Date: 2014-08-13
From: Madison Spring Hut (NH)

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 7.8

7.8 miles hiked, Mile Marker 1866.5I went to bed early at Madison Spring Hut, as I hadn't had much quality sleep the last few days. I slept very well, as their rooms were bigger and nobody snored. Before I did, I met a tall older fellow from Joplin, Mo named Missouri Mule. He did most of the trail previously, but fell during that attempt and broke his leg. He said he had to hobble out 7 miles. He's back to finish up. Very nice person. I got up at 5am and sat in a rocker in the dining area. We ate at 6:30am. There were rain, high winds and flash floods predicted for the next few days. I couldn't sit at Madison Hut for two days with nothing to do, so I decided to leave. I hoped I could beat the worst of the weather. I packed up quickly after breakfast as I had to summit Mt. Madison today on my way to NH16 and Gorham, NH. It was raining and windy when I left at 8am. I started climbing right away. I had to climb smaller summits on my way to the peak. As I got higher the wind intensity picked up. I couldn't see very far because of the wind-driven fog which was very heavy. The higher I climbed the stronger the wind picked up. I was hiking across rocky, uneven ground and the wind would blow me sideways. My trekking poles were enabling me to stay upright. Finally, the wind gusts became so strong they would knock me down and the rain would sting my face. There were times I could only use my hands to work my way along because the gale force winds would not allow me to be upright. I had never been in such a dangerous position before. There were the white blazes of the A.T., painted on the rocks, as well as the rock cairns to guide me along. I kept hoping the next summit would be the last and I would head down below treeline and out of the wind. I would hike just behind a summit when possible to escape the wind. These summits were just small parts of the mountain, but when you had to climb them, the wind was terrific. I wasn't panicked - just determined. I kept moving no matter what. My Frog Togg pants ripped from falling and I was soaked from the waist down. I had some gear strapped to the back of my pack. Whenever I do this, I use the bag closure cord to attach it again to a small carabineer in case a strap would come loose. I felt something hit my side: it was my gear on the back. It came loose in my falls and would have been lost if not for my secondary system. I wondered why my pack cover hadn't caught it. I looked over my shoulder, and the cover was gone. I looked to see what time it was and my watch was gone too. If someone would have been 20 yards in front of me, they wouldn't have heard me if I hollered, the wind was that intense. Finally, I believe after an hour, I got below tree line and the wind. I felt a sense of relief. the rain had eased up as well. That scenario was a little scary as I felt if the wind had gotten much stronger it would have pinned me down. I was pretty wet and my boots soaked but I knew the temps would only go up coming off the mountain. Hiking produces body heat. My hands that were getting pretty cold in the wind finally started to warm. I was VERY glad to be below tree line, but now I had miles of wet, rocky, tree root-lined trails to deal with. I was trying to hurry, but the terrain would not allow it. Each mile seemed to try to out do the previous one in rocks. Finally, after a long tough slog, I reached NH16. It wasn't a busy road at all. I started walking for Gorham which was 10.7 miles away. I'd walked about 30 minutes when a pickup came by and a Trail Angel named Richard gave me a ride to Gorham. I told him where I had been that morning, and that I really appreciated the ride more than he knew. I needed some real R&R. I can't take the trail in the rain, I've tried. Water always finds a way into at least some of your gear and my feet can't take being soaked any more. Richard dropped me off at a motel in the central part of town. After getting to my room, I used the hair dryer to start drying my boots. I was pouring water out of one of them. Then onto a hot shower and washing my clothes. It is odd how you can go from the brink of danger to all of life's comforts in just a few hours. I have never experienced wind like that before and I don't ever plan to again! Drizzle Drazzle as I end with "Tales from Gorham, NH". Life is being out of the wind and rain! -Hoyt