The camp group on the tent platform next to mine started packing up at 4:30 am. Since that woke me and my alarm was set for 5 anyway, I got up with them. I hit the trail just after 6.
The day’s plan had modest altitude gain of 2900 feet over 14 miles. I continued taking breaks for steps seven and eight while climbing, and drank about five liters of water, which seemed to be preventing my health issue from recurring.
The climbing was less straight up than yesterday. There were quite a few flat stretches on ridges or along valley sides. I passed four mountains. South Twin Mountain had the best views and was quite crowded. A man my age doing a day hike sat beside me and said that since he was heading to his car he might as well give me some of his leftover snacks. I accepted a granola bar and a caramel macchiato energy pouch. Later I spike with a family of five who were out for several days and were going to sleep over at the next hut.
I met that family later where they had stopped for a break, and we talked for quite a while about my experience of thru hiking. Hopefully I inspired at least one of the kids to try it one day.
At the next hut I pulled out my AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club – a strictly New Hampshire organization I think) thru hiker card, which entitles me to two free pastries and one free soup (in total, not per hut). I chose a pumpkin cake square, which was filling. The family of five arrived while I ate. I got a look at the bedrooms – three sets of bunks per room, triple decker. I would not want to be on the top bunk
At some point I ran into Old School heading south, he is doing two days of slackpacking. He had joined the same tramily that Poppy was in, but says that due to so many of them taking days off trail, and different ideas about how far to go each day, the tramily has falken apart. (Although that’s not what Poppy said earlier, so maybe part of the tramiky lives on.)
The evening campsite is beside a pond. I took water at a stream a mile earlier because pond water tends not to taste good. At dinner I talked to four young people who work for the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy). Their job is to rate all the views of the trail in New Hampshire. Apparently it takes about twenty minutes to rate each view using a detailed questionnaire. Then they have to reach a consensus score. The data will be useful when the ATC is considering rerouting a section of trail (will the reroute lose a highly rated view?) or when fighting unwanted development (the development would ruin a highly rated view). They told me that one challenge for them is that most of the views are 10/10.
Mile 1835 to mile 1849.4 = 14.4 miles
Zealand Hut
Thoreau falls
Gorgious. 10/10 for sure! I see from looking at my map that you’re about to enter the Presidential Range. Gemini says it’s the “crown jewel” of the NH White Mountains.