[at-l] new england hike - day 11

["richard mann" <hike-usa@email.msn.com>]

new england hike - day 11 - carter notch hut to route 2 (gorham new
hampshire)

the hut was virtually empty of folks.  there were 14 or so total, and the
capacity is 48.  so the three of us had our own bunkroom.  some bunkrooms
had only one person.  all in all a great situation.  no strangers to contend
with...

we were up around 6:30am and hiking just after 7am.  the ascent of carter
bald from the hut is steep and long, but doing it the first thing is best.
we relaxed a bit atop carter bald, taking in the wonderful views.  the hike
to mount hight (some signs say "mount height") was not bad at all.  the
promise of leaving all of these rocks behind is being realized slowly.  the
descent to zeta pass was a reminder though...

at zeta pass eye lightened the ladies load as much as possible and headed
down the carter bald side trail.  this leads 1.7 miles to nineteen mile
brook trail, then 1.8 miles to route 16.  eye sherpa'd the ladies gear so
that they would not have to carry it for the next 13 miles.  in '97, eye had
hiked these 13 miles and no sdesire to do so again, so they got a weight
break.  peter pan and richard were waiting as eye emerged at route 16...

later in the day, peter pan, richard, and eye headed to the trail crossing
at route 2, near gorham new hampshire, to await the ladies.  they emerged
sometime later with a section hiker named oreo.  he had been named yodi in
'97, and is finishing his trek this year.  double nickel was behind, so
everyone except me went to gorham, then richard came back for me and double
nickel.  the ladies were tired as hell, but got cleaned up, and we all went
to supper...

day 12 is a much deserved day off in gorham...

pittsburgh



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