Date: 2004-05-26
From: Mizpah Hut

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: fog

Log entry: 116Start time: 0830End time: 1800Mornimg weather: Fog, wind, no rain but the trees were saturated and dripped all morning, that is until the trees disappeared.afternoon weather: Windy and light rain on Mt Washington. Yeah, windy.evening weather: Light rain, coolBreakfast: Poptarts, CIB, english muffinsLunch: Cookies from AJ and Andy, granola barsDinner: Pizza, ale, apples, and jerkyTrail description: Plenty of climbs and drops today. The trail was very rocky, made Pennsylvania look like pea stone, seriously. These babies were slick and had some sort of moss on them which made you carefully plant and place eat step. Actually the longest rocky stretch I have had yet, basically from Mizpah past Mt Madison down towards the Osgood valley. This stretch of trail goes over the Presidential Range, which just must be magical on a sunny day. Even though the weather was once again, bad, it was still very cool trail. Best so far?People: The good peeps in the morning at Mizpah, some workers up on Mt Washington, a handful of folks on the trail, and then more good people down at Pinkham Notch (Ben, Ben, Jack, Kate, Emily, Scott, Alex and many more)Animals: NoneMoney spent: NoneComplaints: A little nervous as I was climbing Mt Washington, the "Worst weather in America...many have died here sign" gave me a slight feeling of uneasiness.Thoughts: I woke as usual with the 0700 radio weather report. I was mostly packed up and headed down into the kitchen where the rest of the gang was loitering. I had an enjoyable breakfast and supplemented it with good conversation andstories. None of the kiddos saw our "body" bag but the whole principle of the joke was all that mattered.By 0830 I started up towards Mt Washington. When I got to Lake of the Clouds hut there were people all over opening it up for the season. The climb up Mt Wash was rocky and the fog was super thick. I could tell I waspretty close to the top when the wind changed pitch as it cut through and around the towers on the summit. The mountain flattened out a bit but I couldn't see any buildings. By following the noise of the wind, I went from shed to shed until I found the summit building.I stepped inside and sat down at a table. The workers there were still unpacking and setting things up. I sent some journals home from the payphones and left a message at home. I only stuck around for 20 minutes or so and headed back into the clouds. The trail stayed rocky and rough. I even crossed a 30 yard stretch of snow which was a little scary because if I would have slipped I would have slid down out of sight into the fog. I am guessing that there wasn't a crash pad at the bottom either.The clouds disappeared for a second as I descended into Madison hut, which wasclosed up as tight as a drum. The climb up Mt Madison was very steep but Ienjoyed the rocks. The area around the summit was cool too. Very rough comingdown though, all the way to Osgood tentsite, the bottom of the valley.I took my sweet time down the hill and did my best to boogie the next 5 or somiles to Pinkham notch. Spencer was right, "The last stretch into Pinkhamstinks". Its relatively flat but over roots and streams and is just a mentalbarrier. But eventually I heard the hum of cars and then saw some of thebuildings.I headed over to "Admin", the dorms and met Alex, Kate, and the rest of thegang. They hooked me up with a shower and Kate was doing a load of laundry so I washed my hiking clothes. The rest of the evening was spent chilling and doing nothing productive. I waswitness to "The egg trick" which was the grossest thing I have ever seen.(Details to those that need to know) Thanks for that Ben. We then watched The Big Lebowski, quite the flick. I spent the night in theother Ben's room. Ben sleeps in the parking lot in his Volkswagon bus. His room is just used to store stuff.Tonight was one of the funnest night on the trail. Just good, simplecompanionship. Many thanks to the AMC workers.