Location: Unknown Shelter Finally I am back on the trail. My fingers are cold, wet, and numb, so the handwriting is bad. I just sent a couple e-mails from Bears’ blackberry. It’s cold and raining and it has been since Mountain Squid dropped us at the trailhead this morning. The northbounders had already left the […]
Slack Packing AT in Massachussets – AT Thru-Hike Day 77
Location: The Birdcage, Dalton, Massachussets We slack-packed today. Bears, Cold Feet, and I decided that we would hike 20 miles with daypacks back into Dalton from the south. The terrain that we planned to cross was gently rolling. We only needed to carry water, water purifiers, and snacks. Mountain Squid took us to Mass. 20 […]
The Birdcage in Massachussets – AT Thru-Hike Day 75
Location: The Birdcage Bears and I woke up later than I would have liked. To hike a 20 mile day, I like to finish ten miles by noon, which means I need to start hiking no later than 8:00am, so I can walk at a 2.5 mph pace. Bears and I got out of camp […]
Thru Hiker Breakfast Moldy Bagels – AT Thru-Hike Day 71
Location: Unknown Shelter I didn’t sleep well last night on the picnic table at the Spruce Mountain shelter. I tossed and turned and killed spiders until around 1:00 am. I could still barely hear the snoring of the old men. They all began snoring after I left. The night was cool though, and it calmed […]
Hiking Through Hot Pastures in Vermont – AT Thru-Hike Day 59
Location: Unknown I left the shelter late this morning because I only planned to hike 14 miles. The heat began to drain my energy as soon as I began climbing the hills in Vermont. I walked though a lot of pastureland today. The hills are still challenging, but the miles are pleasant. The heat is […]
Climbing Mount Washington in Near Zero Visibility – AT Thru-Hike Day 45
Location: Mizpah Hut, White Mountains This morning came early. Last night I had difficulty falling back asleep after being woken up by some noise in the bunkroom. The snores from the bunkroom were intolerable. I rolled to cover one ear and then the other with my makeshift pillow, an inflated Ziploc freezer bag with […]
Climbing Through Wildcats to the Ski Patrol Hut – AT Thru-Hike Day 43
Location: Wildcat D I hiked a difficult ten miles today through the cold rain. I left Imp Campsite early and reached Carter Notch Hut around lunchtime. I had already eaten lunch in the late morning on the summit of Carter Dome. I chatted for a bit with the hut master. He let me fill my […]
Meeting The Three Religious Brothers…One Rumored A Thief – AT Thru-Hike Day 42
Location: Imp Campsite in the Carter-Moriah Ridge I’ve stopped at Imp campsite on the Carter-Moriah Ridge for the day. I only hiked 7 miles, but they were a hard seven miles up steep and long slopes. I stopped short of my intended destination for several reasons, the main reason being that I need to be […]
The Repercussions of Nearly Being Killed by Lightning – AT Thru-Hike Day 39
Location: Hiker’s Paradise Today Stick and I crossed the Maine-New Hampshire state line. I felt a full sense of accomplishment for completing the hardest state on the AT without injuring myself. I had some hard falls, but each time I fell I got back up and continued hiking, taking the blood, bruises, and close calls […]
Bouldering the Mahoosuc Notch – AT Thru-Hike Day 38
Location: Full Goose Shelter My last full day in Maine. Tomorrow I’ll cross into New Hampshire. I only have five miles left in this state. Stick showed up at the campsite this morning before I had fully woken up. He stealthed on top of the mountain last night. He says that Flying Turtle has been […]