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Appalachian Trail – Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire

New Hampshire
Mt. Webster, 3910 feet
Mt. Washington, 6288 feet
Mt. Madison, 5363 feet

“Here’s a quarter. Buy a clue.”

- Mike Myers as “Wayne”

The summit of Mt. Washington!

Journal Entry 7.21.00
“6pm at Carter Notch Hut. Tough hiking the past few days – no energy to write in the journal. I didn’t get out of Zealand until 9am after finishing up my work for stay. A long day then to Mizpah Spring Hut (14 miles). I was tempted to get off at the Crawford Notch Hostel but I kept going because the weather was good and I knew it would set me up for a good day on Washington. So I went up the Webster Cliff trail, and up and up and up. It was a hard but enjoyable climb. I camped at the Mizpah Hut tentsite with Forbin & Mable (“not an old couple, just a guy and a dog”). It was COLD that night but clear and beautiful. I got up early the next day and left at 7:30am for a most beautiful day over the ridge (15 miles). The weather was incredible – bright sun, blue skies, low wind – totally enjoyable. I had an awesome hike to the summit of Mt. Washington. I ate some food at the top with Goodwheels and Antelope. Of course in the tradition of the AT, Goodwheels, Ripple, Antelope, Woodchuck and I all mooned the tourists on the Cog Railway as it was coming down off of Washington! The hike from Washington to Madison was more difficult, and the climb down to Osgood was steep and tiring at the end of the day. My shoulders still hurt from using my trekking poles so much! I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to do the ridge.”

Above treeline in the awesome White Mountains

“Today I hit Pinkham Notch for a shower and food and then I went up Wildcat Ridge – another up, up, up climb but luckily the rain held off and I had some nice views from the top. Tonight I’m staying at Carter Notch Hut. I caved in and payed the ATC fee because southbounders again have claimed the work-for-stay and I have no energy to fight the evil ATC bureaucracy. I am pretty annoyed with the sobos who took the work-for-stay though because they are section hikers and have only been hiking for like 2 weeks. Then, while we were cooking dinner they kept taking about how much they miss home and how they miss this food and that and how they forget what sleeping with a pillow is even like. All I’m thinking is – You’ve been on the trail for less than TWO WEEKS!!! I have been out here for FIVE MONTHS and you don’t hear me crying about ANYTHING or acting like I forget what a bed is like! P-L-E-A-S-E save it, OK?! You will not impress this weathered thru-hiker with your drama stories so don’t even try!!!”

trail fact: Early section hikers. Five others reported completing the entire Trail between 1939-1946, including a 1939 completion by George W. Outerbridge, who now has a shelter named after him just south of Lehigh Gap, Pennsylvania, on the first stretch of Trail he completed in 1932.

Journal Index

Georgia – Overview And the poop on the Trail Divorce

0 (miles from Georgia) – Springer Mountain, Georgia Whose idea was this again??
87.7 – Georgia / North Carolina Aint no all-inclusive package vacation story…
161.7 – Fontana Dam, North Carolina No Rain, No Pain, No Maine
204.6 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park I My deodorant gets the heave-ho!
268.7 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park II The Food Appreciation Trail
336.5 – North Carolina / Tennessee & Trail Names How the Gimp got her name
390.7 – North Carolina / Tennessee The famous Roan Mountain hitch
452.9 – Crossing into Damascus, Virginia 3 states down, 11 to go!
516.7 – Grayson Highlands State Park Roughin it at Partnership Shelter
573.3 – Bland, Virginia My wonderful trail angels!
665.3 – Pearisburg, Virginia The switch from boots to sandals
767.4 – Catawba / Troutville, Virginia Heat wave in Virginia
839.4 – Montebello / Rockfish Gap, Virginia ‘Hiking with Gimpy Sr.
920.0 – Shenandoah National Park Rattlesnakes, Jack Daniels, and bears – oh my!
988.3 – Front Royal, Virginia Invasion of the Boy Scouts
1001.1 – Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia The mental half-way point
1061.4 – Maryland / Pennsyltucky Y’all done drank enough beer!
1123.8 – Duncannon, Pennsylvania The Half-Gallon Challenge
1208.9 – Port Clinton, Pennsylvania $1 Yuengling drafts and the rocks of PA
1283.9 – Pennsylvania / New Jersey Friends and family visit WonderGimp
1334.2 – High Point, New Jersey Rain, rain, rain, trail magic, and more rain
1440.7 – Bear Mountain, New York Hike Naked Day!
1486.1 – Kent, Connecticut Gimpy Sr. and Barkeater hike with W.Gimp
1543.8 – Great Barrington, MassachusettsWelcome to Mosquito Hell
1618.0 – Massachusetts / VermontPhoton and strobe lights for the 4th of July
1687.3 – Killington, Vermont The Inn at the Long Trail
1738.1 – New Hampshire Live Free or Die!
1794.4 – North Woodstock, New Hampshire Gettin’ above treeline
1814.4 – AMC-land, New Hampshire Entering the White Mountains!
1854.0 – Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire Mooning the tourists on Mt. Washington
1869.2 – Gorham, New Hampshire My first Moose sighting!
1920.7 – Andover, Maine The way Life should be…
1979.3 – Rangeley, Maine Closing in on the end
2015.6 – Kennebec River, Maine Eye of the Tiger!
2095.7 – Monson, Maine 100-mile Wilderness
2152.0 – Abol Bridge, Maine Katahdin is in sight!
2167.1 – Baxter Peak, Mount Katahdin, Maine Goodbye Capilene – Hello Cotton!!

Other Pages:
Map – Yep, 14 states
Gear – What to Bring
FAQs – See for yourself
Glossary (learn the AT lingo)
Links to Additional Info
Trail Injuries Everything from blisters to swampfoot
Trail Privies Bring your own TP
Class of 2000 Katahdin Thru-Hiker Pictures