Date: 2004-05-27
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: broken clouds

Log entry: 117Start hike: 1030End hike: 1400Morning weather: SUN!!, mildAfternoon weather: Partly cloudy, nice breezeEvening weather: Mostly cloudy, looks like rain againBreakfast: Pancakes, sausage, hashbrowns, apple juice, toastLunch: Lipton noodles (butter flavor) with a pouch of turkeyDinner: Not sure yet what I am going to have, maybe some soupTrail description: The first mile today was easy. The next 2 took over 2 hours to complete. The climb up Wildcat is known as one of the worst on the trail. I found it adequately steep. But once again it was so technical that I had to go slow so I didn't get winded like one would expect. More climbs the next 3 miles over the Wildcats then a sharp decent into Carter Notch.People: All the good AMC peeps, one dude at the hut, Tiana the caretakerAnimals: The elusive Pine MartenMoney spent: NoneComplaints: NoneThoughts: The movie didn't end until 00:15 so 0730 came early but sleep was great. I began packing things up. Kate knocked on the door at 0800 and we had breakfast down at the mess hall. It was cherry.After breakfast I called home and also got a hold of Andy, "Rowboat" who wasstaying at Miss Janets in Erwin,TN. He filled me in on many of his adventuresand misadventures. The big news is that he dropped a trekking pole over a ledge overlooking Erwin,TN. Plans are in the works for a search and rescue effort later this fall/winter. Should be a great weekend staying with Miss Janet.Before I knew it, it was 1000. I packed up and said goodbyes. It was a greatmorning for a hike.I took my time on the climb, snapping pictures and trying to soak in the views.I saw Mt Washington for the first time and was a little disappointed. I expected something much more grand. From standing atop, even in the thickest fog, it seemed like you were on some mammoth mountain. But the range itself is quite large, which sort of dwarfed the peak.At 1230 I heard the rumble of a gasoline engine and soon arrived at the ski lift on Wildcat Mtn, peak E. I was a little disappointed in the fact that it took me 2 hours to do 3 miles but since I only had another 3 miles to go, I wasn't about to complain.The rest of the hike was uneventful until I neared the final peak of Wildcat and started hearing the roar of a helicopter. Then I remembered talking with Ben yesterday who advised me that today if the weather was nice the plan was toairlift supplies into the Hut at Carter Notch. As I descended into the notch every few minutes the copter would pass overhead with a clutch of supplies.I picked a great day to stay at the Hut because there would be plenty of workfor me to do.Once at the hut, I greeted Tiana and then quickly settled into a bunk. It tookTiana a while to get the boxes that had arrived organized so I ate an earlydinner and then moved the necessary boxes up into the attic over the kitchen. The plan is to update some journals this evening but I'll probably spend most of it chatting with Tiana.      Okay, "the other dude" staying at the hut finally went to bed. He is scary. Both Tiana and I agree. Seriously. He is out on a few day hike. The wierd thing about him is that he just wanders around inside the hut watching Tiana and I. Tiana has ben sorting clothing and packing things up and he will just go and stand over her. Then mosey over to me and peer over my shoulder as I type. Not asking questions, just breathing through his nose, whistling a little.If you look up he just stares back, empty and a little cold. I told Tiana that I would stay as long as wierd dude did tomorrow but Tiana's stay at Carter hut is done tomorrow and she can leave after her radio check in at 8 am. That was a relief for me because I am anxious to hit the trail. Tonight is also the first night on the trail that I have been uneasy aboutfalling asleep. I am serious about this dude being creepy.