Date: 2006-07-14
From: Carter Notch Hut

To: Imp Campsite
Miles today: 7.2

A good night at Carter Notch Hut. I was alone in bunkhouse #3 and, apart from some adolescent chatter from next door, had a quiet night.   Got up at 5:30AM and had the kitchen to myself for breakfast, except for the second crew member who was leaving on a work trip to Maine ¢ and packing out a whole bunch of empty bottles!   No rain during the night and a nice cold and cloudy morning made for good hiking conditions to start the day. The first task was the ascent of Carter Dome ¢ just like Wildcat E, it was very difficult, but didn¢t go on as long. Then a small up and down to Mount Hight, reminded me of the crest walk on Franconia Ridge, where a rainwater pool provided a top-up for my water supply. A tough descent to Zeta Pass and then a very difficult series of ups and downs over the Carters ¢ South, Middle, and North.    I just love the way they name their mountains here. Wildcat A, B, C, D and E ¢ and Carter South, Middle and North. I think that in the Presidentials they would all have been elected!!   A lot of people on the trail today. The adolescent group and I leapfrogged all day until they finally left the AT at North Carter. I also met a SOBO married couple ¢ Fuzzy and Pickle ¢ who were coming off the trail at Pinkham Notch. They are both schoolteachers and have to return to educate the youth of tomorrow. Lots of day hikers coming and going in both directions.   This was a very difficult seven miles, just as difficult as yesterday¢s section. The descent of North Carter was the most difficult yet ¢ sheer rock faces with few handholds and less foot holds!! Certainly a heart-in-the-mouth descent with hands, feet, poles, and backside all applied to the rocks at various time in order to get down safely. Slow and carefully did the job ¢ although I think that I did hyperextend my left knee at one particularly difficult section ¢ but I will remember North Carter. No falls today!      The very last section was pretty flat ¢ and not represented that way on the profile ¢ so I was attacked again by ¢The Other¢ who tried to convince me that I had passed the turn off to the campsite and would continue walking north until I arrived in Canada and died of exhaustion and dehydration etc. I am now however alerted to all of his tricks and was smugly satisfied when I came to the signpost for the campsite.   The caretaker here is Dingle ¢ whom I met last year in at Lonesome Lake Hut ¢ he remembered me and we had a good chat. The site contains tent sites and a shelter, which is old and dark and has two levels. Dingle says there are excellent views of the sunset.   Already here at the shelter are Bob {aka Cactus} - Dingle had a trail magic package for him. Also here is Caveman SOBO ¢ he took shelter in a cave in a storm, and Cedar Moe ¢ named after his walking stick. A good crowd with great conversations.      There are also several people tenting out, whom I met at the water source ¢ and also on the North Carter descent ¢ they were cooling their feet in the water source, but I was able to get my supply upstream without difficulty. Not a great idea to wash your feet in the shelter water source guys!      A great day, sitting here sipping my coffee, chatting with the company ¢ this is the life! Thought for Today ¢      We Are All Here To Help Each Other!