Date: 2009-06-30
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Franconia Notch - Carriage Motel, N Woodstock, NH
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Tue Jun 30, Day 112. We closed out the month of June with our baptism by fire in the White Mountains. Let me be blunt - they kicked our asses!This morning a heavy dew enveloped my tent tarp. It wasn't raining but it may as well have been. After packing up I hit the trail and the climbing began immediately. We had already climbed 300' when we crossed Eliza Brook. Eliza BrookClick on picture to see full size Soon the climbs turned vertical. The ones that involve hand holds to get up and down. The guidebook warns "ascent/descent involves rock scramble". They hit the nail on the head. It was brutal.I move slowly partly because my legs are straining and partly because of the sheer angle of incline. It hurts. I take many breaks. This climb is up Kinsman Mountain and there are two peaks, the North and South sides. We left the shelter, starting at 2,500'. The climb to the summit of South Kinsman (at 4,358' the higher of the two summits) gained almost 2,000 feet of elevation in just 2.5 miles. When I reach the summit the fog is rolling in fast. Funny but at times I can see patches of blue sky. I takes some pics and shoot a quick video but the temperatures are cold and the driving wind makes me start shivering. That's a sign to get moving to generate some body heat. View (or lack of it) from South Kinsman Summit of South Kinsman Rock Stacking atop South Kinsman Lots of rocks on the summit of South Kinsman Trail off the summit of South KinsmanOnce we summitted South Kinsman then we dropped off the peak and had to go right back up to the top of North Kinsman (4,293'). The descent off North Kinsman is just as vertical. At times the trail has thick wooden steps drilled into the rock, that helps some. It's still slow going.At about 1300 hours I make it to the AMC Lonesome Lake Hut and stop in to ask questions about the AT trail direction (it really got confusing in this area) and to get a hot bowl of soup for $2.00 - what a deal!The AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) runs "huts" and charges $90 (yep, ninety dollars) for a bunk, dinner, and breakfast. Mostly "tourist" day-hikers stay at the huts. Thru-hikers can ask for Work for Stay and stay on the floor with the approval of the Hut Master. Usually only two such thru-hiker spots are available. Check-in is after 1500 hours and the work is light chores or even such things as giving a speech to the tourist hikers about your hike. The crew today at Lonesome Lake was nice and very helpful. The soup was excellent and plentiful as well. Thanks!! Lonesome Lake Hut Lonesome LakeThough the rest of the hike was more moderate, we were worn out by the time we reached the US3 road crossing at Franconia Notch, having only hiked 8.8 miles. We called a shuttle service called The Hikers' Connection for a shuttle, the fee was reasonable. Hot Wheels and I split a room in the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock.We had to sort out all of our wet gear. The motel owner allowed us to spread out our tents and other equipment to let it dry.I cut my hand on the rocks and it appears to be infected. I'm treating it with hydrogen perioxide and Neosporin and plan to continue northward tomorrow. The next schedueld off trail stop is Crawford's Notch. We should be there in two days. The terrain gets worse from here on - the first climb out tomorrow will be almost 4,000' in seven miles to the summit of mile high Mt. Lafayette (5,249'). Click here for audio journal