Date: 2005-08-25
From: Mizpah Spring Hut

To: Madison Spring Hut 
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: scattered clouds

I was up and gone this day by 8:30 ish. Today was the day I was going to summit Mount Washington and I wanted to get going. We all did dishes and gave our stories to the day hikers in the evening and swept the place out in the morning all for a few table scraps. No complaints here, it rained hard that night so we all left with a full belly and dry gear, a Thru-Hikers dream come true. The climb up was foggy and a low overcast.   Over the next 12.7 miles we were to be above tree line. As I wrote before, I noted that the clouds broke and the sky cleared around eleven am for the past few days and I hoped it would prove true for this day. At 11:15 I saw my first patch of blue sky. I stopped by "The Lakes in the Clouds" Hut to see if there was a cup of coffee with my name on it, no luck. I did find out that a number of other Thru-Hikers, 16 to be exact, had spent the evening there by reading the hut's Log book so I knew who was ahead of me. I ran into the Hemlock Muppets inside the hut and we all headed out at about the same time for the final push. The cloud banks were coming and going so we were getting excited as we saw "Peak-a-Boo" views of the top.    Once there it was a little anticlimactic to see so many people. Realize this that there on top ends a Highway and a Cog Railway. You want seclusion I guess one has to climb Katahdin (oh yes.... that big one was just waiting for us all). Everyone has the right to be there and besides where there are people there most likely will be a snack bar. After two of MT Washington's world famous chili dogs, two slices of pizza and two cups of hot coffee I was "good".         I tried to make a call but the pay phone (another plus for civilization) however, it would not except my 888 pre-paid phone card. I returned to the table and told this to another hiker. A nice Day Hiker asked me if I would like to use her cell phone which I excepted gladly. Got to love that "Trail Magic". I called my friend from home, Brian, to basically continue our link up plan at the base of Katahdin. He asked me where I was calling from and when I told him he was floored. He was also nearby driving home from a vacation on the shore of Maine. Mount Washington is the highest point in the North East coast and the second highest on the trail (I believe) at 6288'. Also there on top they had a little Post Office so I sent a few small things home, post cards and two used up disposable cameras. I bought a coffee cup but it was to large to mail home at this post office so, I carried it and mailed it home the next time I stopped in town.   While on top the clouds did blow away. The views were outstanding and all in all another good day. I worked my way North and showed up at the Madison Hut just before dark. I was fortunate enough to get another "Work for Stay" from the folks there. This was to be my third time doing this and my last. There staying at this hut was Doc Narley, Sky Walker and Socks. Levi showed up and that Crew would not even let him stay. He actually had to leave in a hard down pour. There was plenty of room, it was not right.      While there on top of MT Washington I sat and thought, "I wonder just how many people I know or knew stood where I am standing now". Being from the mid-atlatic states (New York)I recall seeing the bumper sticker, "This car drove up MT Washington" on a lot of vehicles. After all this is and always will be a popular vacation spot to stop by and see. Things that make you go Hmmmmmm