Date: 2011-07-16
From: Carter Notch Hut

To: Rt 2 Gorham (White Mtn Hostel)
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: clear sky

July 29, 2011 ¢ Since Earl Grey is nearing Katahdin, I will be adding 3 journal entries today, and for the next few days. Today¢s entries are for June 15, 16, & 17 (so make sure you read all three)-MaryEven though I knew I wouldn¢t get out early, I was up at 5:15 packed up and sitting outside by the water waiting for the sun to come up. It was very still and peaceful and it makes you realize why people like this spot so much. I managed to catch up on my journal a little while waiting for breakfast. Once the guests ate and the dishes were done I was allowed to eat my fill of pancakes and oatmeal. After I ate I was assigned sweeping the bathrooms, dining room, and making sure the blankets were folded correctly. The sweeping wasn¢t bad, but the guests are shown how to fold the blankets, but about half were done wrong or just plain tossed on the bed. So I refolded quite a few blankets since there are 40 bunks and 3 blankets for each bunk. When I was finally done it was about 9:30 and I headed out. Out of Carter Notch is a very steep rock climb up to Carter Dome. It gets the blood pumping as Silver Fox says. The weather was perfect today with not a cloud in the sky early on, and then just some puffy clouds later. It was warm, but I¢ll take this over the rain. Once up on the ridge you continue to go up and down steep pitches, but you are rewarded with great views all the way. I remember why Mt Hight is one of my favorite views with its 360° view. I made the Imp Shelter around 1:00 for lunch and chatted with the caretaker for 45 minutes. I mentioned that 3 guys at Carter Hut left at midnight for a Hut traverse, which involves hiking to all the huts in order, covering about 54 miles. The caretaker said he¢s done it in 16 hours 32 minutes. I was quite intrigued by this and several other traverses he mentioned. I finally had to get going, but he was the most interesting caretaker I¢ve met yet. I pushed hard to get to the hostel at a decent time, finally arriving about 5:30. I was very pleased to see Enzed had made it in. I haven¢t mentioned her much lately, but she has been staying at my house with my wife recuperating after a bought with something, (dehydration and maybe flu?). Mary brought her back to the trail today and she hiked up Mt Washington and then got a ride here so she can hopefully continue on. I wish she could have hiked through the Whites with our group, but hopefully she is healthy now and can continue on to Katahdin. This hostel is very nice, and once again I¢ll be starting with clean clothes, a showered body, and a full belly. We are officially out of the White Mountains and under 300 miles to go. I don¢t care what people say, the Whites are the toughest part of the trail so far, and also the most rewarding and beautiful. I was blessed with near perfect weather through my home state, but also have gotten sore knees for the first time since Tennessee. Tomorrow I¢m going to try to get going early and make my 14th and final state of Maine. The terrain is still going to be rough in Maine with the Mahoosuc Notch, supposedly the toughest mile, coming up in a couple of days. I¢ve been really saddened to hear of several of my fellow thru-hikers who have had set backs, or have had to get off trail due to sickness or injury lately. It seems like every day I hear of someone else¢s hike that is ending so close to the end. I really can¢t change the way I hike, but it makes me think sometimes on some of these rock scrambles that one wrong step and it could be me. Hopefully they can heal and continue on with their journey. If things go well I should be finishing the first week of August. It really hasn¢t sunk in yet that it is coming to an end.