New Hampshire
Mt. Lafayette, 5249 feet
Mt. Garfield, 4488 feet
South Twin Mtn., 4902 feet
"I am a deeply religious nonbeliever... This is a somewhat new kind of religion."
July 2000.
The next day dad hiked out to his car and went home. He said, "Well I guess the next time I see you will be on Katahdin." It was hard to imagine that I was actually getting close to the end. But I knew that I still had the hardest sections of trail ahead.
Dad hiked with me for 2 days in the Whites. The first night we stayed at the Garfield Ridge campsite. The second night we stayed at Zealand Falls Hut. Typically the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) huts allow 2 thru-hikers to stay in the hut each night and do work for stay to avoid having to pay the $65 fee. When we got to Zealand there were 2 "Sobos" (Southbounders) who had already claimed the work for stay, but luckily the crew let me in on it too so I could stay there with dad. Mind you, Dad had to ask them repeatedly for hours before they reluctantly agreed. Our work consisted of cleaning, doing dishes, and presenting an evening program on "hiking the AT" for the guests. In return we got to sleep on the floor in the dining hall. I was happy to be able to spend the time with my dad, but did not like having to beg for the accommodation. My dad has been a member of the AMC longer than most of the AMC hut crew have been alive and I think it's a disgrace that they would give him such a hard time over allowing his daughter (who has hiked for 4 months to get there) to sleep on the floor. They could have EASILY been totally cool about the whole thing. Several other of my thru-hiking friends showed up after I arrived and they were all turned down and forced to keep hiking. It was very frustrating to watch them get kicked out. There is definitely a lot of animosity between thru-hikers and the AMC.
Journal Entry 7.17.00
"At Garfield Ridge campsite, in the shelter with Butter, Forbin and some section hikers. Dad is fast asleep in his tent. The forecast called for thunderstorms and it was overcast and blah but somehow it did not rain all day. We climbed up Franconia Ridge and I was very happy that the trail was not nearly as steep or rugged as yesterday. (My knees are still sore from that brutal-ness.) When we got up on the ridge the clouds broke and we had blue skies! Lafayette (5249') was awesome. We had even had views of Lafayette from Garfield. Dad did great hiking today. I am now officially IN THE WHITES!"
previous
|
next 
