Date: 2008-06-16
From: osgood tent site

To: imp shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: light rain

Up with the sun and left around 6. Did most of the descending yesterday, so there was some easy trail until I got the Pinkham Notch.Went up to Lowe's Bald Spot for a look back on the Presidentials. Could barely see them through the clouds. Lots of clouds and fog today at a couple different levels.Got to the notch and hit up the Visitors Center, but there was nothing much there. Food, but I didn't need any. Have plenty because I haven't been using as much as I thought I would.Headed on and hit Wildcat, which I had heard was the toughest climb on the entire trail. Well, that was partially justified. Some sections were about 70 degree uphills on the face of a cliff. Very easy to die on the wet rocks, but I made it alright. A fun climb. I sorta enjoy these steep challenging climbs in the Whites. Got to the top where there was a ski lift and ran the ridge for a couple miles over 5 different peaks.Steep down to Carter Notch. The last hut in the Whites. I got there and was going to take lunch. Brought in my food, and went to see what they had for sale. Didn't have any soup but the croo member said I could have this gallon ziplock bag full of carrot cake and cream cheese frosting for free. She challenged me to eat all of it. Damn. A couple pieces in, I said I don't know if I would be able to finish all of it and another croo member asked me if I really was a thru-hiker. That did it. I had to finish. Had 7 large pieces and was slowing down. Some girls showed up and helped me out with a piece. One more left. Powered it down and claimed victory. I was there for three hours just vegging and putting down the cake. Didn't have much farther to go so there wasn't a hurry.At this point I had to decide to stay or go. Ended up leaving so I would have a shorter day tomorrow since I had to hit the PO.Climbed up to Carter's Dome up from the notch. Steep as usual. Cloudy up top so no view. Back down and came to a trail intersection. Couldn't tell where the AT went. Carved into one of the signs was AT? Great. Went down one trail and picked up a white blaze. Good enough. A mile down I came to another intersection and saw some more blazes heading up. Followed them. Didn't think I was going the right way, but didn't know where else to go. Well, the trail went straight up and low and behold I arrived back at the AT? sign. Awesome. I love the maintainers in this section and here goes a small rant:The AT in the Whites just follows a number of trails. There are hardly any blazes, and some of the trail intersections aren't blazed and don't have any indication of where the trail goes. This is partially fixed by hikers who have carved directions into the signs. Without this graffiti it would be difficult to follow the trail. Maintainers, can you please just blaze the trail? I don't care about the signs, just paint some blazes and it would be so much easier. Many times I wandered down a trail wondering if I was going the right way. I did a few miles in the Whites I didn't have to do. End rant.Few more miles to the Imp shelter. Supposed to be a fee site but the caretaker wasn't there. Wouldn't have paid so its a good thing. Another hiker was there who was doing the NH 4000 footers. Talked a bunch and he gave me a grapefruit. Breakfast.When I was about to go to bed, Double Cheese showed up, and Samsa and Adman shortly thereafter. They have been a couple days ahead of me so I was puzzled, but they took a couple days off.Indian Summer is just a few miles behind so I may get to see him and buy him a 6-pack since I owe him. Last night in the woods before my trip.