Date: 2011-07-19
From: US 2, Gorham, NH

To: Gentian Pond Shelter/Campsite, NH
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

Start US 2, Gorham, NH, mile 1883.1Stop Gentian Pond Shelter/Campsite, NH, mile 1894.9Hiked 11.8 miles NorthboundSleep tentCell noneOld Goat's notes:Today was a real butt kicker; we hiked 9.5 hours. There were many hills to climb and mud bogs to negotiate. We climbed out of Gorham and immediately went over Mt Hayes and then over Cascade Mountain. We ran out of water today. Fortunately we were able to fill up from a spring before it became critical. The first thing we did was make a bottle of Propel and drink it. We then filled our Camelbacks and we were ready to move on. Water is critical, our AT Guide tells us where we can find water, shelters and most things we would need along the trail. I don't know how we would do a hike like this without this vital information. Well off to sleep tonight, tomorrow Maine the 14th and final state. Check 6's notes:Old Goat talked about our getting water. There is a problem with my Camelback. It leaks. My solution through the Whites was to put it in a large zip lock bag. The zip lock caught the small bit of water that leaked out. Today that didn't work so well. Through the Whites my pack wasn't full of all my gear because we didn't need to carry everything when we were staying in the huts. Now my pack is full and crammed tightly. We think the pressure of all my gear must have aggravated the leak (we haven't been able to figure out from where it's leaking). Quite a while after we got water I noticed water was dripping on my leg. My lower back was soaking wet! I pulled things out if my pack and found there was a lot of water in the zip lock bag so the pressure of my full pack was pushing the water out of the top of the zip lock bag. I wasn't too worried because the things that can't get wet are all in warerproof bags. WRONG! When we got to the campsite and I pulled everything out I decided to make sure everything is dry. Waterproof bags are not entirely waterproof! Luckily it's dry outside and there's a nice breeze blowing so we put up a line and I dried everything. I wish I had known this before we started hiking today because we could have picked up some garbage bags and I would have lined my pack with a large garbage bag. Now we have 3 more days of hiking with a leaky Camelback before we get back to our car. So I'm annoyed that the new Camelback leaks and I'm annoyed that bags advertised as waterproof are NOT completely waterproof. Thank goodness not everything was soaked though...they did keep the majority of the water out. I've been thinking about something that puzzles me about the bogs (muddy areas). It seems that there are lots of footprints in the middle of every bog we come across. We do quite `well at avoiding stepping in the mud, so I wonder why we see so many footprints in the bogs. I could see occasionally losing one's balance and having to step in a bog, but some of the footprints look as if people just don't care and just walk straight through them. If that's the case, then some people hike with very muddy boots and socks. There were a lot of muddy bogs today. One had boards over it, but there were 3 sections of boards and the middle section of boards sank under the surface if the bog. Old Goat threw a bunch of large tree branches on the mud at the edge if the bog so we could get around it without having to get all muddy. The campsite is full tonight. There is a group of kids here (with a couple adults with them). I thought they'd be real noisy, but it's 9pm and they're quiet already. Just some talking going on, and not very loudly. The tent platforms are all being used and we're one of 4 tents in the "overflow" area. Just an area that has some fairly level spots. On to Maine tomorrow!!!!!!!> Sent from my iPhone