Day 158
Start: Hexacuba Shelter
End: Wachipauka Pond
Miles Hiked: 12.8
Miles on AT: 1796.5
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When I awoke, the skies had cleared and it was no longer raining. Being a late riser (by hiker standards) the other hikers had already left or were just about on their way out once I had packed up my tent and gone to the shelter for breakfast. The large group of Dartmouth students was still there, their negotiations on how to effectively clean up and pack up making me grateful to be a solo hiker.
Today was the day when I would officially enter White Mountain National Forest. Eeeek! Although I wasn’t going to climb any of the infamous peaks today (that would come tomorrow), I still felt the thrill of entering the Whites. I had made it this far, now I would be thrown into the hardest part of the trail and see how I fared against some “real” mountains.
To set myself up for a successful day tomorrow, I was going to hike a short day so I could tackle Moosilauke, the first major mountain, in the morning. After I finished my breakfast, I started my short day. Mt. Cube was my first climb, and, wow, was it cold up there! Exposed and on a rocky face sparsely covered with trees, the cold air whipped past my face. I wanted to stay and enjoy the view, but it was just too cold and windy. The weather was starting to change, the summer warmth fading into an autumnal chill. Luckily, I had a package with my cold weather gear waiting for me in North Woodstock, the town I would head into after climbing Moosilauke.
After Mt. Cube, the trail was relatively easy, mostly flat with gentle ups and downs. There were a lot of people out on the trail again and I passed a few more groups of Dartmouth students. They were everywhere! When I reached a road with a wide open grassy spot next to it, I took the opportunity to eat lunch in the sun. The air had warmed up a bit, but I still needed to wear my puffy. A section hiker that I had met at the shelter joined me as he waited for his ride. Like all good hikers, we chatted about the trail, weather, and the upcoming challenge of the Whites. He was going to meet up with a friend and start hiking again in a couple of days, so there was a chance we would run into each other again.
When the time came, I said my goodbyes and headed back into the forest. Before I knew it, I was in the Whites! Aaaand, the first mountain, Mt. Mist, was…well, underwhelming, but in a good way. It was such a gradual climb up that I didn’t even feel like I was doing any work. On the way up, I ran into a hiker I had met allll the way back in Shenandoah. It took me a while to place him, but he had hiked with Mosey and had been at the shelter I ran to when I was afraid of falling limbs. He and his hiking partner had decided to flip, so they were on their way south.
After Mt. Mist, I decided to end my day at a campsite that people on FarOut had raved about. And let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint. I arrived at the site, which was on a pond (more like a lake), relatively early, so I had all the time in the world to enjoy it. The first thing I did was take my shoes off and soak my feet in the clear water. It was so nice! If it were warmer, I would have definitely gone for a dip.
After watching the fish swim about for a while, I decided it was time to get to work. I wanted to build a fire, so I had to gather some firewood. Luckily, the person or people who had camped here before me also left a ton of wood by the fire ring, so I didn’t have to do too much work. When I returned, I set up my tent, got my things ready to make dinner, and started my fire. A loon (my first loon!) sat and swam on the lake, sometimes appearing 50 feet away from where it had ducked into the water. The lake was so peaceful; this was a top tier thru hiking moment. A sprinkle of rain threatened to force me inside, but it didn’t last. And when it was over, I saw the brightest, most complete rainbow I had ever seen in my life! I audibly gasped when I saw it. Plus, it was a double rainbow! All across the sky!
The rainbow literally only lasted for about 5 minutes. I had just happened to see it when I turned my head, and I felt incredibly lucky to have seen a sight so vibrant and beautiful. My fire was roaring and warm, my dinner was delicious, and all was right with me. I stayed with the fire until after the sun went down. It was so hard to let it go; I kept saying “This is the last piece of wood,” but then would put another on. Eventually, though, it was time to turn in, and I managed to leave some wood for the next camper. After dousing the fire with water and making sure it was cool, I crawled into my tent for the night.
And that’s day 158.
A version of this post originally appeared on TheTrek.co.