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.