Miles of Razor Sharp Rocks

Franconia Notch to Gorham, NH
August 28

The Presidentials in the White Mountains of New Hampshire rise from the green north eastern forests to rugged piles of rocks. This is the home of Mount Washington and “the worst weather on earth.” The day Ladybird and I walked the ridge from Mitzpah Hut to Madison Hut happened to be one of the most glorious days I could imagine in New Hampshire. Temperatures during the middle of the day were around 60 degrees and only a few wispy high clouds and small puffy cumulous clouds wafted by.

The summit of Washington, however, was a circus. Hundreds of people hiked up the couple dozen stairs from the parking lot or waddled off of the famous cog railway to fight for a spot atop the peak with the sign, “Mount Washington, Elevation 6288.”

I am told that in the early days on the Appalachian Trail planning stages, Mount Washington was considered for a possible northern terminus. I cannot imagine having to fight for a moment alone at the Appalachian Trail terminus at the top of a peak where people in sandals or heels can stand, with their cars parked 100 yards away. Mount Katahdin was a wise decision, I hope.

Several miles from the summit of Washington, all day hikers were gone. Ladybird and I bagged the other peaks on the way to Madison Hut. The terrain gets steadily more rugged. boulders become bigger and sharper. Mount Jefferson resembles a giant cairn. Mount Adams was similar. The difficulty in Adams, however, was the decreased temperature and diminishing daylight. Still a mile away, the sun had sunk to just above the horizon, below a bank of distant clouds which had increased as the day grew older. To the west, the setting sun illuminated the sky in neon red light, reflecting off the bottom of the clouds, highlighting the numerous ridges. Ladybird and I arrived at the hut, cold, in the dark, but pleased with a spectacular day.

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The huts in the White Mountains offer “work for stay” to Appalachian Trail hikers. They say there are two spots per night available at each of the eight huts. Ladybird and I were given “work for stay” at both Mitzpah and Madison with more than two hikers there. When we were asked if we wanted to work at Carter Notch Hut just after noon, we couldn’t refuse. A warm sunny day lounging by a lake, swimming, reading, visiting with the hut “croo” and other hikers? Typically “work for stay” is not granted before 4:00. Why not. We stayed. 3.2 mile day.