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[at-l] AT Hike thru Whites

Summer Hike 97  -  Franconia Notch to Pinkham Notch on AT

Sunday July 6, 1997

    Robyn Hull, Kate Mullen and Morra Judd arrived at our summer cottages on
Crystal Lake in Gilmanton NH about 3:00 PM.  All three girls are 16 years old
and will be entering their Junior Year at South Windsor High School in
September.  Actually, Morra will be going to France as an exchange student in
August for the coming school year.  We plan to begin our hike tomorrow after
Larry Brown, a fellow teacher and Peter Chechile, just graduated senior,
arrive tomorrow.
    The girls went canoing and swimming before a sphegetti dinner.  They
decided to sleep out in their tent tonight.  I think they will be tired of
the tent after 7 nites but they cannot wait.

Monday July 7, 1997

	Larry and Peter arrived at 11:00 am.  We had a lunch at the lake then headed
for the trailhead in two cars.  Dropped Peter and the girls off in  the Flume
Parking lot about 2:00 pm.  They headed up the Liberty Trail   (AT) to
Liberty Springs Tentsite.
	It took Larry and I an hour and a half to shuttle my van to Pinkham Notch
for our return trip.  We ran into turrential rains and a major thunderstorm
on the way.  Kids are probably getting soaked.  On the way back in Larry's
car we had to stop for a moose on rt 16 just outside Gorham.  The rain died
down as we got  to Franconia.  We left the car and started up the trail about
5:00 pm.
	We had to hike up 2500 feet in about two and a half miles.  We we hot and
sweaty by the time we reached the tentsite.  Peter and the girls decided they
wanted to sleep at the summit of Liberty instead of at the tentsite.  They
checked with the care taker who said it was ok.  Then the girls abondoned
their tentsite.  Peter came to ours for some dinner since he was preparing
meals with us for the entire hike.  After dinner he brought his sleeping bag
up to the summit but left his pack tyed to a tree near our tentsite.   
	Before they left Kate informed me that the girls had decided to do a big
mileage day at the beginning of the hike.  They wanted to skip the planned
tentsite at Garfield Ridge and continue on to Guyot.  (about 15 miles).  Kate
likes killer days.  She is always telling me to press the envelope.  They
then would have a no hike day or explore the Bonds while the guys caught up.
 I didn't like the idea but we had agreed to a trip of friends not students
and teachers school trip, sooo.
	

Day 2 - Liberty Springs Tentsite to Garfield Ridge Tentsite

	Woke up at 4:30 am with the birds, but stayed in the bag until 5:45 am.  I
got up to get some water boiling for breakfast and discovered two red
squirrels fighting over Peter's Backpack.  He did not leave his pack
unzipped.  They had chewed a hole thru the top and were taking his gorp.  I
had to keep chasing them away.  Peter came into camp by 5:50 and took over
the chore of chasing away the critters.  While he was getting clothing from
bottom compartment they were stealing peanuts from the top.  We finally
resorted to throwing some gorp on the ground away from the pack just so Peter
could repair his backpack.  We knew it was not good for the critters but it
was driving us crazzy trying to keep ahead of them.  
	After breakfast we hiked up to the ridge to find Robyn and Morra waiting.
 They had told Kate they just wanted to hike to Garfield today.  Kate decided
to hike on her own leaving the summit at 6:00 am heading south without a map.
 She insisted there was a loop that would get her to Garfield before we
could.  I never saw her.  She left camp to early for me to catch her so we
just had to hope she found someone with a map that could get her pointed in
the correct direction.
	The five of us began heading north on the AT.  A glorious day with
incredible visibity.  We stopped for photos a few times.  We stopped on Mt
Lafayette for lunch.  While eating Robyn complained of blisters.  While we
were treating her feet a lady hiker came by to help.  We knew Robyn needed
better fitting boots but this lady suggested we request a boot fitting guide
from Campmour - good idea.  She offered Robyn a complete Spenco Blister Kit
including the new skin patches and finally loaned her a pair of boot liner
socks.  A very generous asnd delightful person.  I guess after one day Robyn
already enjoyed some trail magic.
	We continued our hike over the Franconia Ridge, mostly above treeline.
 Whenever we went below treeline the blackflys and gnats were terrible.  The
girls moved faster after lunch.  We could usually see them in the distance
until we dropped below treeline just south of Mt Garfield.  We reached camp
and 4:30 PM very tired and ready for some chow.  The girls decided to stay in
the shelter,  Peter shared his tent plantform with a group that arrived
before us.  And we had to share a tent with a delightful couple - Ike and
Katheryn - who were section hiking.  Kate was nowhere to be seen.  I
explained the situation to the caretaker.  She was going to monitor her radio
for us of any new of Kate.  She would send out a message for us in the
morning if Kate did not arrive.
	Eight girls from and adventure camp in Vermont joined Robyn and Morra at the
shelter.  The girls hit it of well.  Told jokes, compared notes on hiking and
discussed the ussual girls stuff.  Peter was having a great time with the 6
girls and two guys in the group where he was tenting.  We had a good dinner
and time to talk to Ike and Katheryn.  By 9:00pm there was still no Kate.  I
concluded she must have ended up at a different tentsite.  But Robyn had
their stove and Morra had their tentpoles.  Kate is very capabily of taking
care of herself but I was very concerned.  I decided to go to bed.  I began
writing in my jounal when I had this strange feeling someon was calling.
	At 9:45 PM the caretaker came to our tent and said people could her someonce
calling us.  She thinks it is Kate.  I got dressed and headed out with
flashlight.  I could hear Kate calling "hey, guys, someone please come with a
flashlight ".  I found her about .2 miles up the trail at intersection of AT
and Mt Garfield Trail.  She was dehydrated and very tired.  I was so relieved
that instead of giving her a piece of my mind I gave her a hug.  I brought
her to Robyn and Morra, hoping they would get some water and food into her.
 (She never asked to do big miles again the entire trip.)  She had walked all
the way to the Lincoln Woods Parking lot.  Thenturned around to retrace her
steps.  Then she followed the hike that we completed.  I estimate she
completed 21 miles in very steep terain.
Day 3 - July 9th    Garfield Ridge to Guyot Tentsite.  6 miles but tough
enough

	Terrible wind and rain during the night made sleep difficult.  Ike had to
get up every half hour to re-rig their rain fly.  Ours flapped insessantly
because Larry decided not to take out the rainfly.  We did not think there
would be any kind of storm.  Did not start hiking until 9:30 AM because we
needed to dry out the tent, etc.  Very difficult climb down from Garfield
then up to Galehead Hut arriving about 12:00N.  Girls bought all you can eat
leftovers in the hut for $1.00 per person.  Met three southbound thru hikers
 "TexMex, College and Giddyup" at  the hut.  Kate and Robyn were very
interested in these guys so decided to stay and talk awhile.  Morra and I
decided to hike out ahead of the rest so we could do a side trip to North
Twin (2 miles round trip).  The weather was not on our side however.  It was
very foggy so the view from N. Twin was poor.  
	The wind picked up and made the hike from South Twin to Guyot very
difficult.  When we reached camp there was only one small tentsite left.
 Larry and Peter reached camp first and had set up some tarps and rain flys
over thenplatform.  Peter had rigged his tent on a sharp angle against a log
to keep him from sliding down the hill.   Morra found room in the shelter
with 15 women from an AMC "Women only BAckpack".   Larry and I set up our
tent and we decided to try and rig someting with our fly and some ground
cloths  for Kate and Robyn since there was not enough room for two tents.  
	Kate and Robyn came into camp late and saw the fly and tarps as a neat
challenge.  The got out their rainfly to add to the makeshift shelter.
 During the night it leaked badly.  The flys kept collecting large pockets of
water.  At 1:30 in the morning Peter called Mr. Cloutman and Mr. Brown I
coming into your tent.  His had filled up with water.  The log served as a
dam to build up about 2 inches of water.  The girls struggled all night with
their situtation.  Usually they ended up laughing but they had to work hard
to avoid getting totally soaked.  They did get pretty wet.

Day 4 - Guyot Tentsite to Ethan Pond Tentsite  (10 miles)

	After drying out a little we left camp at 10:30 AM.  Crossed over Mt Guyot
and Mt Zealand in perfect weather.  Cool stong breeze.  Great visibility.
 Stopped on Mt Zealand for lunch and to dry out tents and sleeping bags.
 Spent about an hour.  Grey Jays flew down to take food right out of our
hands.  They would sit on my thumb and eat my gorp.
	Arrived at Zealand Falls Hut at 3:45 PM (5 miles, 5 hours, tough hike).
 Explored the water driven pump then found Kate and Robyn at the Hut.  Morra
had hiked on to Eathan Pond.  The girls were again eating "all you can eat
leftovers" from yesterdays dinner and todays breakfast for $1.00. 
	Met  two southbounders but forgot to get their trail names.  However one is
from Washington Ct.  The other was interested in my Gregory Evolution Pack.
 His was not riding on his hips and was thinking of changing from internal
frame to external frame pack.
	Left Hut at 4:30 PM.  Made it to Eathan Pond by 6:30.  (5 miles in 2 hours)
 Easy miles along old lumbering railroad  bed.  Had dinner near bear barrels
with northbound thru hiker  "Whetherman"  a math/science teacher from
Princeton New Jersey.  He is a friend & former teacher of Heather Hall.
 "Theedge216" from BPChat.  Very interesting man.  His school has granted him
a sabbatical leave to hike the AT.
	We had to bear box our food.  Seems two years ago a black bear was taking
backpacks right off of hikers in this area.  The bear had to be put down.  No
one was ever injured but it was just a matter of time.

Day 5 - Relaxation Day.  JUly 11, 1997
	The plan was to do some packless peaks today.  Mount Willey, Mount Field and
Mount Tom all over 4000 feet are nearby.  Round trip would be about 12 miles.
 
	Larry decided to stay in camp, do some laudry and talk to Shannon the
caretaker about composting toilets.  Peter, Robyn and Morra decided to walk
to the Willey House for ice cream and to make telephone calls (5 miles round
trip).  Kate decided to hike with me over the three peaks then down to
Crawford Notch for phone calls and then we would walk or hitch a ride to
Willey House for walk back to camp(13 miles).
	Kate and I had a great hike and talk up to summit of Willey.  Coming down
the other side Kate was walking very slowly.  She said she felt fine.  We had
a slow hike up to summit of Field.  At this point she said she was not having
a good time but did not explain.  Said it was not fun anymore.  But she was
hiking very slowly.  I usually have to struggle to keep up with her.  It was
now 3 pm.  I suggested we go down Avolon Trail directly to Crawford Depot and
not attempt Mt Tom.  She agreed.  Reached Crawford Notch about 5:30 PM.  Now
we knew we could not get back to camp in time to eat dinner with the rest of
the gang.  Kate made phone calls.  I did also.  After about an hour we headed
down the road trying to hitch a ride.  Kate was still walking very slowly and
not in a good mode.  We did get picked up about 1/2 mile from Willey House.
 Got out at Willey House and had some Ice Cream and other food.
	When we started up the trail to camp Kate was her upbeat self again.  I
could hardly keep up with her.  I think she had not been eating enough.  The
ice cream gave her and energy boost.  We made it to camp by 8:00 PM but the
others had already eaten.  Kate threw her dinner into the garbage bucket.  I
cooked and ate mine even though it was dark.

Day 6 - July 12 1997  -  Eathan Pond to Mizpah Hut and Nauman Tentsite

	Very difficult climb up Webster Cliff Trail.  Great visibility.  Kept leapfro
gging some boyscots who were heading the same place.  Many people on the
trail today because it is Saturday.  Summited Webster, Jackson, Clinton
(Pierce).  
	Tentsite was busy so we set up two tents on one double site.  Peter would
sleep in our tent.  The girls in the other tent.  The girls had dinner then
coerced some little kids out of gingerbread from the hut.  The good meal got
them silly.  They carried on for about an hour before falling asleep.  
	The three guys had a great dinner of ministrone soup - which Larry
reconstituted all afternoon while hiking, sphegetti and sauce - which Larry
had dehydrated at home.  Chef Larry did a great job.
	Met the "Kentucky Derbys" - a thru hiking couple from Bow NH.  Been on the
trail since March 1st.  Said they knew of only twenty hikers ahead of them.
 They are very organized hikers.  She is tiring of the trail but wants to
finish the entire hike.  Neither had ever hiked or backpacked before.  They
trained by walking around theire son's property in Va for 6 hours a day with
packs for one month.  They felt they were still not prepared for the AT.

Day 7 - July 13, 1997   Nauman Tentsite to The Perch Shelter + Tentsite  12
miles
	The Whites are loaded with hikers this great Sunday morning.  Can see for
miles.  Hiking by 8:00 AM.  Peter left about half an hour before us then
Kate.  Robyn and Morra left about ten minutes before we left camp.  Larry and
I hoped to have a casual hike to take in all the views.  I hiked over Mt.
Eisenhower, no one else tried.  Reached Lakes of the Clouds Hut by 11:45 AM
and the Summit of Mt Washington at 1:30PM.  It was getting overcast but still
could see long distance.  
	When we reached summit Kate declared that the four students wanted to go
down Lionhead hoping to tay at Hermit Lake shelters.  I talked to Peter who
said that he only agreed to do that if Larry and I wanted it.  Same with the
other two girls.  In hindsight Kate was not  feeling up to par but she would
never admit it.  We probably should have gone down for her sake.  But Larry
and I wanted to complete the hike we had been planning for the past year.
 So, we continued along the ridge to the Perch.  Kate was hiking very slowly.
 Larry and I had great lunch on Mt Washington but Kate didnot eat anything.
 Hiked around summit of Mt Jefferson.
	When we reached The Perch the girls were all excited.  Claimed it was the
best campsite yet.  They particularly enjoyed the solarpowered outhouse.
 Peter chose to stay in the Shelter with the girls.  Larry and I used a
tentsite.  We had the place to ourselves until two hikes came into camp about
9 pm.  They joined the gang in the shelter.   
	 

Day 8 - July 14, 1997

	What a night.  It pour so hard there was 3+ inches of water in my mug this
morning.  Very foggy and windy.  Slept late because it was dark and hoped
weather would improve.  No such luck.  Left Perch at 9:30 PM
	Very tough ascent to Mt Adams.  (1200 feet in .75 miles).  Tough hiking
through all the boulders above tree line with heavy winds and dense fog.
 Decided the group had to hike close together today because of fog.  Did not
want anyone to get lost on last day.  
	Reached  Madison Hut about 12:30 PM.   Feasted on leftover Calzones.  I paid
$5.00 to treat everyone.  (Hoping Kate would eat also)  She had two calzones
and a hudge chunk of homebaked bread.  
	It was a long dificult hike down the 8 miles to Pinkham Notch.  Met
southbounder "SuperFly" with his new Merrill Superlight boots at the Summit
of Mt Madison.  Fog and wind continued to interfere with our hike.  Finally
reached Pinkham Notch at 8:00 PM.  Exhausted, dirty, tired and very hungry.
 We headed to Pitza Hut in Gorham for three large pizzas, 3 orders of
breadsticks, and bottomless sodas.  Drove through thunderstorms and heavey
rain to Gilmanton NH.  Arrived about 12:30 AM on Tuesday July 15th.  Some of
us jumped into the lake while others went straight to bed.  What a great
hike.      
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