Date: 2015-08-19
From: Stealth Camp Near Shoal Pond Trail

To: Mizpah Hut Tent Site
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: broken clouds

Was Webster a president? Because if so, I have started the Presidential Range. As usual when I stealth camp, I got up early because I don't need to worry about disturbing anybody with my crinkly stuff sacks and tent. I was hiking at 6:21.The first two miles to Ethan Pond were not as easy as the last two miles to my camp, but they were still very easy by Whites standards. I took the short side trail so I could check out the pond and get water. The pond was beautiful, but sadly no moose.As I was leaving, I ran into Shimmy, and we chatted and hiked together for a little bit. It was another 2.9 miles to Crawford Notch, where 3.6 miles down the road is an AMC center with meals and some supplies. I had been contemplating going there but I wasn't keen on hitching and I also thought it might take too long, so I decided against it. The main reason I wanted to go was to buy fuel.When I got to the trail on the other side of the road, Shimmy was there chatting with a flip-flopper named Hand and Mouth. I joined them and later Snowta arrived as well but at some point I did have to start the hellaciously steep climb to Webster Cliffs. To my relief though, it was actually a hiking trail, and not a bouldering course. But it was really hard work and evidently I had not eaten enough because I bonked about two thirds of the way up. (If you are unfamiliar with the concept of bonking, consider yourself lucky! It means running out of readily available energy).I had a break and ate some anti-bonk Skittles and then some trail mix and other snacks for future energy. I was also very thirsty and worried about not having enough water the whole way up, but in the end that was not a problem.When I arrived at the Cliffs, the views were, again, spectacular. I joined Snowta who was taking a snack break. The next half mile was across the ridge with views every so often, so we could see the rain moving in on the mountain across the valley. It looked like it would bypass us, as we had sunny skies above, but then it did start raining and thundering a bit. A ridge is no place to be in a thunderstorm so we hustled to get back in the tree cover. The thunder only lasted a few minutes but it rained for a good while and I got completely soaked. Eventually though, it stopped raining just as I got to the top of Mt. Webster. There was a big group there so I asked one of them to take my picture. Now I finally have one of me in rain gear!Just as I was leaving the summit, the sun came out again for the last couple of miles to Mitzpah hut, where there is also a (fee based) tenting area. This section did have some 'they want us to go where?' sections, on of them straight up a seemingly smooth rock wall. I am not entirely sure how I managed it in the end. When I got to the hut, filled up on lemonade, soup and coffee cake in return for cleaning the griddle, and found myself a nicely positioned tent platform. After I changed into dry clothes (aaaah!), I went back to the hut and sat outside in the sun with a cup of tea.Uncle D is here as well but after much back and forth, Snowta decided to move on to the next hut, at the base of Mt. Washington (who I *do* know was a president! ). My neighbors at the camp site are three Israeli's and the only reason I know where they're from is that I asked what language they were speaking. I'm somewhat embarrassed to say Hebrew had not occurred to me and it should have!I finally had good enough signal today to send my last two journal entries, but my phone battery is quite low and I'm not sure how much backup battery power I have left. Sadly again no outlets at Mizpah hut, so I may be a day late with entries in the next couple of days.Tomorrow is Mt. Washington. First I have to get to the base (almost 5 miles), then up and over if the weather is good. It looks beautiful and clear here, but of course Mt. Washington creates its own crazy weather.Open map in new windowWant to add a map to your journal?