Date: 2008-07-19
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Liberty Spring Campsite
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: broken clouds

Okay - before I get into describing this day, some logistics for the upcoming hike through the Whites.Based upon past hikes it is safe to say that I'll average somewhere between 10-15 miles per hiking day. That's not much more than one-half of the distance I would normally hike. But this gives me a more enjoyable hike and some margin for error when it comes to food resupplying.During my southbound hike two years ago I passed through the Whites in the latter half of August. Even with all of the hikers I was always able to do "work for stay" at every AMC hut that I wanted to stay at. The hut "crewes" are supposed to wait until around 2pm to take down hiker names for "work for stay." Usually they didn't even bother. Most huts are supposed to accept only two hikers for WFS. I never saw that enforced. A couple of times there were 8-10 hikers doing WFS with me at huts.Having said all of that, my preference was to use the AMC campsites (which do charge $8) because they were less trouble than the huts. With the huts you usually did your work in the morning and would not be able to leave until around 9am, or so. The only issue with the campsites was that the tent pads only work well if you have a stand-alone tent. You can jury-rig a non stand-alone tent, but it's not that convenient.The huts are great if you are passing one during the day. They usually serve some type of soup that you can buy for a couple of dollars and get free refills (they call it their "bottomless bowl" of soup). They also have lemonade which always tasted watered-down to me.If you plan on tenting/hammocking/cowboy camping somewhere else than the huts or campsites, keep this in mind. When you are hiking along a ridge, above the treeline, it can be a half mile or more to hike down to the treeline and camp. Then you have to do that half mile again in the morning to get back on the trail. And it can often be really difficult to find water away from the official campsites.For resupplying, there is a bus that goes through the various notches in the Whites. It also stops in Gorham. Costs $16 to ride anywhere during one trip. There are several places (including Gorham) where you can buy food, etc.I will be keeping my Trail Journals site updated by calling Trail Boss at home and leaving a detailed phone message for each day's narrative. She then will transcribe into Trail Journals for me. As for pictures, if I have good internet reception (I should) I'll upload pictures through my iPhone, and via email, to Trail Boss. She will then upload them into TJ. This process has worked well in the past.Okay - back to today's hike: On the trail by 7:30am. Weather is really nice. A bit foggy in the morning, but sun by mid-day. Probably no warmer than 70 degrees in the afternoon. Fantastic hiking weather. Even at night it gets just cool enough that I zip up my 32-degree bag at night. Perfect sleeping weather in a tent.The first mountain for today (yes there are several) was South Kinsman. The top is a little over 4,300 feet. If you like rock "scrambles" where you have to use your hands as well as your feet, you will like climbing South Kinsman. At least the rocks and bouldars were dry for me. Can only imagine how slippery if they were wet.A couple of miles further and I arrived at Lonsesome Lake Hut - the first of the AMC huts. I've stayed here in the past. Their cabins are a bit different from the other hut's bunkrooms. Each cabin room here sleeps four in two bunk beds. There is a fantastic view of the adjacent lake. In the evening, around sunset, look for the moose to show up around the lake. The first of the "notches" (valleys) is Franconia Notch. Interstate 93 runs right through it. North Woodstock is about six miles away - requiring a lucky hitch if you need supplies.Just a very brief distance up the trail is a one-mile side trail to the Flume Visitor Center. Here you can buy lunch at their cafeteria. Although the guidebooks do not mention it, they will hold a re-supply package if you mail it there. Just call them in advance to make sure they are still doing so. I had a package waiting for me when I got there. You can pick it up in thier Information Center. If you have time, check out the nearby Flume water falls.About three more miles (and about a 2,000 foot climb) I got to the Liberty Spring Campsite - my home for the night. You have to be careful to get to the campsites early enough to snag a tent platform. Most of the campsites only have about eight or so platforms. They all (as far as I know)charge $8 for a night's stay - you will see a caretaker stop for your money during the evening.Tomorrow comes Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Lafayette, and Mt. Garfield.