Jenni reaches the hut after 3.8 miles and 3,500 feet elevation gain. Still a 1,000 to go.
Hikers Loshen Hora (bad mouthing). We suppose it's honest but the public relations strategy leaves a lot to be desired. Where's the positive thinking? Oh! By the way, have a nice day!
Only supermen and wonderwomen, please. Fortunately, we qualify because we brought food and clothing. Regarding the weather, they kid themselves. When San Diego has a downpour of 1/4 inch rain, there is bedlam in the streets. What do these guys know of bad weather?
We returned to the United States and headed for New Hampshire via Massachusetts where we spent a day
with Barry Rubin, funnily enough, working. We did not stay too long because we don’t like to develop bad
habits. By Sunday, we were ready for a first hike, a climb to the peak of Mount Jefferson. We are positioned
in the town of Gorham, below the Presidential Range in the White Mountains. New Hampshire thus far has been
impressive. For residents of California, it is as if we are in a different country. More about that later.
Little did we know what was in store. After two hikes, we concede that the North-Easterners, people rather than
the winds, are tough if their trails are anything to go by. This is not an area for wimps so we are feeling a
little out of place. We read and have heard from a few that the toughest part of the Appalachian Trail is over
the White Mountains. You’ll get no argument from us. So far, we have not even smelled a switchback. Much of the
trail, nice thought, goes over rocky surfaces with streams sharing the track and much boulder climbing, at times
vertical. Add in high winds, rain and we feel we never left Iceland, weather wise.
On the Appalachian Trail, high, rough, tough and exciting. The Blue...um White Mountains.
On the way down from the peak, Madison Hut is prominent some 900 below.
In bleak conditions, editor thinking of the relationship of rocks in climbing and rocks in head.
On Sunday, we had to turn back after a climb of 2,000 feet as the winds created enormous danger—the
rain was nothing in comparison. The climb to the peak of Madison on Tuesday was special. By the time we reached the
summit, the last 900 feet on talus, we had accumulated 4,400 feet at a rate of 1,000 feet per mile elevation
gain. The trail was rough, wet and trying and so the distance felt a lot longer than the nine miles round-trip.
Our editor was not a happy girl although we did have the opportunity to sit and drink tea in the Madison hut,
900 feet below the peak—a small consolation.
'I wish the winds would pickup already so we can go home.' Boulder hopping is very enjoyable but every
step has to count.
A view from below the peak of Madison, part of the Presidential Range.
We met a few people on the trail although they were either returning from a stay in the hut or making their
way for an overnight visit. We went up-and-down on the day. Although our trek was not over-ambitious, our muscles
and feet thought differently when we put them to bed, Tuesday night. We noticed a few father-daughter couples on
the way up and thought of hiking with Natalie.
"Did we just spot a flying pig, Jen?"
Anyway, once we find a trail to either Nordstroms or Bloomingdales, we’ll approach our daughter. Optimistic-are-us.
Not a lot to say about the incredible position, high 'in the sky' with clouds playing in the wind.
900 feet down, only another 3,500 more—over, in and along a rocky stream.
We are enormously impressed with the Appalachian Trail, at least the parts we've seen, the spectacular
White Mountains and the state of the trails, notwithstanding their difficulty. It is world of linked trails
on the mountaintops which is most interesting. It will probably be even better when we understand this network
in the sky. Perhaps the visuals won't vary as much as they do on the West Coast but who has the energy to
worry about that. We will probably 'eat' our words—this region is outstanding.
The gem of the North-East, Mount Washington. Notice the road up the mountain. Should you forget your boots,
for a fee they'll allow you to drive up to the peak.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
So far, a typical White Mountains trail.
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