Date: 2007-08-19
From: Hanover, NH

To: Goose Pond Road
Miles today: 14.2

I have been looking forward to today, as well as dreading it. I have been looking forward to arriving in Hanover for some time now because in a few short days I will be above timberline for the first time on the trip. Leaving Hanover means soon I'll be traversing NH's high alpine peaks and in the middle of some of the most spectacular scenery on the AT. It will be nearly a solid week of alpine traverses along ridgelines that have the reputation of being able to serve up some of the worst weather in the world! this is also Skip's home state; though the old man's face fell off the mountain some time ago, I'll be walking right past the cliff where he used to be.At the same time I have been dreading Hanover because I will be picking up my cold weather gear again and increasing my pack weight substantially. I'll be getting my warmer sleeping bag back, along with a few warmer clothes including a thermal top and bottom, a softshell pullover, my better rain gear, hat and mittens. I haven't carried long hiking pants since VA but will now need a pair. This additional gear will not fit in my current pack and still allow me to carry 7 days food so I will have to switch back to my larger (and heavier) pack. The net difference in pack weight will be an increase of about 8 lbs in my base weight. This doesn't sound like much but will feel like a ton until I get used to it again.I ate breakfast with Mom and Dad then we went back to the CT River bridge to take a picture of me at the state line. They then dropped me off at the Hanover Outdoors outfitter, which is right on the AT, about 11.00 AM and I headed out of town. Sure enough, my bigger pack and larger load felt like it weighed a ton going up the hill towards Velvet Rocks. I was taking it slow and dropped my pack to walk the 0.2 mile into the new Velvet Rocks Shelter to sign the register. It turned out that there was no register and water was a half mile away so I turned atound and headed on up the AT.I stopped for a bit of lunch at the Hanover Center Road about 2.00 PM along with 2 other thru hikers I just met. They have been on the trail almost a month longer than I have and have been doing a lot of slackpacking. In general I must be moving up the trail more consistently than they are but today they are moving faster than I am by quite a bit.There was a nice view of hills and rural countryside from the south peak of Moose Mountain. I arrived at Moose Mtn Shelter about 5.00 PM so I decided to keep going for a few more miles. At the north peak of Moose Mtn ther a limited but fine view to the north and east of peaks coming up soon on the Trail. Afyer a sharp descent I crossed Goose Pond Road and began looling for a campsite and water source. I found a small bench just off the trail that was just big enough for my tent. Water was a bit more of a problem. I finally walked about a quarter mile back to an old beaver pond and filtered a few liters of water.I could tell it was a weekend today by all the day hikers on the trail. It was a nice cool day for hiking (high 55) and being so close to Hanover, lots of folls were out on the Trail. It began to cool quickly and by the time I finished dinner it was 48. Now I'm glad I have my warmer bag back! Tomorrow I'll climb Smarts and Cube mts. NH's White Mountains have begun.