Date: 2015-08-09
From: Stealth Camping Between the Peaks of Mt. Cube

To: Jeffers Brook Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: few clouds

I got up and got going early. I was greeted with another beautiful day, but rain was predicted for 2 p.m. So I wanted to get in as many miles as I could before the rain hit. I also wanted to make sure, if at all possible, I was off any exposed slick rock veins before they got wet.Of course I still had some climbing to do to finish getting up and over the rest of Mt. Cube. The trail was steep and rocky, and I did not see any flat spots suitable for camping on the way up. Therefore I was VERY glad I decided to stop when I did last night. Otherwise I probably would have had no choice but to keep going in the dark up and over the rocks.I reached the summit fairly quickly. It was covered with exposed rock veins, which fortunately were dry. The views were incredible. I stopped to take pictures, but I did not linger long. I knew I needed to make miles before the rain.The descent was actually pretty nice - relatively gentle and not very rocky. On my way down I ran into a few Southbounders and we exchanged information about what to expect ahead. I also stopped at Bracket Brook for water. I had the place to myself and it was beautiful. I hated to push on, but the predicted rain was weighing heavily on my mind.Just before I reached the NH 25A road crossing a Southbounder told me the words all thru hikers love to hear - "there is trail magic just ahead." Then he said something I thought I would never hear on the AT, "they are just setting everything up, and they have RIBS!" YES, RIBS!!Despite the heavy Blue Beast strapped to my back, I think I skipped the rest of the way down the trail to the road crossing. Just as he said, there was a table set up with food and folding chairs available for hikers to sit and enjoy the food.The trail magic was provided by a local family. The father, "Devistation Road", and his 10 year old daughter, "Baby Blue", are hiking the AT southbound. They were so blown away by the trail magic they experienced so far that they decided to return the favor when they took a week off at home.Besides ribs they had watermelon, lemonade & iced tea, chips, and a homemade dessert. Everything was absolutely DELICIOUS. Yep, I knew the rain was coming, but I just could not pass this up. And it was fun talking with a 10 year old about her experiences thus far on the AT. I am not good with kids, but I have found that the kids thru hiking the AT have been extremely well behaved and mature beyond their years. With my belly full, it was time to move on. That's when things started to go very wrong. I felt sluggish from all the great food. Then the AT went through a long muddy wet stretch, and the rain came an hour earlier than predicted. In the middle of the muddy wet area I struggled to find a place to take off my pack and apply my pack rain cover. Of course it was raining like crazy, so I also put on my rain jacket. Then I was too warm.I made it to the Ore Hill Campsite. It had been a shelter, but the structure burned down and thus far has not been rebuilt. So there was no shelter in which to take refuge from the rain. Fortunately the rain stopped and the sun came out just as I reached the campsite. I layed my wet jacket and pack cover in the sun to dry and headed to the privy. Normally I do not mention privies, but this one was special. The folks with tbe Dartmouth Outing Club, which maintains this portion of the AT, have a sense of humor. They made the privy like a little castle, complete with a throne toilet. It was one of the nicest and best smelling privies I have seen on the AT.I regrouped and pushed on. The up and over Mt. Mist was fairly easy. There was another little hill to go over, then the Jeffers Brook Shelter, where I planned to spend the night. Easy peazy!Unfortunately things went very wrong again. First there was the brook without a bridge at the NH 25 road crossing. A sign mentioned fording the river or a road walk if the water was too high. I was tired, it was getting late, and it was getting dark. I was in no mood for a road walk. It was time to put on my big girl granny panties and get my butt across the river. I scouted out a shallow stretch and crossed the brook without missing a beat.Then the AT started to climb, which I was not expecting. I checked the AT guide. Sure enough, I still had about a mile left to go, and it was all up hill. Again, time for my big girl granny panties. There is no crying or whining on the AT. Sometimes you just have to dig deep and keep going. This definitely was one of those times.Just before dark I reached the shelter area. I stopped at the brook to collect water. It was beautiful with a waterfall over a spillway, a pool at the base for swimming, and a rocky gorge below.Then I headed to the shelter. Unfortunately a group of boy scouts decided to set up their tents right at the entrance to the shelter area.   In near dark conditions I had to navigate around the boys, their leaders, their packs, tents, poles, other gear, and lit stoves. So did every other tired hiker coming into the shelter.A few thru hikers were at the shelter. I decided to camp past the shelter and well away from the noise and mess created by the scouts and their leaders. I found a little flat spot amongst the trees and quickly set up my tent in the dark. I was too tired for dinner, so I skipped it.Thru hikers typically get up early, hike all day, and go to bed early so they can do the same thing the next day, and the next day, and the next day. You get the picture. There is a term, "hiker midnight", which means that most hikers, at least serious considerate hikers, quiet down, settle in for the night, and go to sleep around 8 p.m.The boy scouts and their leaders made noise and were walking around until at least 10 p.m. I felt sorry for the thru hikers in the shelter. I was also really glad I decided to tent in the trees away from them.The AT is calling. I so hope the scouts are going south tomorrow.