Date: 2020-09-17
From: Nauman Campsite

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 19.6

I was up earlier than ever for a long day over one of the most difficult and scenic stretches of trail - the Presidential Range.The last two days had been crystal clear. But a mass of clouds moved in overnight and hung at 5000 feet. Consequently I spent most of the day in or just under the clouds. Mist swirled around, or flew rapidly over the cols between the summits. The wind was furious on the western side of the ridge. But drop a few feet below the eastern side and all was calm. The trail was as challenging as any section, especially climbing over Pierce and up to Franklin. Once above treeline there was less climbing, but the path was never straightforward. I took side trails to summit Eisenhower and Monroe, which the AT bypasses. The fog and wind were all-encompassing at the peaks. I felt like a mountaineer more than a hiker. These were summits worth conquering. I saw only one pair of hikers in the first six miles. More than I expected, frankly, given I'd seen no others camping at treeline and it was too far and too early for dayhikers.The hut at Lakes of the Clouds was not yet open when I passed. I would have been disappointed if not for Mt. Washington coming up. That climb was surprisingly less steep than it looked on the profile. But it was nothing but boulders. In fact the entire hike from Lakes until I dipped back below treeline beyond Madison was nothing but rocks and boulders. Some smooth and worn, some raw and rough. Some laid like pavers, most left in their natural state pointing in every direction. Blazes were almost non-existent. Stone cairns marked the path.  I passed several groups of hikers ascending Washington. Droplets fell as I neared the summit. More from condensation than outright precipitation. I was, after all, walking in a cloud. A girl passed carrying a wooden rack on her back like a backpack, stacked with boxes. She was resupplying the Lakes of the Clouds hut. A croo member typically carries in fresh supplies whenever they start their ten day stint. Although the wind was whipping and visibility was nil there was still a line to get a summit picture. In the few minutes I waited the sun started to come out, then rain and sleet returned. The couple ahead of me asked if I'd hiked up the mountain. Yes, I did. Where did I start? Georgia. Really, Georgia? Yes, Georgia. I walked here from Georgia. I walked here from Georgia. It echoed in my head. I could hardly believe it myself.Though I had made a reservation to enter the building, which is currently limited to 75 occupants, there were so few people I didn't need it. Most had come by cog train rather than car. A very kind lady at the information desk gave me change for the penny machine - my son collects them - as well as a binoculars souvenir, and stamped my AT passport. Then it was on to the snack bar. Unfortunately the kitchen was closed, so no hot food. But I made do with what there was.I shared a table with the only other backpackers in the cafeteria. T-Bone (AT '13) was hiking with his brother and friend. All are retired Air Force in their late forties or fifties, and hiking Kinsman to Gorham. They aim to get out for two adventures a year. Patagonia, the Sierras, and Colorado came up. Back out into the fierce winds and rain. The gusts were forecasted to be 75 mph and that felt about right. They subsided somewhat as I dropped below 6000 feet again. The fog was total. Visibility was fifty yards. I could hear the cog train but could not see it. In fact even miles away on Mt. Madison I continued to hear its occasional whistle.The trail remained all rocks. Once I got closer to 5000 feet it cleared up around me. I took a side trail over Mt. Jefferson but not Adams. I did Adams two years again with my son Big E. It is literally a huge pile of sharp boulders and exhausting to climb. There was nothing to see at either peak in any case. Unsurprisingly there were few hikers on this stretch.Madison Springs Hut was closed for the season. But thankfully the water spigot was still running. I headed up Mt. Madison. On the way up I met Speak Up and his girlfriend Lana again. They broke the Presis into two dayhikes using a side trail off Mt. Jefferson. One of their vehicles is a converted van they sleep in each night.At Madison's windy summit I found a family of four. They had just completed the NH 48 - that's the 48 peaks that are 4000 feet or higher. The two daughters were around eight or nine years old. Quite an achievement!The climb down Madison was stunning, but unrelenting. For over a mile it roller-coastered over rocky promontories, each one hidden by the previous one. Then it dropped steeply below tree level. Nearly 3000 feet down in two and a half miles.Once on relatively flat ground I crushed the last five miles to Pinkham Notch. I saw no one between Madison and the Notch. I grabbed a soda and postcards at the visitors center which, amazingly, was still open. Even more amazing I had enough cell service to call Paul at the Barn Hostel for a pickup. He drove me the 11 miles to Gorham along a stretch of road notorious for nocturnal moose activity. Locals avoid driving it after dark. Paul told me four people he knew had died in collisions with the 1600-pound beasts in just the last few years. While Gorham is known by hikers, it's also a Mecca for ATV enthusiasts. Paul gave me some lowdown on the strain between the boost to the local economy and the loutish behavior of some of the drivers that has local property owners trying to shut down the ATV trails. In downtown Gorham, Paul runs the Barn Hostel in the Libby House B&B in a beautifully restored Victorian once owned by the lumber baron of that name. The hiker hostel is in the carriage house, with beds in the hayloft. He bought it ten years ago but the hostel goes back almost forty years, one of the oldest on trail. Paul went well out of his way for me. He had closed the hostel temporarily for a death in the family but insisted on bringing me in anyway. I am the only one here tonight. After a hot shower and some Italian food I feel ready to tackle the 21 mile Wildcat section tomorrow.