Date: 2015-08-25
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: AMC Joe Dodge Lodge, Pinkham Lodge
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: few clouds

Again I was up, dressed, and packed early. I ate my own oatmeal and did not stick around for breakfast left overs. The weather report was the same as yesterday, fog with chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.I left the Hut at 7:30 and was on rocks and exposed ridgeline until 12:00. It was the hardest, scariest, mentally longest hike yet. Immediately the trail went steeply straight up and over jumbled bolders to the summit of Mt Madison at 5366 feet above sealevel. It was so steep and difficult that I strapped my hiking poles to my pack so I could use both hands to crawl or pull myself up and over the rocks.The fog looked like it might burn off, but then the wind picked up and the rain started. The wind kept getting stronger and stronger. When I reached and broke over the summit I hoped the wind would lessen. I was wrong, it increased, and so did the rain and fog. Although the profile in the AT guide looked like the trail would decrease in elevation it remained above treeline on an exposed ridge for a very long time. And the rocks continued. The wind was so strong that as I was lowering a foot down to a rock the wind blew my foot sideways. My pack felt like a sail my back, so I tried to stay low and hug the rocks. I was getting soaked and the wind was chilling me despite my efforts to keep hiking in the severe conditions. So I stripped down and put on all my rain gear.While I was changing my pants I decided to pee. I learned a new valuable lesson about peeing in the woods. Pay attention to wind direction. The wind blew the pee sideways onto the leg of my rain pants. That was quickly fixed by turning just 90° so the wind blew the pee behind me. Fortunately the rain took care of washing the pee off the leg of my rain pants.Not to be too gross here, but the conditions were making my nose run, and I could not keep stopping to blow my nose.   In addition, tbe bandana I was using was soaked from the rain. So I just let my nose run. Afterall, I am a stinky dirty thru hiker. I was amazed when the wind blew the string of snot at least 6 feet at a 90° angle from my face and held it there as a climbed over the rocks.The fog and rain were so heavy that I was having a problem seeing the rock cairns, which are large triangular shaped piles of rocks used to mark the trail. Fortunately there were also white blazes, which I used to find the trail through the storm.I quickly realized I was the only fool up there, and if I fell and was injured, it would be a long time before anyone found me. Hypothermia was a real concern. I considered putting up my tent to get out of the wind and rain, and just waiting out the storm. But there were no flat spots, just jumbled jagged rocks. The rocks and wind probably would have shredded my tent anyways. I really needed to keep moving in case thunder and lightening started. I just needed to get off the stupid exposed ridge.I continued to work my way slowly over the wet rocks. It seemed like a bad dream. Just when I thought I was coming off the ridge the fog would clear just enough so I could see there was plenty of ridge left.Finally I started to see little dwarf trees. But it was just a tease. The trail dipped then climbed again above treeline, over and over again. When the trail dipped I saw blueberries, but I passed them by. I needed to keep moving and get off the exposed ridgeline. Finally at 12:00 I was headed downward, into the treeline and out of the blistering wind. I did not have a moment to catch my breath. The trail was rocky, super steep, and wet. I had to carefully pick my way down the rocks.Again there were many intersecting trails, and I had to carefully read the wooden signs, my AT guide, and my map to make sure I stayed on the AT. I was now in the Great Gulf Wilderness, and there are no white AT blazes to follow. I was very afraid that I would miss a turn and be off the AT.Several other younger thru hikers passed me. One guy in particular made me laugh. I asked him if he knew where we were and how much further it was to Pinkham Notch. He pulled out his phone and told me how many miles we had left to get go Pinkham Notch. Then he told me I should consider getting the Gut Hook app for my phone if I did any serious AT hiking. For Petes sakes, I am thru hiking the AT, how much more serious can I get?? I guess it never occurred to him that a middle aged woman could be a thru hiker.A few hours later Mr. Gut Hook passed me again. Despite his fancy app he missed a turn and hiked about a mile down the wrong trail. This old lady, with her AT guide, map, and compass never missed a turn and stayed on the AT the whole time!I had reservations at the White Mountain Lodge and Hostel, but they wanted me to be in Pinkham Notch by 5 p.m. for their shuttle to Gorham. I was not going to make it. Every hour I tried to call them but I had no cell coverage.Finally, at almost 5 I reached the hostel and changed my reservation to tomorrow night. Then I called the AMC Joe Dodge Lodge in Pinkham Notch and luckily was able to book a room.The trail crosses the auto road that goes to the top of Mt. Washington.   At that point the AT is no longer in the Gulf Wilderness, and the white blazes reappear. I was so happy to see them I wanted to kiss them as I went up the trail. The trail remained rough but manageable until about 2 miles before Pinkham Notch. Then the trail was actually very easy.I made it to Joe Dodge Lodge at about 6:30. I was sore from head to toe, and mentally and physically exhausted. I just wanted a hot shower and a warm bed. Dinner was 2 ice cream bars and part of a diet coke. After my shower I went to the dining hall for the evening program - a movie about a guy who moved to a remote area of Alaska and built his own cabin. It was a very interesting film, and the guy was a very talented and creative woodworker.When I returned to my room and opened the door the stench was overwelming. My wet clothes and pack smelled terrible. I was clean, but everything I owned smelled of stinky hiker. There was nothing I could do about it, so I just went to sleep. I was exhausted.The AT is calling. Today I was taught many lessons. The most important were respect the weather, use your head - which can be better than a fancy app, and appreciate the white blazes.