White Mountain Hike 2004

July 2-7

Tuesday & Wednesday, July 6, 7


At breakfast we see that the clouds have returned during the night.  I begin to hike alone, starting over Mt Madison in a cloud and with very strong winds at my back.  The rocks are nearly as wet as yesterday and do I must be very careful of each step.  But after I reach the top and start down the other side the winds drop since Mt Madison is blocking them and as I climb down the ridge, after about a 1000 ft drop I get under the cloud.  I can see out over the valleys where the sun is shining.









Looking back toward the peak, I can see it is still hidden in the cloud.



I drop into the trees and lose the great distant views I have enjoyed above timberline.  The total drop from the top of Madison to the valley is a little over 4000 ft.  By the time I reach the valley my knees are suffering.  Without my hiking poles to allow my arms to do some of the work, my knees might have experienced the same problems I had the first year I took this trip in the Whites.

Finally I reach the Great Gulf Trail in the valley.  It is so level and wide it is like hiking a road.  We follow the West Branch of the Peabody River and see occasional cascades.



After a couple of miles of easy hiking we reach the swinging bridge to the packing lot.  By this time Fred Yarnell, the trip leader, and his daughter and her husband (Rob and Meg) have caught up with me.






Fred, Meg and Rob shuttle me the 1/3 mile to the trail head into Carter Notch Hut and then drive into town to get supplies.  Unlike the other huts Carter Notch Hut is self-serve.  There is a caretaker, but we must bring in and cook our own dinner and breakfast. 

I eat some of my lunch and then begin the 3.8 mile hike into Carter Notch Hut alone.  After the 4000 ft down climb of the morning, the 1900 ft climb up to the Hut feels good - different muscles.





The trail follows the Nineteen-mile Brook and I get lots of  views of cascades.






When I reach the hut the caretaker is out on a hike, so I pick two rooms that can hold the 10 of us that will be here tonight, stow some of my gear and take my lunch down to the lake to enjoy the sun. 



The others begin to arrive a couple of hours later.



The hut is much smaller than the other huts we've stayed in this trip.  It holds a total of 40 in two separated bunk houses, but it is not full.  The only others we see much of is a group of young girls from a camp in Maine.  We coordinate our use of the kitchen and dining areas to not conflict with theirs.  We have a nice dinner of spaghetti and meatballs and enjoy the evening until the time the caretaker turns out the lights in the main hut to save power.  Then most of us seek our bunks and sleeping bags.  This was the most strenuous day of the trip with 4000 ft down climb, 1900 ft up and a total of 9 miles and we are ready for sleep.

The next morning we enjoy a breakfast of eggs and hashbrowned potatoes, clean up the kitchen and hike out.   The day is lovely.  Most of our weather was great except for Monday.  We have great views as we hike around the twin lakes beside the hut.  We see Wildcat A to the west.



The lilies are out enjoying the sun as well.






While hiking down, Rob and Meg catch up with me and pose for pictures near one of the more lovely cascades.






Lovely flowers along the brook, Lupine(?).



After reaching road, we drive to Pinkham Notch Visitors Center where we can shower before the long drive back to NJ.