August 9th, 2018, New Hampshire
The trail from the Rattle River Hostel was a road walk for a quarter mile before it turned and headed back into the woods. There was a parking area at the trailhead and a lady was set up there doing “trail magic” offering hot coffee to hikers. Trail magic is some sort of unexpected gift to passing thru hikers—usually food. I have heard a lot about trail magic from northbound and flip flop hikers and I think it’s more common for the NOBOs. So I haven’t mentioned trail magic because I haven’t come across it yet. Until today. And, just my luck, having just left the hostel I was too full to even accept the coffee.
The trail followed the Rattle River up the side of Mt. Moriah. The river was very rocky, with large tan, brown, and reddish granite stones. I noticed quite a few nice pools which would have been good for cooling off had the weather been warm. But it was cool and cloudy and by mid morning it started to rain.
It rained gently for less than two hours before the sun started to break through again. It stayed very windy and unsettled for the rest of the hike but it never did rain again. I reached the top of the first mountain then down the other side for a bit. I detoured over to “Imp Campsite” to check it out and get water. I have no idea about the name but there is an Imp Trail nearby as well. The shelters here have a different look from those in Maine. This one was two levels, sort of like a loft for sleeping above and below. It also had a bear box, the first I had seen on the trail.
After my break I returned to the trail and continued up toward the Carter Mountains. I reached a nice vantage point and stopped for a look now that the clouds were lifting. As I was standing admiring the view of the valley below, two hikers came from the opposite direction and joined me. Galaxy and Songbird were a married couple doing a flip flop hike from Harpers Ferry north. After completing the northern half they planned to leave the trail for a few weeks to visit friends near Washington, DC then continue south to Georgia. Given their timing I offered that we might see each other again somewhere down the trail. They seemed happy and friendly and I hoped to run into them again down the way. Before we parted we saw a single orange butterfly flying furiously above us and toward the mountain like it was his job to get through the wind, over a 4000 foot mountain and down the other side. We all looked at each other and just laughed.
I passed the two retired Navy hikers, Lucky Boy and Cheesesteak, who were slackpacking the section northbound. I always find it funny to pass other SOBOs who are heading in the “wrong” direction. At this point I have preferred to take the trail as it comes—in one direction only. But lots of hikers like to slackpack so it seems pretty common.
My goal was to get about 11 miles in and find a place to camp for the night. Before 4pm I found a nice spot in the “saddle” between two mountains that had been used as a camp site before. A little while later Yogi Bear, also doing this section northbound, stopped by. He mentioned he would finish the section tomorrow and be off trail for a few days visiting a friend who lives in New Hampshire. I told him my plans for the next week or so and he said he’d text when he got back on trail.
A little while later the Quick Fix, FlowerPower, and Little Red showed up looking for tent sites. Like me, they had reached the shelter early in the day and decided to push on. There was just enough room for their two tents. I asked how Maine-iac had fared with her injuries. She made it with them to Gorham and arranged to return to the Hostel of Maine to work for a few weeks and rest. She wasn’t ready to go home and give up on her thru hike attempt this year.
We discussed how to time our departure tomorrow in order to arrive at the first AMC hut in time for breakfast leftovers. The huts cook breakfast for their guests and offer any leftovers to hikers. We decided to leave before 7am in order to be there before 9:30.
We were camped above 4000 feet so it was cooler than in the valley below. The wind continued through the night which made it feel even colder.