I've been getting closer and closer to finishing the part of the AT that goes through the White Mountains but had a long section (~14 miles), between Mount Lafayette and Zealand Falls, that could only easily be completed with a backpacking trip. So, I kept watching the weather until a good three day stretch came along and then made a reservation for a shuttle and two AMC Huts so I'd have the best shot at finishing. Since the best window was Thursday to Saturday, I took time off from work today. Before departing for my hike, I volunteered at UVAC in White River Junction for three hours (setting up for the Swim Meet). At 1030, I departed (via I-91) for AT hiking zone. Used VT/NH-25, River Road, NH-10 and US-302 to reach Littleton. Stopped for lunch at Burger King (1155) and then got gas at Irving (1205). Next, I used I-93 to reach US-302 and then proceeded east. In the town of Twin Mountain, I took the (mostly gravel) road up to Zealand Parking Lot. I was following a large crowd of cars and, as a result, couldn't get a parking spot near the trailhead when I first arrived. Luckily, I had some time to wait - from about 1255 to 1345, I hawked the area and, when someone finally departed, moved my car into an empty spot. I saw the AMC Shuttle come through during this time but my own ride wasn't scheduled until 1350. When the driver arrived, I loaded my stuff into the back of the mostly empty vehicle (there was also a LASHer from Nebraska on the shuttle with me and he had a lot of stories about his hike). The AMC Shuttle driver was very nice and had a lot of intel about weather, Thru Hiker Bubble, etc. I rode with him back to Franconia Notch (Lafayette Springs Campground), with a couple of stops in between - we arrived at the trailhead at around 1445. From there, I simply had to climb up the Bridal Path to the Greenleaf AMC Hut. This ended up being easier said than done! Not only were the temps close to 90 degrees, but my work outside earlier in the day probably set me back on the necessary hydration levels. As a result, the climb up to 4200 feet was torturous - it took all my remaining energy to reach the Hut by 1800. Fortunately, the Hut Croo was just starting their dinner spiel and they offered me a pitcher of "double sugar" lemonade so I could get back to the correct electrolyte balances. About an hour later, I felt much better and sat down (late) for a meal with a few other late arriving hikers. It turned out that most of them were hiking through the White Mountains and staying each night at a different AMC Hut. This kind of tour gave them a chance to log lots of miles but "stay in style." Most of my conversation was with two older guys from Georgia (Al and Bill) - they both had logged a lot of miles on the AT but enjoyed "themed" type trips, rather than trying to log every mile. It had been a while since my last stay in one of the Huts but I could definitely appreciate their goal/plan: there was plenty of food and lots of warm bunks where one could rest comfortably along such a tough stretch of the AT. A bit later, a huge rain storm (complete with close-by lightning strike) arrived and parked right over the top of our Hut - that was an even better reminder of the value of using the AMC Huts whenever one is above the tree line. Lights went out at 2130 but the outdoor light show continued for several more hours. As a result, I fell asleep quickly! Will tackle the AT section in the morning - hope things have dried out by then...
