Day 159
Start: Wachipauka Pond
End: Kinsman Notch
Miles Hiked: 11.3
Miles on AT: 1807.8
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Yesterday was such a dream. I had such a great time by the lake that when I woke up this morning I didn’t want to leave. Still, I had my breakfast, packed my things, and said goodbye to this magical campsite. I got an earlier start than usual because today was the big day: Mt. Moosilauke! I was going to climb the first big mountain of the Whites and I wanted to make sure I had as much time as I needed.
The plan was to get to the top and then hitch into North Woodstock. On paper, my day didn’t seem long, but I knew that the climb could really slow me down. Because of my excellent planning, though, the first few miles of the day were pretty flat and easy. There weren’t many people about yet, so I had the calm morning to myself to counter my buzzing nerves.
I’ve said this before, but I still get nervous when I’ve got a big climb ahead of me. Part of it comes from the unknown. This is a new mountain that I’ve never even seen before. How steep is it? How many rocks are there? How much will it hurt? Inevitably, when I conquer the mountain, my fears turn out to be overblown. It really wasn’t that bad. But, how am I supposed to know that ahead of time? I try to tell myself, “You’ve climbed so many mountains, you’ll be okay,” but part of me still wonders if I can get up and over the thing.
Today wasn’t any different. But, my nerves were cooled a bit when I found that the beginning of the climb wasn’t so bad. Yes, it was a little steep, and yes, it was also unrelentingly so, but I was surviving. However, as the morning wore on, things got harder. The trail continued to climb and climb, getting steeper and steeper. I didn’t have many flat areas to catch my breath, so I had to focus on maintaining steady, even breaths. Soon, my shirt was soaked with sweat. This mountain was no joke!
Plus, as I got higher and higher in elevation, the air got colder and colder. I wanted to take a break to eat a snack, but couldn’t linger long because my shirt was turning into what felt like an icicle. Cold and wet don’t mix when you’re sitting and still. So, I had no choice but to keep climbing if I wanted to stay warm.
If you’re wondering what climbing Mt. Moosilauke was like, just get on a StairMaster for an hour at a moderate pace. My legs were burning by the time I got to the south peak! The air had gotten even colder, so I took the suggestion of a pair of day hikers and put on my raincoat so that it could serve as a windbreaker. By this point, I was finished with the steep section and grateful for the beautifully smooth and nearly-flat trail to the summit.
And I’m so glad I put on my jacket because once I got above treeline, the wind was fierce! But, that didn’t distract me from the beauty of the view. I had clear views in all directions; it was fantastic! There were only a few other hikers near the summit, so I had the place basically to myself once I got there. I couldn’t stay for long because the wind nearly blew me over (and that’s no exaggeration), but it was beautiful!
As I headed down, I was satisfied with my first Whites climb. I did it! It was the toughest climb on the trail so far, hands down, but I had survived and made pretty good time. It was only a little after 12, so I figured that I could get into town relatively early given that I only had about 3.5 miles left to go. Oh, how naive I was.
With my first Whites climb came my first Whites descent, and just like the climbs, they are a beast all of their own. At first, it wasn’t that bad. After the initial descent, I stopped at Beaver Brook Shelter to eat a snack so I could fuel up for the last 1.5 miles and I’m so glad I did. Those 1.5 miles took me 2 hours (2!) to complete.
Why so long? Well, the trail to descend was literally a waterfall, and that’s no exaggeration. Part of the trail actually had water cascading down while the rest of it paralleled a larger waterfall that was maybe 5 feet to my left. This trail was steep, slippery, and treacherous. I don’t like falling, so I took my time to ensure that my feet were well-placed. Here and there, rebar and wooden steps were embedded in the rock face to help out us hikers, but it was still a tricky trail.
Worn out and frustrated, I finally made it to the end. I definitely had some choice words for whoever designed that trail, but I guess I just had to get used to it. It was the Whites, after all. Luckily, I had no trouble hitching when I reached the road, and I got a ride within about 5 minutes. After picking up my package I made my way to the Old Colony Ski Club, a members-only hostel of sorts that was run by some awesome people.
I have way too many good things to say about Old Colony Ski Club, which I’ll probably get into in the next post. Suffice it to say, I had a great time hanging out here. I decided to give my body a rest and zero the next day. I could slackpack the Kinsmans the day after that, which would make up for my zero day. After taking my shower, getting settled in, and eating, I hung out with the other hikers around the fire until it was lights out.
And that’s day 159.
A version of this post originally appeared on TheTrek.co.