The Whites part 1

Sorry for the long post, but it might be educational and perhaps even entertaining.  But probably neither.

After coming in from the Mahoosuc range yesterday, I spent the night at an amazing Hostel, White Mountains Lodge and Hostel. The owners couldn't have been nicer. They took me and another guy on a beer run and did our laundry for us. They also had an amazing breakfast with real orange juice! I love orange juice!
I'm planning on meeting ohMEGA and some friends this weekend to do some rock climbing again. She has again graciously run point on organizing everything and I'm very grateful. Since I had good weather Friday, I wanted to make the most of it and hike instead of pulling a zero in Gorham. In the Whites more than other places it is important to make use of good weather when it arises. The terrain is tough as is and slick rocks would make it harder. Also rain or fog would block the amazing views that were so hard fought and earned. As such I planned to pull a 15 mile day and 5 the next to meet ohMEGA in Pinkham Notch. That was the plan anyways.
To maximize my time to hike, I woke up bright and early for my hike and was able to roll out at around 7. This left me 10 hours to go the 15 miles to the Carter Notch hut which included over 4000 feet of elevation gain for the day. This is a long, hard day. Most north bound hikers don't do more than about 10 miles per day in the Whites and here is a big climb day and I'm taking it up a notch (no pun intended) mileage wise.
I was shooting for 5 pm because the AMC in the Whites run huts which are basically cabins in the woods run and maintained by a small crew. You can come hike all day and then sleep in a cozy room after eating a warm meal that the crew cooks. For most people, reservations are made and dues of $130 are paid. For hikers though, there is the option of working for stay. Do some chores, help the crew and you get a warm meal and a place to crash to for free. They only have a certain amount of space for bums like us, but they usually try to fit as many in as possible.  If you come in too early, they usually tell you to stop being lazy and hike on, and if you come to late, they usually have found all the help they need.  Usually the sweet spot is from 4-5.
Well after getting lost for 30-45 minutes due to a horrifically poorly blazed river crossing and an extended lunch break with the caretaker of Imp shelter halfway through my trek, I still managed to roll in to Carter Notch right on time at around 4:30, the holy grail of work for stay hut arrivals.  It was much to my surprise to find a Hooverville quantity of backpacks and gear outside of the hut when I arrived.  It should have clicked when I had only passed 3 NOBOs throughout the day when I was averaging about 12-15, but I quickly realized where this deficit was being realized.  When I walked into the hut, there were 11 NOBOs sitting around chatting, many whom I met at the hostel and took the 5 mile hike from Pinkham Notch that day.  When I asked about doing a work for stay, I was told that they were full and that I'd have to push on.  I was astounded that so many hikers hit the hut at around 4 since I knew they started in the morning and the hike wasn't too far. The crew told me that since they were closing down the hut this weekend, they needed help earlier and started taking hikers earlier than usual.  This meant that the NOBOs who rolled in at 12:30 from their shorter, and less elevation gain hikes got spots over me.  In addition, one kid was boasting how he pulled a zero mile day and was doing his SECOND work for stay in a row! Ticked off, I put back on my wet socks and shoes and gave the NOBOs a piece of my mind on how incredibly weak they were for only going a 1/3 of my distance despite a less demanding climb. They're only rebuttal was that I was just "jealous" and that I was spewing awfully salty smack talk for a mere SOBO. I began my search for a proper stealth camp 1 mile away and straight up a mountain and continued my rant of how weak the group was to other NOBOs who pulled real miles that day as I warned them about there being no room in the inn.  My first hut experience was not as jolly as hoped.
I did get to spend the night on top of Wildcat Mtn A in a stealth spot that despite being surrounded by trees, entertained me with 20 mph sustained winds throughout the entire night with gusts probably around 40.  Cooking was tricky, and I was a little cool after forgetting my wind gear at the hostel, but I did get a good view for sunset and sunrise.  My tent held up pretty well with one corner coming loose twice and it didn't even bother me when one side support fell on my face.  I was warm and content and couldn't care less.  After a quick climb down the path the lazy NOBOs took, I was able to meet up with ohMEGA early in the morning.  We're going to rock climb some and then it will be more fun in the Whites!  Hopefully the huts will be better.  After having a slight sense of inferiority, I finally feel like I have equaled my NOBO peers and earned my thru hiker cred.

Here are some photos:

Oh man, I just left Maine

Made a friend.  Didn't say much though. Think he's a flip flopper.

Wildcat sunset

I'm on a mountain!

Wildcat sunset still

Wildcat sunrise

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