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Aug
21 , 1983 Sunday (382 mtg) From
Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal
The
first two miles of the trail today involved climbing up the south
peak of Kinsman Mountain. After that there was a dip before ascending
to North Kinsman Peak. I remember that a few places along the trail
I encountered trail that was more kin to rock climbing than trail
walking. The trail came to an abrupt vertical wall of stone, with
the trail continuing from the top of the ledge sometimes more than
ten feet above. Some areas like this had wooden ladders constructed
of pine trees nailed together, while others actually involved some
rock climbing, perhaps because the ladders were destroyed. The skies
were unfortunately cloudy this morning, hanging just above the lower
peaks, and providing views under the ceiling of the clouds, but
no bright blue sky.
Upon reaching Kinsman Pond Shelter I found a couple of packs, but
no bodies to go with them. The owners must have been out on a day
hike and would return later. Perhaps they belonged to John Smart
and "The Trail Walker." By this time the skies had begun
to clear and the makings of a brilliant day were on the way. I descended
off the mountain toward the first of the White Mountain huts run
by the AMC at Lonesome Lake. I decided to check the place out and
see how they run things. Upon entering the hut, I was informed by
a chalkboard sign that there was lasagna for sale. These were left
over from the previous evenings meal, but I decided to have some.
I was given a large helping and then treated to some free left over
pineapple upside down cake. I hung around the place waiting for
the girls from New York, but they never showed up. So much for my
Sierra Cup. I guess the hut crew must have decided that there was
no sense keeping the rest of the lasagna around any longer and offered
me more for free. I gladly took it off their hands.
I moved down the trail a short distance to the shore of Lonesome
Lake where the view of Mt Lafayette rising as a backdrop behind
the lake took my breath away. The scene was one of the most amazing
I had seen up to this point. The stories were correct - the Whites
did kick ass!
I left the serenity of the lake view and headed back toward the
daily regime of hiking as I began to descend toward Franconia Notch.
While crossing one of the brooks whose bridge had been removed,
I became momentarily lost and followed a blue-blazed section of
trail for a couple of yards. I backtracked and rejoined the correct
route on it's way down to the road crossing at US 3.
Once across the highway the trail began a gradual uphill climb for
say - "a very little distance" before heading practically
straight up for two and a half miles. In that span, the elevation
changed two and a half thousand feet. Now that is a climb! The trail
did not wind here and there either that I recall, just a straight
line up the side of the mountain to a campsite called Liberty Springs.
To be able to camp here, in an area that was in no way level, the
AMC has built tenting platforms to allow a level surface. The platforms
also minimize the impact of camping. There is a fee for utilizing
these spots that is paid to the caretaker who lives in a tent also.
The spring at Liberty Springs provided great water and helped ease
the pain of the long ascent. I rested by the spring before choosing
a tentsite.
A couple of other northbounders, Mike Patch and a friend of his,
showed up a little later. We all chose platforms and set up our
tarps in anticipation of rain, then went to a spot on the right
side of the trail to watch the sunset from a large boulder. As the
evening fell, the temperature at our altitude of almost 4000 feet
began to get quite chilly. "The Trailwalker" came by,
ripped several bellowing farts without even being the least bit
embarrassed, fixed his grub, and then being as cheap as he looked
and smelled, went up the trail to find a spot outside the quarter
mile boundary from the trail to spend the night free. He had been
unable to convince the caretaker to allow him to stay free at the
campsite. What a character.
Gonzo!
Appalachian Trail Journals ©1983
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