I guess that I should have brought my xtherm pad. I got up around 4:45 with the first light, excited to hike the Presidential Range. The trail either passes over the summit or passes near the summit of several mountains named for presidents. I left camp around 6:15 and headed out looking forward to the summit of Mt Washington which was about 6 miles away. The hike involved the typical climbs and descents made difficult by the huge boulders in your way. I had to use my micro spikes in two places that had a steep slope covered with hard snow or ice. The flatter sections were made challenging because of swampy mucky trail that I had to concentrate on to keep my feet dry. I made it up to Mt Washington around 10:30 and I was the only person at the summit sign. During the busy season you might have to wait for 30 minutes for your turn to get your picture taken. Mt Washington is known for extreme weather and I was fortunate to have clear blue skies and light winds of 10 to 15 mph. There tourist shop had opened recently and I hung out in there for about an hour. I left at 11:40 and was treated to a trail that consisted of huge boulders that I had to hop from one to another. Once I got out of the boulder field the trail went back to its normal smaller sized bout. I encountered many section of trail that were covered with snow and ice. The danger of this is if your legs plunge through the snow down into hidden rocks and streams. Some hikers have broken bones postholimg. I tested the firmness of the snow with my trekking poles to avoid postholing. My leg did plunge through the snow into ice cold water once. There is a snow field that I was concerned about that leads down a steep ravine into a boulder field. I¢ve seen video and heard stories about this section. I wasn¢t too worried because I had my spikes in case the snow was icy. The snow was soft when I got there and I was able to kick in stable platforms for my feet. Reminded me of the Sierra. The vistas made all of the hard work worthwhile. The best views of Mt Washington are north of the mountain. You see magestic Washington and the steep ravine that plunges into a valley. I talked with many day hikers who were out hiking the Prezies. I also talked with a couple of guys carrying their ski equipment. They showed me the crazy steep ravine they skied down. The hardest part of my hike was at the end of the day. I had about 3 miles of hellish trail. First came a very steep climb up Mt Madison that involved using my hands and bear crawling.. Once over the top I had to descend 1 mile to tree line that was horrible. I was constantly taking huge steps down from one boulder to the next. This might be fun with a day pack but the weight of a 25 pound backpack results in a lot of jarring pressure that is absorbed by my feet, knees, and back. I had to go slowly to pick my way down so that I wouldn¢t trip and fall on my face. It took at least an hour to cover a mile. Once below tree line things improved but it still was slow going because of all the rocks and roots. I finally made it to the Osgood campsite and had to set up my tent on another platform. Hopefully it will be warmer tonight. I had the area to myself. I¢m beyond tired. Hiking the rugged trails of the White Mountains isn¢t for couch potatoes. Happy Trails, Silver StreakNote: I¢m finishing the last 346 miles that I have left from my 2019 thru hike attempt. The mileage includes a week that I hiked from Springer to the NOC.