Date: 2006-07-13
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: fog

It rained hard all night long and I awoke to a damp, dripping, misty and cold morning. Breakfast was ready as promised at 6:30AM and I was off and hiking by 7:15AM.   Initially I started out without any personal rain gear and just the rain cover on the pack, but the morning never did improve and I was soon in full regalia to try to keep warm. The trail starts off along the banks of a stream ¢ I love streams ¢ but the recent rains had converted it into a raging torrent. A beaver pond had overflowed its banks and the trail was largely under water. A slow, wet, cold and misty walk along the stream bank ended with a sudden turn and there it was. The start of the ascent of Wildcat E.   I have been worried about the ascent of Wildcat E for the past year, ever since Rocky, SOBO last year, had said that it was so difficult that the trail should be relocated. Granted she was SOBO, and so was subjected to the much more difficult descent rather than the easier ascent, but the prospect of the ascent of Wildcat E had still worried me. Now I was confronted with the climb on a less than optimal day.   Like everything else on the trail it can be hiked if you just take it easy and slow. It is a long hard ascent, much of it over jumbles of boulders that choke up the narrow gullies. Long, wet, cold and misty in full rain gear made for a slow and careful ascent on this the first day of my new 2006-hiking season.   Physically I did much better than I had feared and after a long slow and painful ascent I was finally on the mist filled summit with the Wildcat Chair Lift looming out of the fog. My unexpected arrival caused considerable surprise to the couple who had taken the Chair Lift to the viewless summit on this foggy day.   Once the tough climb of the day was over, the weather conditions started to improve. Wildcat D had a sightless observation platform and on C, I was passed by a large group of teenagers on their way to Carter Notch Hut. I rejoined them for lunch on Wildcat B and was finally able to shed my foul weather gear.   The rest of the day steadily improved, but the rocks remained slick ¢ resulting in three falls. All of the falls were on descents, only one was bad and even that did not produce any significant long-term effects. I was however soaked to the skin and to the feet from the dripping wet trees and the constantly flooded trail. A vista on Wildcat A was the highpoint of the day¢s hike with spectacular panoramas and a great view of Carter Notch Hut nestled in the trees far below next to a small dark lake. It was a long, slow and careful descent down off of Wildcat A to the hut but with spectacular views of the little lake as I approached my day¢s destination. Some of the teenagers took advantage of the lake to go swimming, far too cold an idea for this already cold and wet hiker.   So now I am ensconced in bunkroom #3. There are 19 people here so far, so I have taken advantage of a lull in the action and cooked dinner ¢ Tompato and Shrimp ¢ and coffee with the cinnamon bread {AYCE for $1} all of my gear is hanging on my cloths line ¢ my bear food hanging line ¢ in an attempt to get it less wet ¢ I can hardly hope that it will dry under the present conditions.      This is the oldest of the AMC huts ¢ 1914 ¢ and looks a little like an old Irish Cottage from the outside. Thick rough stone walls and deep set windows. No straw roof on this one! I am writing my journal in the dining room/common room/ kitchen. The bunkhouses are separate buildings. Much trail talk and game playing among the crowd of hikers.   I am very happy with the day. Despite my poor physical condition, I was able to make decent progress by just taking it slow and easy. I don¢t have my balance back yet ¢ witness the multiple falls ¢ and the wet rocks and boots are realy slick when wet. Although very tired I feel physically and emotionally good.   A good first hiking day ¢ despite the conditions. Thought for Today ¢         Some Long Distance Hikers are Fast,         Some Long Distance Hikers are Slow,            But All Long Distance Hikers are Persistent!