Date: 2004-08-17
From: NH 112

To: North Woodstock
Miles today: 16.3

With this cool front down from Canada and the higher geographic latitude of New Hampshire, its fairly chilly when the sun is covered in clouds. This morning however, the sun was forecasted to win the battle despite the low dense fog, you could just feel it would be a gorgeous day.Loco Motive, Navigator and I all met at the hotel's continental breakfast and quickly loaded up to head to the trailhead. By using two cars, they drop one at the trail where they'll finish or so we thought, and then we all rode over together where we'll begin... which is where I came off yesterday. The hike over Mt. Moosilauke had offered me a warning that 16 mile days here in The White's was pushing it.My hike today was a planned 16.3 miles over the South and North Peaks ofMt. Kinsman. There didn't appear to be any areas of flat walking. Boy did it deliver! I started up the first climb and truly had some concerns for my companions, if the hike was to be like this all day, 16+ miles would be too far to attempt in a day for them. We wished each other well and said our farewells on a small rest break and then I climbed climbed climbed. It would be a theme that would dominate the day!At two hours I took a five minute break by a brook to check mileage. Normally, I would have completed about five and half to six plus miles in two hours. I had only gone 3.3! This was going to be a long slow day apparently. And this caused even more concern for my new fiends behind me. Thankfully the sun did come out bright and strong. What a mood machine the sun can be, seeing the sunlight through the dense trees makes the forest so beautiful. Gives me a smile that reaches down deep inside.Even though I'd been heading up in elevation since morning, I now came to the ascent up Mt. Kinsman's South Peak. Hiking poles aren't much help here since it's about a 1500 foot rock scramble up a steep jumble or chimney of rock. The tree roots and trunks are your best friend on this climb acting as hand holds. The summit was breathtaking! WOW! The whole world lay in front of me. WOW!It was now 3 pm and I'd only come a little over halfway. I hoped Loco Motive and Navigator would amend their plan and take a side trail down sooner and not try the whole distance. I then pushed on over the North Peak and got an amazing look at Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Lafayette in the distance. They were huge... and they were to be the next section. But fortunately, not today.At 13 miles, I came upon Lonesome Lake, it was 5 pm. Simply stunning! The surface was mirror smooth with the sun's golden hour making for the ideal lighting conditions. And in the background, Mt. Lafayette. What a Kodak moment!I reached the road at 6:30 pm and was totally confused as to where this was in relation to where the car was parked from this morning. I wasn't planning on seeing the guys again or getting a ride to North Woodstock, but I wanted to leave a note hoping them all the best. I started walking the interstate towards town some 6 miles away. For the first time, the "Hiker To Town" bandana failed. The speeds of the cars was just too fast, and frankly, I wouldn't stop on an Interstate either. As soon as I packed it up and committed to walking the distance, a car pulled over. He was doing some trail work up North, he is "Hot & Sweaty". I laughed at his trail name. Anyway, by 7:30 I was at the Woodstock Inn in North Woodstock and hoped my friends were not still hiking the mountain. I would later learn through email that the day was indeed quite an ordeal for them. It took them 17 hours that day which had them making it off the trail at some point past midnight. The Whites are tough and too many underestimate them. If given the opportunity again, I'll be more forceful with my opinions if it can help avert a bad situation for someone. The past two days experience in The White's has said loud and clear, that my mileage expectations have got to be reduced! From here on, ten to thirteen miles will be more realistic... and that may be too ambitious!