I prefer my AT on the rocks - June 25/26

 1800 Miles Officially Hiked!

The past two days were pretty difficult for Team Nano, but also quite rewarding.  In two days, we hiked a little over 16 miles, which doesn't sound like much, but felt like quite the accomplishment to us.  We worked for every step of this section.  We hit a pretty significant milestone during this outing - we have officially hiked 1,800 miles of Appalachian Trail.  That's a lot of AT under Nano's feet.  On our first day of hiking we went a little over 7 miles.  It was very slow going.  The trail was extremely soggy (standing water along most of it) and we struggled to find any dirt free of rocks and roots to step on.  It's the kind of trail that seems like it's just waiting for you to lose focus and break a hiking pole or an ankle.      You have to watch every single step you take, and plan two steps in advance.  We were going at about 1mph, and we weren't sure how far we would get.  In the middle of the afternoon, we got to a shelter by a river. Since camping is only allowed in the vicinity of shelters in the White Mountains, we had a choice to make.  We could either stay there or hike 4 more miles up and over one of the taller Whites to the next shelter.  The weather forecast was calling for storms, and we thought hiking the wet rocks up a mountain in the rain was probably a bad idea.  So we set up camp by the river and called it an early day.  I think we made the right call, because after a quick dip in the river and starting dinner, the storm found us.  It rained pretty heavily and we were glad to have a good spot to wait it out. 

 Camp Nano by the river in the rain

The next day, the rain had stopped but the fog was thick and the trail was still very wet.  We got a bit of a treat though, because the first mile of hiking followed the river up the steep south side of Kinsman Mountain.  That meant we were hiking next to waterfalls for about an hour. 

 Trail Waterfall

We had about 3 miles to hike to the summit of Kinsman Mountain.  I am starting to discover a pattern that seems to describe 90% of the trails here in the White Mountains - steep rocks.  These trails would be tough even in perfect conditions.  After a heavy rain, when the steep rocks are covered in about a quarter inch of running water, they are even tougher.  Hooter discovered the key to hiking the Whites though - "Stay Focused."  Better advice could not be had. Climbing Kinsman was quite the task.  It was almost as steep as the north side of Moosilake, and just as rocky.  Often, we were crawling on our hands and knees and pulling ourselves up using tree limbs.  We had seen some hikers traveling with dogs along the trail, and all I could think was, if I was struggling up the rocks, how did the pups manage?  Every now and then, the trees would clear and we would get a glimpse of the summit through the fog.    

Our destination

It took up about 3 hours to get to the top of Kinsman.  1mph once again.  I think that's as fast as you are guaranteed to go here in the Whites.  When we reached the summit, it was completely fogged in.  It looked like something out of a horror movie, but getting there meant we had made it up and we thought it was beautiful. 

Foggy Summit of Mt Kinsman

The descent of Kinsman was just as steep and rocky.  It didn't really occur to me while I was hiking (probably because I was so focused on where I was going to put my feet from step to step), but looking back on it now, this kind of trail is legitimately dangerous.  Any pictures I could post would not really do justice to the steepness of the trail.  And with rocks and roots dominating the path, stable places to step are a rarity.  I'm glad that we were careful and took our time.  It's not hard to see how someone could fall and get hurt out here.  Tough going though it was, it was still beautiful.  And very rewarding when you complete it. 

The steep, wet rocks are our favorite...

 Treacherous River Crossing 

There was a very special treat waiting for us with three miles left to go in our hike.  For 125 years, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has maintained a series of "huts" here in the White Mountains for adventurers to use.  They have evolved over the years from nothing more than walls to the current wilderness palaces they are, complete with bunk houses, bathrooms, a full kitchen and a full time staff that maintains the hut, cooks meals, packs all the supplies up the mountain and offers talks and programs on the local habitats and mountain survivial (what a great summer job that would have been when I was in college).  To top it all off, the huts are largely powered by sustainable energy sources.  Unless you are one of the first two thru-hikers at the hut for the day and can get a work-for-stay deal, there is a (rather substantial by Trail standards) fee to stay at the Huts, but from what I saw they are worth every penny. The hut on our hike today was the Lonesome Lake Hut, one of the newer and more popular huts, since the 3 mile hike to it is relatively forgiving.  It was like Disney World for hikers and we thought we were in heaven.  It had started to rain on our way down Kinsman, so we stopped in to dry off and eat our lunch.  We were so temped to stay (lentil soup, salad, potato rolls, pork chop with homemade applesauce, bow tie pasta, broccoli and homemade dessert were on the menu), but we had to press on. 

 

Lonesome Lake Hut

Lonesome Lake Bunkrooms.  Real Mattresses and all.

Hut Kitchen

It rained for the rest of our hike down Kinsman, but we were in the woods so all we felt was a sprinkle.  As the Hut staff had promised us, the Trail south of the Hut was much more forgiving than the Trail we had put behind us, and we made much better time.  By the time we found Trail Angel at the bottom of the mountain, we were wet as drowned rats and probably just as smelly.  But we were happy to have explored another of the famous Whites.

Team Nano after 2 tough days

The Whites, The Whites are Calling

 On Top of Mt Moosilake

Today was a really special day in the world of Nano.  Today we officially entered the White Mountains, one of the most celebrated and feared sections of the Appalachian Trail.  Spanning about 60 miles of Trail, The Whites are famous for their stunning beauty.  Many of them have "bald" tops or rise above the timber line and thus offer some pretty spectacular views.  However, to enjoy these views you must pay the admission fee in the form of completing a very grueling climb and/or descent.  The AT in the Whites is steep and rocky and the weather is often wet and windy.  It is a place AT hikers approach with both excitement and caution.  As Northbounders, our first White was Mount Moosilake.  It was 9 miles up and over Moosilake, and we headed out extra early to make sure we could complete the hike in one day.  When we started hiking, it was breezy, damp and very foggy.  I didn't mind, since the first 5 miles of the hike were a fairly steep ascent and I welcomed anything that would help keep me cool.  It was slower going than usual, but after a few hours the trees started to thin our and we knew we were getting close to something special. 

      

 Ascending into the fog with giant cairns to mark the way

The last half a mile before the summit was lined with cairns taller than I was.  Some serious time and effort went into building them.  When we reached the top, the entire peak was surrounded in dense fog.  I admit that I was pretty disappointed, since Moosilake has one of the most famous views of the Whites.  But I was feel great after completing a hard climb.  We settled in at the peak to eat our lunches, and 20 minutes later the heavens opened and revealed to us the Whites in all their beauty.  

360 Degrees of Moosilake

The summit of Moosilake was everything I hoped it would be - stunning, challenging and rich with history.  There was once a hotel here (over 100 years ago - now the only thing left is ruins) and the carriage road the patrons used now serves as a hiking path.  Over the years, hikers have used the abundant stone of the summit to build not only cairns here, but elaborate windbreaks, which we took advantage of while we ate our lunch.  We sat enjoying the summit of our first White for over an hour and when it was time to press on, it was hard to tear ourselves away.  Once we realized what we had to do to get down, we were missing the gorgeous summit even more.  Moosilake's "admission price" is paid on her north face, which is one of the steepest and slickest trails I have ever encountered.  We barely traveled at 1 mph, having to watch every single step we took and often using handholds or crouching to slide from rock to rock.  Though it is beautiful, descending next to a waterfall for the entire 4 miles, this particular section of Trail is described as "treacherous" in our guidebook and there are warning signs posted on the Trail itself.  Climbing down Moosilake was definitely one of the tougher hikes I have done out here on the AT, but as I told Trail Angel at the end of the day, this mountain was worth getting out of bed for. 

A Treacherous Descent 

After a slow but successful descent, we completed our hike of Moosilake - and put our first White behind us - just in time to beat a thunderstorm to the car.  I can't even imagine what that descent would have been like in the rain, and I thank my guardian angel that the storm held off long enough for us to get down safely.  It seemed we could not have timed this day better if we had tried.  Clouds to shade us while we climbed, sunshine at the summit to brighten our spectacular view, and rain that held off long enough for us to get down the mountain without breaking a hiking pole or any bones.  Our first experience with the Whites was a resounding success.  Days like this are the reason I come here.  

  

The Famously Beautiful White Mountains

Hanging out at the Hike-In - June 23

Your Friendly Neighborhood Trail Salamander

Today's hiking (about 10 miles) was relatively uneventful.  There were no panoramic vistas or large mountains to climb.  It was all hiking in the woods on a very soggy trail (it had rained the night before).  All of the forests here are remarkably green - think Crayola Green - and it makes me smile to see a piece of nature that is so obviously thriving and doing well.  There was a road about halfway into our hike today and Trail Angel met us there and brought us lunch, so we got to have cold drinks and chicken salad during our hike, which was so special.  However, the real highlight of the day, or rather, the previous evening, was the place we spent the night before hiking today.  We stayed in one of only two motels in the entire country that has a Drive-In movie theater in the backyard.  There was even a speaker in our room, so we could sit in our beds and watch the show on the Drive-In screen.  It was, quite possibly, one of the coolest things I have ever seen.  I had no idea we were staying in such a glorious establishment until we pulled in the parking lot in the early afternoon, and I spent the rest of the day barely able to contain my excitement at being able to watch a Drive-In movie from my motel bed.  When darkness fell, we all gathered around the window with our pie and ice cream and were treated to a double feature of WWZ and the new Superman movie (though I fell asleep with 30 minutes left of Superman and am still antsy to find out how it ends - a hazard of watching a Drive-In movie in bed rather than car).  I had never heard of a motel-Drive In combo before, and it is not something I will soon forget.  I was still talking about it while we hiked the next day.    

 Eating breakfast in the room with a view of the Drive-In

Overall, I was thankful for an easier day of hiking, since tomorrow we will have our first taste of the infamous White Mountains of New Hampshire.  I can't wait to see what they have in store for us.  

 NH Frog Pond

Camping Out in NH - June 21-22

 On top of the Fire Tower before our first Overnight of 2013

Not wasting any time, Team Nano has marked another milestone of our 2013 Adventure - our first overnight of the year.  Over the course of two days, we broke out the big backpacks, hiked almost 20 miles and summited two decent-sized mountains.  It was the perfect time to be camping, too.  Perfect weather, constant breeze, plenty of shade trees to pitch a tent under.  There were several interesting sights too.  On our first day out, we passed a sign advertising free ice cream and croquet (a classic combination if ever there was one) for hikers in a local's yard.  We also climbed a fire tower on top of our first mountain and had lunch at the old Fire Ranger's Cabin, which now serves as the hiker shelter.  

 Picnic at the Fire Ranger's Cabin

This stretch of trail didn't have as many accessible roads as previous sections, so we didn't get to see our Trail Angel for a night.  But after refilling our water bottles in the stream at the bottom of our first mountain, we found a great camping spot.  We set up camp nano in the woods overlooking a steep ledge.  It's rare to find a place to camp that has the magical trifecta of 1) being a permissible place to camp (the park service is sometimes picky about where they officially allow hikers to overnight) 2) a place flat enough to pitch a tent and 3) a view.  With this spot, we hit the jackpot.  We made ourselves some Ramen and happily settled in.     

 Dinner and a Show at Camp Nano

We had made really good time on our first day of hiking, so on Day 2 of our overnight, we didn't have much farther to go for our rendezvous with Trail Angel.  We did have one more mountain to climb - Mount Cube - and it did not disappoint.  The top of Mt. Cube was exposed and offered a great view.  

 Mt. Cube in the Morning

We continued to make good time hiking and made it to the rendezvous in time to spend the afternoon taking in some local culture.  Rural New Hampshire, much like Vermont, is known for its Maple trees.  And Maple trees can only mean one thing - Maple Sugar.  Sugar farms are abundant here.  Most of them family owned and run and very neat to visit.  We drove by several, and on many of them you can see the rubber tubing running from the trees downhill to the collecting houses.  We also got to take in some local cuisine at the Whippi-Dip, which serves everything from burgers to fried clams and whose medium ice cream cone would feed a family of 4.  After two days of hiking we were definitely glad for the treats.    

 Genuine New Hampshire Maple Sugar Shack - Probably one of the last places on earth you can shop on the honor system.   

The Whippi-Dip.  Home of the most generous ice cream portions ever.

"Real" Hills

 Our First Big Hill

The second day of our 2013 Grand Adventure brought us our first "Real Hill" of the trip.  The AT in New Hampshire definitely has a reputation for being tough hiking, and we got our first small taste of that today.  Over the course of about 9 miles, we had two big climbs.  The first was up Moose Mountain, and though one of my AT dreams is to see a moose on a hike, it didn't happen there.  The second was up to a place simply named "The Ledges," and once we got there it wasn't difficult to see where the name came from.  It was our first scenic overlook of this trip, and it didn't disappoint.  

 The Ledges - Our First Vista

Our first "Real Hills" meant more breaks and a little slower going for Team Nano today.  But it was another perfect day outside, good for taking our time.  We got some good comfort food at a local dive for dinner and I even discovered one of my new favorite special treats - Gelato Affogato ("drowned ice cream" - look it up).  Maybe tomorrow we will be ready for some more "Real Hills."

Team Nano at The Ledges 

Motto of the Day:  "The only easy day was yesterday"

Here We Go Again...

 Nano and Friends are back on the Trail!

   After a year away, I am very happy to announce (or exclaim from the New Hampshire mountaintops) that I am back on the Appalachian Trail for a few days.  It has been far too long, but now that I have some rare time off from medical school, I am so excited to be spending it on the AT.  It is particularly exciting, because not only do I have Amicus and Trail Angel, but our dear friend Hooter along for this leg of the journey.  After spending months between concrete walls and under fluorescent lights, sunshine and fresh air is a welcome reprieve.  

    As many followers of Nano may recall, when last you left your valiant Trail Warriors, we had just crossed the Vermont-New Hampshire border.  Today we picked up right where we left off...the Dartmouth Bookstore.  Which, believe it or not, is directly on the AT, along with the only Appalachian Trail Starbucks you will find along the entire 2,200 miles.  We didn't go very far today - about 8.5 miles - but we've all been in the "real world" longer than we'd care to admit, and we are trying to get our Trail Legs back.  No matter the distance covered, we couldn't have asked for a better day to hike.  Low 70s, sunny, light breeze.  Perfect.

 A good day to return.

  Here in New Hampshire (as in much of the Eastern US), they have been blessed with lots of recent rain.  That meant that a rather squishy trail was there to greet us upon our return.  But as Hooter would say, you have to test out the waterproofing on your boots sometime.  A little mud was a small price to pay for the gorgeous day.  Once we hiked out of town, the trail was mostly woods, with a few bogs and fields thrown in for variety.  We only saw a handful of people on the Trail today.  We're significantly farther north than most of the 2013 Northbound thru-hikers, and most of the Southbounders are just beginning this month in Maine.  We did meet one young Northbounder who told us he had two weeks to get to Katahdin and was averaging 30 miles per day.  A mighty and ambitious young hiker for sure.  Wherever you are tonight, sir (which is about 22 miles ahead of us), we wish you well.  We also got lapped by a giant dog and his jogging owner, who ran past us twice (once in each direction) during our lunch break.  But on our first day back this year, we were in it for the sights and sounds and smells, not the speed. 

   

The (now familiar) Green Tunnel

New Hampshire is one of the most famously beautiful, but also most infamously difficult sections of the AT.  I have no idea how far we will get during the time we have out here this year, but as always, this is about the journey.  Not the destination.  Stay tuned, Followers of Nano.  More Grand Adventures are sure to follow. 

The Trail Awaits!