Date: 2013-09-10
From: The Perch Shelter

To:  Peabody Suspension Bridge
Miles today: 5.3
Weather: broken clouds

I should rightfully dead after today.I say this in all seriousness. There is no reason I should be alive after the day I have had. We woke up to more rain and wind. However we were woken up to a wonderful surprise - Saga and Delorean were at the Perch as well! We'd been worried about them last night and they for us as well. We all set out for Madison hut with the hopes of making the Osgood tent site or even Pinkham notch for the evening. The walk to Madison was hypothermic inducing to say the least. We were wet from rain and clouds and battered by winds the whole way, with visibility never being more than 30-50 ft. The terrain was rocky and a bit treacherous wet but it wasn't as bad as the night hike had been.We got to Madison hut around 2pm. Immediately we stripped off wet things and tried to dry out a bit. I paid for some delicious mushroom rice soup and hot chocolate and thawed out while I looked at the map and the weather report.The weather called for more rain, severe thunderstorms and winds approaching hurricane speeds of 80mph. When you are above ridge line this is a very dangerous thing. Inspecting the map showed me that there might be another way off of Madison to tree line that would be safer. I decided to ask the AMC Hut Crew members for advice on the issue.This was my first mistake. I asked the crew if they had hiked the trails in the area and which would be the best one to take to get down off Madison and avoid the weather.The crew member replied that he had hiked the trails and knew them well. He told me that the AT Osgood trail was exposes the whole way pretty much.Okay. Any suggestions? Sure! The Madison Gulf Trail! See it's the shortest one!2nd mistake was trusting someone else.Roadkill and I decided it would be a smart idea to avoid the storms if possible. We were informed by the Crew in no uncertain terms that we were not allowed to do work for stay at this hut because we were far too early. So it was time to walk.We took the parapet trail to the start of the Madison Gulf. And found our sign and started down. Into a boulder ravine at a 45 degree angle.This was my 3rd mistake. I should have turned around then and avoided the near death that was coming.Instead we climbed down.The trail was 2.6 miles long. It took us 5 hours to do. Yes. Indeed. Awful.We started with boulder crawling and descent. From there we went to climbing down the mountains side in a path that resembled a river. We clung to trees and rock ledges as we lowered ourselves down to the next rock step. We slipped and slid on wet rocks and grabbed for trees when our feet would go out from underneath us.Every 20 minutes or so we would get a break from scrambles to walk in 50 feet on normal trail. Just to tease us.Eventually we came to a nice big landing. Dirt and trees and a path. We thought we were out of it. We were so very wrong.We were standing on top of a giant boulder the size of a 3 story house. The trail, marked by a blue blaze, went straight down a waterfall. For 40 feet. The middle of the boulder top had a small depression and a lip that looks like we could but scoot to, in order to get to the other side and climb down the right hand side.To test and make sure that this was the way to go, I took my pack off and climbed down the 10 feet to the bowl depression. It was doable but uncomfortable. Roadkill started scooting forward towards me and the bowl.And then she started sliding.There are a few moments in my life where things have scared so completely. This is one of them. I was watching Bex slide off a 40 foot drop to her death on a path that no one uses in the whites. There would he no help.I somehow managed to grab her packstrap and still hold on to my tiny handhold and stop herb from going off the edge. Her toes were already off.My heart started beating again.Roadkill made it over to the trees and clambered down. I climbed back up and got my pack. And started to but scoot down to the bowl.And I started sliding.I shoved my foot into an hold and stopped myself. Eventually we got down. We stopped and cried a few times. We got angry at each other. We got angry at the AMC and the huts and the mountain. We got angry at ourselves. I'm still angry and shaking as I write this. Its hard to believe someone sent us down this path.Its hard to believe I'm still alive.The entry in the AMC's trail guide about this trail puts it best.This trail is not meant to be descended. This trail is not meant to be done wet. This trail shouldn't be done with packs on. Or in bad weather. This isn't a hiking trail - it's a climbing trail This is the last time I'll ask for advice on blue blazes. I should stick to white blazed trail.I'm so thrilled to be alive though. Thank God.If you like reading about this adventure and my insanity out here, consider donating to the cause! A small donation of loose change from your couch could help me to have unbridled luxury; things like snickers bars, showers or even,gasp,a real bed to sleep in! Much love! http://www.gofundme.com/nobospice