Date: 2017-09-06
From: Osgood Tent Site 

To: Carter Notch Hut 
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: fog

9/6Osgood Tent Site  to Carter Notch Hut 10.6 miles Total miles:  1876.3I was awake and moving at 5:30 because my plan was to hike up and over the Wildcat Mountains today, despite the probability of rain today. The Wildcats are reported to have a very difficult, steep ascent for northbounders with a good deal of slick rock faces to traverse. The initial ascent is nearly 2,000 in two miles with an additional 432 feet of elevation to get to the highest of the Wildcat peaks. It rained steadily during the night, but I was able to break camp during a break in the rain. The initial 4.7 miles to Pinkham Notch was quite easy, but things rapidly changed after the notch. A light, steady rain began to fall soon after I left camp, which continued throughout the day, with a few breaks.  The rain definitely made the climb up the Wildcats more interesting, and I was very careful the entire way up. I slipped a few times but never seriously. As reported, the climb was very steep, with many opportunities to scramble up and over large, rugged boulders. The most difficult sections required hiking up steeply slanted, slick rock faces. I made much use of the trees that grow alongside the rock faces, and I did a great deal of crawling on my hands and feet. The most challenging place involved a twenty foot tall v-shaped notch with rocks wedged in the notch starting about half way up. There was no way for me to climb in the notch. I finally figured out how to pull myself onto the side of one of the rock faces by lying on my stomach and pulling myself up with my arms. It was a bit precarious, but I was able to swing my leg up onto the rock. I was able to wiggle my way up to the first wedged rock and then scramble to the top of the notch. It was the single most difficult climbing move I have had to manage for the entire trip. As difficult as the ascent was, it was not as precarious as the last few days with non-ending strong winds trying to blow me off a mountain. The rain kept the rocks slick, but it will take days of dry weather before the rocks are dry, and if you don't hike in the rain, then you don't make it to Maine. I made it to the top with no real problem. There were lots of clouds, but I climbed the small observation deck on the top of Wildcat Mountain Peak B, which is also home to a Ski Gondola. My guidebook states that there are Gondola rides to and from the AT for $12.00 round trip, but the operation was abandoned today.  I guess chilly, rainy weather is not conducive to gondola rides. was a view of sorts. The Wildcats are comprised of five peaks along a single ridge. They never go above tree line, so I was better protected from the winds. The descent down the mountain was steep but mostly stair-stepped, so getting down to the hut was fairly easy. I much prefer it this way, as do most hikers. I would rather go up steeply than down. I arrived at the hut at five o'clock. Unfortunately, there were no available work for stay positions available, but Helen, one of the crew, said I would be able to work for about half an hour so I could sleep in the hut. I spent the evening chatting with some fellow hikers and writing my journal. When it came time to eat, all of the thru hikers decided to share the available leftovers, so I got to eat after all.  In addition to washing dishes, I also swept the floor of the hut. The floor glittered with what I thought might be pixie dust, until Josh, the resident geologist, informed me it was dust from the mica that is found in the region. I may just go on believing that it's pixie dust.  My plan tomorrow is to leave early and plan on stopping at Imp Campsite, which is 7.2 miles away. Gorham is an additional eight miles beyond that. I don't think I can manage 15.2 miles in the Whites, so I will probably split it into two days. My thought remains to make sure I always allow enough time in a day that I never have to worry about hiking after dark.  My time in the Whites has not surprisingly slowed my progress but has been an incredible experience that will give me many stories with which to bore my friends for years.