Date: 2004-05-21
From: Glencliff,NH (Hiker's Welcome Hostel)

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Log entry: 111Start time: 0830End time: 1700Morning weather: Partly cloudy in the valley but windy and foggy up above 3500 feet.Afternoon weather: Clouds retreated throughout the afternoon making way for bright blue skies, cool though with a slight breeze.Evening weather: Clear and cool. I am cold right now but I think it is just dehydration.Breakfast: Vanilla CIB and fudge rounds and a wonderful smoothie. Lunch: MRE peanuts and a nut mix. Also Poptarts.Dinner: Hamburger Helper Philly Cheesesteak. Wow, was that good.Trail description: Nothing says Welcome to the Whites like a 4 mile climb. Actually Mt Moosilauke isn't technically in the Whites but its the first time I have been above 4000 feet since Virgina (The Priest). The climb was manageable. I was expecting the worst. Also got my first above tree-line experience which almost blew me off the mountain. The downhills were technical with steep drop-offs. You had to move slowly. Also very rocky. The hard part of the 17 miles today wasn't the big climbs or long, steep downhills but rather all the small climbs up boulders/ledges. I'll go into more detail later. Also some of the coolest waterfalls I have seen yet.People: 6 dayhikersAnimals: Garter snake and lots of big yellow slugs. So big that I think if you stepped on one you would know it. (I didn't step on any)Money spent: $16.50 for everything at the hostelComplaints: I was so looking forward to the views from Mt Moosilauke and I was bummed when it was clouded in. Still a feeling of splendor but no panoramic vista.Thoughts: I woke at 0700, ate breakfast, and mailed a food box to the Johnsons whom I will be seeing on Monday. At the Hostel again I drank a delicious fruit smoothie made by Rhia. I am not sure all the fruits in it but boy was it good.By 0830 I was rolling. The first challenge of the day was to "ford" OliverianBrook. After an evening of rain I expected something up to my knees but insteadmade it across as a simple rock hop. Mid-height gortex boots did help.The trail was pretty straight forward until you cross Sanitarium Rd. There thewhite blazes became non-existent as you follow a small two-track. The road goesthrough meadows all the while you are guessing that this is the AT. Sure enoughI went right at one meadow when the trail went left and spent 20 minutes ofwasted time retracing my steps. Eventually you start up Mt Moosilauke and therewas no mistaking the trail. Even though it was still very poorly blazed.If Moosilauke was the last climb of the day, I think I may have died halfway up.But being basically the first thing made things easy. The climb isn't nastysteep but it is constant and unbroken for 4 miles. No breaks or cols to catchyour breath. Just up. Once I got to where Carriage Rd joins the AT, walking got easier. I did don my raincoat as the sweat was really cooling me off fast. Plus once the scrub pines past away the wind whipped across the open summit. I was guessing 30 mph winds and I felt that to be a little high. But a dayhiker who has "been in the Whites for forty years" told me 60 mph. I should have asked him if in that 40 years he evolved some sort of windspeed measuring device on his person, but it was too windy to talk, just comunicating required shouting at the 6 inch range.So up and over Moosilauke without any views but I guess reason enough to comeback. I ate lunch at Beaver Brook shelter then began the long, steep descentinto Kinsman Notch. The 1.5 miles took over an hour. Rocky, rooty, and justplain fun. The best part was the stream that falls with you is a snap-shoteating wonder-to-behold. Cascading falls after cascading falls.The rest of the day didn't have very long climbs but many short ups and downs.The hiking was hard just because you had to haul yourself up rock ledges thendown again. But you moved slow enough as to not get winded. Mercifully I rolled into Eliza Brook shelter, tired and glad to be done. I am expecting company here tonight being a Friday and all. But no one here yet. I am hoping to make it to Garfield Ridge shelter tomorrow but that would be 19 miles. Otherwise the plan is Liberty Springs tentsite. If the weather is good and views are nice I will push on over Fraconia Ridge. But we'll see.