Day 93: The Easiest Section of the AT in NH; Wait, Rain???!!!!

Summary

Aug 18th

Zealand Falls Hut to RT 302

NOBO mile# 1844.4

Daily mileage 7.8

Total mileage 820.7

Crispy was up in the kitchen at 5:10 this morning. I tried to hunker down under my table, but gave up and started to pack up my bedding around 5:30. I was grateful he offered us coffee around 6, though we had to wait for the guests to have their breakfasts before we had a shot. While we were waiting it started to rain. I had thought it would hold off until the afternoon, but the forecast was updated to be for intermittent rain throughout the day. 

Cat and Sam are studying film making, and we had a great conversation about films and the movie making business. When I was their age, I had aspirations to get into film making, specifically animation. So I have enough background to hold up my end of a conversation, if it doesn’t go on for too long… 

We were given oatmeal, some cranberry nut bread, and a taste of eggs and sausage. Our work was indeed sweeping out the bunk rooms, and I put away some old hut ledgers on a shelf out of most folks reach. 

Then it was time to put cold, wet clothes on, and get on the trail. Today’s goal was to reach Crawford Notch/RT 302. I was going to hitch up to the AMC Highland Center and hope to claim an unoccupied bunk. The rain made that even more attractive. 

The trail from Zealand Falls to Crawford Notch is mostly an old logging railroad bed. It has minimal grade, and has long stretches of smooth gravel. Under most circumstances, this would be the fastest, least difficult section of the AT in NH. What could possibly have an impact on that? Well, rain, of course! What happens to flat trail when it rains? Standing water! Puddles! Mud! Soaking, sopping feet! More than once, I mis-stepped, or slipped off a rock, and ended up in ankle deep water. 

Still, I made fantastic time. I had walked this stretch a couple of years ago, when I was starting to get back into backpacking, so I had an idea of what expect. The first couple of miles went very quickly, the stretch from Thoreau Falls to Ethan Pond was longer, reminding me of the impatience I felt the last time. Lots of wet trail, decaying boardwalks/bog bridges, roots, rocks, and small stream crossings. 

When I reached Ethan Pond, there were three woman coming onto the trail from the shelter spur. I tried to let them go first, but the last in line urged me to go ahead of her, then the other two let me pass when it became clear that I was hiking faster. I ended up moving beyond sight of them relatively quickly. The road was only 3 miles further along after the shelter spur, and the trail began to descend moderately, and, as the road noise from 302 got louder, dropped sharply. I had been moving quickly in the first place, but the steepness of the descent made it difficult to slow myself, and I felt it in my knees. 

I didn’t know that the AT actually follows the approach trail to Ripley Falls, which I had been to with brother Tim during one of our Fall trips to Crawford Notch with our dad. But I recognized the trail as soon as I saw it. It crosses the tracks of the tourist railroad that runs between North Conway and Crawford Notch. Then a short walk down the paved road from the upper parking area down to RT 302. As I reached the road, the rain began in earnest. 

It took some time, but I was able to get a ride from a park service employee, a very friendly, talkative guy, who brought me right up to the Highland Center. When I got to the front desk, the reservation system was down, but the woman behind the counter thought there might be one bunk left due to a cancelation. After waiting a while for the system to come back on line, I found there was, indeed, one bunk left. So my luck continued to hold up. I asked about having a second night, but they were full up. 

So I got my shower, got into dry clothes, and grabbed some lunch. When I connected into the lodge’s wifi, I saw a message from my niece, Betsy, who is nearby on vacation, asking if we could get together for dinner. So the timing is perfect to meet up with her tomorrow. 

I’ve been having great conversations with the other guests here, had a great dinner, and was able to eventually score a second night here. 

So zero tomorrow, dinner with Betsy, then the Presidential Ridge. 

I am running out of steam, folks. There are maybe 5-6 days on the trail left before I head home for Deb’s birthday. Beyond that? I don’t see it very clearly. But I don’t think I have 2+ months of hiking in me…