Chief and I have continued our Appalachian Trail hike into the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Thank you for the words of encouragement and the prayers for our safety. Each day, and with every step, we feel God’s protection and provision.
The Presidential Range of the White Mountains is the highest in NH, most of which is above treeline. Our first climb was up Mt. Madison where we were greeted with 60 mph winds, rain and chilly temps at an elevation of 5,366′. Then we hiked around Mt. Adams and Mt. Jefferson. The following day our hike to Mt. Washington was much warmer and ironically we passed on the summit NOBOs Tiger Mike and Recalc, with whom we hiked in the south. We hiked another mile to the Lake of the Clouds Hut and obtained a work for stay. There are several hiker huts in the mountains that cost up to $133 per person for a bunk, dinner and breakfast. There are no showers or flush toilets. Thru-hikers can work at a hut in exchange for sleeping on the floor. Chief and I ate leftovers of cold chicken and pasta after the guests ate dinner. We then washed dishes for an hour and slept on the dining room floor. There were five NOBO thru-hikers who worked for stay, including Home Fry. The next morning Chief and I left by 6:30 and hiked five miles to the Mizpah Hut where we ate cold leftover oatmeal and cornbread. Beggars can’t be choosy.
Our bid to conquer the Presidential range continued with hiking around Mt. Monroe, Mt. Jackson and Mt. Eisenhower (at least these are the current names of the mountains…) When we descended the Presidential range and crossed a road we were greeted by a Trail Angel named Stitches, a 1999 thru-hiker from Boston, who provided root beer, cookies and Cheetos.
On Day 140 of this hike, we headed to Mt. Garfield ridge and stopped at Zealand Hut for leftover pancakes and brownies. Day 141 brought high winds on Mt. Lafayette but it mostly dissipated by the time we reached Mt. Lincoln and hiked off the mountain.
On a side note, we crossed paths with a NOBO thru-hiker named Stretch who lives in Jeromesville, OH just a few miles from our house. Stretch is a retired teacher and is probably now in Maine.
We are currently heading out for a bid up Kinsman Mountain as we continue our campaign in New Hampshire.
We Are, Chief and Toad, and we approved this message.
chiefandtoad 
As we sit and melt in the dog days of late summer, it is almost surreal to read of your experiences with chilly rain! Having read most books written and on Barnes and Nobles shelves, I find it even further enlightening via your logs. I still hope to do the same as my back continues to heal. Rosanne has assured me I will need to replace her though. Sigh. Please take extra care in those mountains. May God guide each step in your wonderful journey.
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