Date: 2013-07-27
From: Doc and Llama's house- North Conway

To: stealth site
Miles today: 8.9

Well, once again, day didn't go as planned. Not surprised anymore when a 13 mile day turns into a 7 mile day or something! We were dropped back off at the Trail around 8:00 and it was probably the best weather we've had yet! Beautiful day, beautiful climb, and after the climb was supposed to be five real easy, smooth miles into Zealand Falls hut for lunch before going up and over South Twin. The weather and terrain were both on our side and it was going to be a great day...Then I had to go and mess up our plans! Story time: the climb out of Crawford was steep and challenging, but very enjoyable! I was having such a great time that I guess I decided to just keep climbing! It was taking longer than I thought because I felt like I was hiking at a really good pace...and the last mile got extremely steep and technical and I remember thinking that for once I don't envy the NOBOs for their descent into the notch (normally notches favor NOBOs with gentler descents but steeper climbs). Well...I no longer envy them because as it turns out, that last 1.1 mile wasn't actually part of the AT, but rather a side trail that summits Mt. Willey. I didn't see a single blaze (white nor blue) the whole way up, but as I peaked and started descending the other side of Mt. Willey, I saw a couple blue blazes and realized the terrain was supposed to be smoother and flat... and I'd somehow gotten off the Trail and had noclue where, but was desperately hoping it wasn't back down the mountain. I ran into a hiker, Andy, and his beautiful black lab Liberty. They were super cool and Andy pulled out a trail map of the area and pointed me back to the AT...which was in fact straight back down the last 1.1 miles I'd climbed up. But, the view from Willey was definitely one if my favorites so far, especially after a climb like that! So, between the view, the weather, and meeting Andy and Liberty, I don't regret the extra mountain at all! Though I do feel slightly stupid. I was laughing at myself the whole way back down to where the AT turns off (which was very obviously marked with signs...nit sure how I missed that one). But, I'd taken so much extra time, I knew Doc would be waiting for me somewhere and would get worried pretty soon if he wasn't already, so I booked it the next 5 miles (which were as easy as I'd heard they'd be) to catch up t him before he decided to backtrack on a search and rescue mission. I was close to the hut when I saw Doc hurrying toward me, at least he didnt backtrack TOO far. He was just glad I was OK, then was even happier when I told him of my misadventure because now he has something more to give me a hard time about =P. This all is made better by the fact that for a while now, Doc has taken to drawing arrows on the trail to point me in the right direction. This started a while ago with him legitimately trying to be helpful when he would be ahead of me and find a hidden campsite off the trail. Half the time I would miss his arrows...and ever since I told him that obviously it was his arrow drawing that was bad and not my observation skills, he's been rather obnoxious about it and leaves me arrows EVERYWHERE, ncluding when the trail is straight and obvious, not just at intersections...Now I can't even give him a hard time about it...because clearly need the stupid arrows!Naturally this whole thing cut our day short because I didn't think I'd be able to do another climb and descent, so we stealthed juat a mile away from the hut near a viewpoint which faces East so hopefully we'll catch a sunrise tomorrow! Always an adventure wjth Team D0C0 =P