Date: 2006-08-02
From: NH 112 - Kinsman Notch

To: North Woodstock - US 3
Miles today: 16.3

The Weather Channel has dominated the TV for all of us the past few days. This extreme heat wave hitting The US has created very unstable conditions here in The Northeast. More specifically The Whites, Already known for having deadly weather on a regular basis, these have increased with the current conditions.At 5:30 a.m. I looked at the radar to see that another fast moving severe storm was barreling down on us. I suggested to the guys that a short delay would be in our best interest. So we¢d wait it out and head over to breakfast. While strolling over at 6 a.m., I heard something from behind me that the others missed. When I looked behind me, a wall of heavy rain and lightening was advancing quickly at us. ¢It¢s coming, it¢s coming, time to run¢ I yelled. Everyone bolted for Peg¢s... the only place open for early breakfast.By 8:30 the shuttle arrived to get us up to the trailhead, forcing us to say goodbye to North Woodstock and all the calories.The forecast was for possibly strong thunderstorms, but after the morning event, all seemed good. We all moved with purpose through the day, the climb to the south and north Peaks of Mt. Kinsman would be a demanding day. As the last 2000 feet stared us in the face, BoomBoomBoom announced the final 2000 feet would be the least of our worries.When you¢ve been living in nature for four months, your senses get more acute. I could determine that the thunder, along with the wind direction, would most likely take it just to our south. We continued to climb.We emerged out of the near 70-degree, rock ascent to dwarf evergreens and a rocky bald summit. To view the distance of 360 degrees of breathtaking vista and natures display of the power of weather. The storm was only one mountain to our south; we were lucky not to still be there. That was where we started the day.To our north, one mile farther was the north peak of Mt. Kinsman. The packs dropped to the ground and the shirts got wrung out. My relaxation lasted about one minute, that¢s when I noticed what was to our west ¢ grey, featureless landscape. Rain. ¢Boy¢s, that¢s coming for us. We need to get over that next peak and off these summits,¢ I said. Chemist, as he had all day set a fast pace. Halfway there ¢ BoomBoomBoom went the thunder.But this was to our north, it was yet another storm. We pushed through the awkward trail and made the north peak in 15 minutes, and then we started our six-mile descent. We dropped from the summit 500 feet, then a 1000, then 1500. That¢s when the glare of the cloud-covered sun went shadowy. Within two minutes it was as dark as night, I seriously needed my headlamp and it was only 3 p.m. That storm to the west had caught us. The ferociousness of a storm up high on a mountain really puts other events in life in a new perspective. My experience with them from my first hike has given me a calmness in dealing with them. With foul weather gear on, I yelled out to everyone that we¢re not stopping. ¢We¢re going down, keep going to lower elevation¢ and took the lead. The lightening was pounding the atmosphere all around us ¢ the rain was of no concern to anyone. We literally walked ourselves into a safer condition as the storm passed the peaks onto the far side of The Kinsman¢sTwo hours earlier we had decided to go farther than the plan and cover this whole section to Franconia Notch, which meant back to North Woodstock. So being drenched a 100 times over bothered no one. When returning to town, we learned that the first storm that missed us to the south had 100 mph winds. The microburst took out the electricity for Lincoln and North Woodstock. By the time we arrived, aside from a number of felled trees and shop signs on top of cars, the drama was done.We dodged two storms and got lucky with the third. Magic Shoes said it was the best day of his hike so far. Funny, how the scary and dangerous can lead to the best memories.