Saturday, June 11, 2016
Start: Pinkham Notch
End: Carter Notch/19 Mile Brook trail – Rt 16
Miles: 5.9 on the AT, 9.9 total
Me and a friend, Little Engine, started our hike from Pinkham Notch around 7:45am after getting a shuttle from the White Mountains lodge and hostel. We left our car at the hostel, hoping to hike from Pinkham Notch to Imp campsite shelter, spend the night, and then hike down to Rt 2/White Mountains hostel where our car was the next day.
Unfortunately, due to the steepness of Wildcat E’s assent and Little Engine’s troubles with low blood pressure, leading to dizziness, and an ocular migraine, leading to partial loss of vision, the first three miles took a LOT longer than anticipated. It also began raining in the afternoon, slowing us down further.
We made it to our original halfway point of Carter Notch hut around 2pm. We then had a filling lunch of potato soup and bread, followed by some cookies. We decided that given the weather and Little Engine’s health, we’d head down 19 Mile Brook trail, rather than push onward for Imp shelter.
We hiked down 19 Mile Brook trail to Rt 16. We were able to obtain two hitches to get back to our car. From there, we headed towards home. While not the original plan, the day’s hike had many difficult climbs and beautiful views. It was an adventure. I’ll return again later in the season this year to finish the remaining ~13 miles from Carter Notch hut to Rt 2, therefore completing the section from Stratton, ME to Pearisburg, VA.
Transcending Mountains 