Middle Branch Lake Hike

So, we decided to go on Sunday's hike with the Herkimer Alpiners. The lake is in the HaDeRonDah Wilderness area in the northwestern part of the Adirondacks.

The area is 2.5 hours away from where we live so we had to leave at 6am to get to the trailhead by 9am. We met the rest of the group there: Kathy, Gail, Jim, and Evie. For a change this summer the day was clear, sunny and hot. We got started at 9:30am and boy, what a nice change for me. The trail was pine needle covered, soft and not too mountainous. Just a couple ridges to climb, nothing strenuous. It took us about 2.5 - 3 hours to hike the 4+ miles into the Middle Branch Lake lean-to. Taking our time and enjoying the day.


We lunched at the lean-to. It was on a point of land into the lake and we had a nice breeze to keep the late season mosquitoes at bay. The lean-to was in good shape and we enjoyed reading the shelter log's past entries.

Eventually we had to head back to the cars so at 1pm we hit the trail back. On the way we all chatted about this and that. It turns out that Randy and I were the youngest members of the group. Evie, at 78 years old, the oldest. She was amazing. She had no trouble at all keeping up; leaping giant mud pits in a bound or two, climbing the ridges and hardly broke a sweat that I could see. Makes me hope I do as well at 78!

Anyway, we were back at the cars by 4pm. The day was humid so we were all glad to be riding home in air conditioned cars. This area has a lot of trails, I may have to get the guide book.

Day 5 NH White Mountains 8/8/08

Again, out of the hut by 0800. The weather report is the same as always, cloudy, possible showers, possible thunderstorms. Mt Madison was looming right outside the windows of the hut. This is today's challenge. The climb starts immediately and of course it's steep and a boulder field. By 0830, several folks who stayed at the hut with me passed me by on the way up. I got to the top (5363 ft) at 0900 and took the family pics of the group who passed me. Three teens also showed up. Family and teens were all peak bagging. One of the family group took my pic at the elevation sign, then I packed up and headed down the other side of the mountain.

Not too far down it started to rain so I pulled out my rain jacket and put it on. A little while later, Luana, Patty and Lisa, hiking with Matt (a fellow celiac) breezed by me. I just cannot go fast on this rock. The back side of the mountain was just as rocky as the front and I had difficulty getting over these boulders. I'm just terrified of slipping; falling; breaking a bone. So, excruciatingly slowly, I work my way down the mountain. The 1.7 miles took me 2 1/2 hours. Then I was out of the alpine area and into the boreal zone of spruce and balsam woods. The going is still very steep and I struggle going down and not slipping on the slick rocks and ledges. The ground is so saturated that at one point I slid in the mud about 5 feet, missing rocks and roots before I regained my balance.

The rain continues and I'm soaked thru. The trail is a streambed and my boots are fully saturated. At the 3 mile point (of an almost 8 mile trail day), I finally reach the 1st of several trail junctions. I've been hiking 4 hours. There's no place to sit and rest; everything is wet. I'm a little tired and hungry but I don't want to sit and eat in the rain. Also, if I stop, I'll get cold. I'm also worried about my slow pace. I don't stop to eat or rest, I push on.

The trail is still a running stream with lots of rocks and ledges to climb down. I'm still struggling. Several large creeks are full to the brim. I just wade across as I can't get the boots any more wet than they already are and the rocks usually used as stepping stones are all under water. I'm going at a faster pace than before but still not making any great speed. I cross the Mt Washington Auto Rd and reach the Old Jackson Rd trail. There there's a sign that gives the milage for Pinkham Notch as 1.9 miles. Big Hooray! It's 3:30pm. I may get to the lodge by 4:30pm.

The first 1/2 mile of the trial is some climbing and descending but then becomes a fairly level, gravelly track. There are still streams to cross and the trail is still a stream and there are still lots of mud holes but the going is now so much easier. Finally, I round a turn and there's Pinkham. I made it in at 1635. I dump a lot of gear in the trunk of the car and get my dry clothes and shoes to take into the lodge with me. I'm so happy to get in out of the rain and get clean and dry.

So that's the end of this adventure. Only a few scrapes and bruises from a fall on a slick rock today. I'll have to see about my toes tomorrow. They're too water logged now to see what kind of beating they took today. Tomorrow I'll have better perspective on the trip and be glad I did it.

Big Lesson Learned: Bring my gaiters and rain pants!

Day 4 NH White Mountains 8/7/08

Today, an A-Ticket ride.

Got up this AM and it's cloudy, not raining. The weather report is the same as always; cloudy, 40's, chance of showers, possible thunderstorms. I decide to go to Madison Hut. I eat, pack up and get out of the hut by 8am. The trail is good at the start. By that I mean it's not wet, not a running stream, not too rocky. I trudge up Mt. Washington, just a gentle breeze on an overcast, foggy day. I get to the summit right behind a mother/son team. He's peak bagging NH 46 highest mountains. They took a pic of me at the summit sign and I took one of them. They're taking a diffferent trail down than I am so we said our good byes.

An older gentleman, Mike, who was in the Lakes hut last night was at the summit too. We started down together, but he soon out paced me. I met the church youth group at the bottom of Mt. Washington. They had taken the cut out path around the mountain and we met where the two trails link back up. I seesawed back and forth along the trail with them and with Mike, all day. I re-met Mike at the foot of Mt. Clay about 1130 when I had stopped for a quick lunch break. He had taken the loop trail to summit the mountain and was rejoining the main trail. He pulled ahead again and I rejoined him again after he summitted Mt Jefferson. I passed the youth group at this point too, having a lunch break.

At about 1pm I started hearing thunder but the trail; a never ending boulder field since Mt Washington, cannot be gone across quickly. By now my toes are really protesting. Mike left me to go on the Mt. Adams loop trail and summit that mountain. At the 1 mile marker for Madison hut, the AMC trail maintainers did a lot of work arranging the stones on the trail so they were almost like paving. Sweet! A half mile went quickly. Finally, from high on the ridge, I can see into the little valley where Madison Hut is snuggled, still 1/2 mile away. It was clear enough for me to snap a pic from the ridge. One minute later the fog rolled back in. I got to the hut about 1515 and my 3 new trail friends, Patty, Lisa and Luana, were already there. This hut has two main bunk rooms, no assigned rooms with 2 - 6 bunks in them, and we just pick any empty bunk.

Let me note here that each evening, the huts were pretty much full of guests. Many families with children, youth groups, scouts, etc. The AT is not the only trail to the huts, there are several and most are only 3 - 5 miles long. Makes it easy for families to reach the huts. This hut had 4 tier bunks and the kids were having a blast racing up and down the ladders.

I hung out all my wet stuff from the day before so it can continue to dry more. I know I've taken more than my fair share of pegs but I'm hoping the wet clothing doesn't mold in the plastic baggies before I get home. The stuff I wore today is mostly dry and will be only damp in the morning. I have 1 pair of dry socks and sock liners left. The boots are mostly dry. I'll at least start the day relatively dry.

I met several thru hikers this evening. SOBO- MacGyver (girl) and Godzilla (they're a couple) NOBO - Tangent and Leonidas Shadow Caster.

Day 3 NH White Mountains 8/6/08

An E-Ticket Day!

I was awake at 6am. I stayed in my bunk waiting for the 0630 wake up call. The hut croo made me corn meal mush, fruit and yogurt and eggs for breakfast. I was packed up and out the door by 0750. The trail began an immediate ascent but not too steep or for too long. I was above tree line in an hour and stayed there till I got to Lake of the Clouds hut. The wind and rain were brutal. The wind drove the rain sideways and with such force it felt like ice. The wind blew so hard, it came close to knocking me over, only my hiking poles were keeping me upright. (I found out the next morning that the wind speed was 25 - 30 MPH with gusts up to 57mph) Near the top of Mt Franklin, 3 women (Patty, Lisa and Luana), whom I met last night at Mizpah hut, passed me on the way to Lakes hut. Soon, I got to a sign post letting me know the hut was 2 miles away. Not a lot of climbing in this section. If not for the weather, this would have been a great hike. When I had a second to glance around, the alpine area reminded me of the Scottish heather highlands. But there wasn't time or good opportunity to dally.

I was totally soaked thru, even boots were completely saturated. The trail at this point was fairly level and straight so I was able to pick up the pace. I was getting tired and it would be time for a break in gentler climes than this, however, I decided to push on to the hut. The general estimated time for this hike is 4 hours. So I guessed I would be there about 1230. Visibility was poor and I got to another signpost directing people to a loop trail going up another mountain. This is for those peak baggers who "collect" ascents but I stayed on the AT (also called the Crawford Trail). Almost by surprise I came upon the hut. Turns out I had picked up the pace considerably because it was only 1130!

Inside the hut I was streaming water and then realized my pack cover was gone. Gone with the wind; LOL! So, once dry and getting warm, I sat with Lisa, Patty and Luana. I mentioned my pack cover. It turns out someone found it and passed it to them and they brought it to the hut. Happy Day! So more and more people are piling into the hut. It's going to be a full house tonight.

Day 2 NH White Mountains 8/5/08

I woke up early. I had trouble sleeping last night; too excited I guess. I had a quick shower and got dressed in my hiking stuff. I was ready for breakfast at 0630. My room mate, Jenny, was up when I got back so I could pack up. The forcasted sunshine didn't appear, it's raining. I caught the shuttle at 0800 and got to the Webster Cliffs Trail head at 0930.

I got to the top of the Cliffs (2400ft of elevation) about 1130. This turned out to be the driest part of the day. I had a sit down lunch and while there, met a father/daughter hiking team. They took my pic at the top of the cliffs. At 1215 I got started on my way, still going up to the top of Mt Webster. The day was spent in a lot of rock scrambling and steep spots. It was 5pm before I got to Mispah Hut, soaked thru from the all afternoon rain.

A bit about the huts. The huts are large structures, holding 80 - 100 guests each night plus hosting any thru-hikers that come in for the night. Each hut is staffed by 3 - 6 croo (yes, that's how they spell it). The croo checks people into the hut, does the cooking and cleaning and packs out the trash and packs in the fresh food. Most of the croo are college grads with degrees in hard science and when they aren't taking care of guests, they're doing environmental, atmospheric or other research at the hut sites. Mispah hut is in the boreal part of the range but Lakes of the Clouds and Madison Springs Huts are both in the alpine area of the mountain range. The huts are very green, using solar panels for electical power for lights. Toilets are primarily composting toilets, everything that can be is composted and the rest of the trash is packed out by the croo.

Dinner is at 6pm and served family style. There is usually some sort of program given at 8pm. This night, a thru hiker called Tennessee, spoke about being a thru hiker. He was at the hut on a work for stay option. Being the evening's speaker was his job. For it, he got a bunk and dinner and breakfast. Lights out is 9:30pm and everyone is in their bunk and asleep.

Day 1 NH White Mountains 8/4/08

So, I left home at 0930 and headed to New Hampshire. The ride was uneventful and got there around 1530. I had no trouble checking in. The Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, Joe Dodge Lodge, was full up so I had a roommate in our 2 bed (bunkbed) room. At 6pm a family style dinner was served. At dinner, around huge 10 person tables, I sat and talked with a woman teacher, a South Bound (SOBO) thru hiker (Card Shark) and a woman who was there with her husband and 2 small children. We had a nce chat about hiking, where we're all from, etc.

After dinner, I went back to my room and my room mate, Jenny, was in. She's from Boston and is here doing day hikes using Pinkham Notch as a base camp. Tomorrow I catch the 0800 shuttle. I'm pretty excited.