[at-l] Crawford Notch report

[Art Cloutman]

Rockdancer must have gotten all the thru hikers.  I hiked on 
Franconia Ridge yesterday. Was above treeline from noon until 4 PM. 
I did not run into a single thru hiker.  I did run into a section 
hiker going from Mt Washinton to Franconia Notch.  He likely spent 
the night at Liberty Springs Camp Site.  Not as many folks on the 
ridge as I have seen other days during the Summer.  A lot of folks 
from Quebec.  One group of boys all wearing white t-shirts and all of 
obvious asian background. A lady named Karen caught up with me and my 
hiking partner Damian by a water Fall on the Falling Waters Trail. 
She asked if she could walk behind us.  She said she would try not to 
interfere with our conversation.  We welcomed her and and asked a lot 
of Questions forcing her to join our talk.  She stayed with us all 
the way to the summit then down to the Green Leaf Hut where she 
announced that she had no intensions of hiking up onto the ridge she 
was just to scared to walk back down the trail alone.  She is a 
college professor from NYC on a one week vacation in NH before 
classes resume.  She helps train new teachers.  Nice lady.  She 
stayed with us all the way down to the Lafayette Place trail head 
where she gave us each a hug and tanks for bringing her down alive. I 
have done that kind of a strenuous hike since my 5 year reunion hike 
on Mount Moosilauke last September.   Certainly did a number on my 
knees but a late night soak in Crystal Lake cooled them down.


>Saturday 5 PM to Tuesday 1 PM. No rain at all. Darkness by about 
>7:30, an early warning sign for these hikers to get to Maine, or 
>where ever. Had to make one run to N. Conway for a pharmacy, a 
>couple of older hikers wanting ankle wraps and such.
>
>The number of hikers was surprising, esp. for this late in the 
>season. Usually I've seen the large numbers go through in the middle 
>of August, not this late. Hikers reported that the string of wet, 
>cold days had everyone pooling up. Beaver Brook Shelter had 14 
>hikers one night, it's built for 8. Since over 200 hikers have now 
>finished at Katahdin (I think this includes Flippers) it's hard to 
>believe there are many more coming into the Whites this late in the 
>season.
>
>It was a treat to meet & talk with Sgt Major, a retired Marine. He 
>knew Patch '98, a marine who was SoBo with Felix, at least through 
>VT. I filled him in with as much as I could remember about Patch and 
>that trip.
>
>I've been on the lookout for Cody and she was resting at Crawford 
>Notch when I arrived! She, her brother and Stickwalker all took a 
>Zero on Sunday and rode the Cog Train to the summit of Washington. 
>They were all in great spirits on Monday morning, Cody & Stickwalker 
>hiking north and Floyder Dog driving to Boston to catch a plane.
>
>Saturday:
>Cody aka Codygirl and her brother Floyder Dog
>Stickwalker & Belle (dog)
>Taat & Uncle Don (16 year-old, accompanied by a family friend. Uncle 
>Don is finishing his Triple Crown)
>Little Foot
>
>Sunday:
>Lodestone
>Dr. Rock
>Tama (from Japan, on a section. Hiked NoBo '99)
>Moped
>
>Monday, a new record for number of hikers...
>Rags & Rafiki
>Dune
>Doc
>One Life
>Red Oak & Buttercup
>Unicroc & Scat Tracker
>Hat Trick
>Gouda
>Thumb
>Andy & Carly (SoBo)
>Darin Duo (SoBo)
>Tread More
>Alex
>Cameron
>Serenitina
>Red Lobster
>London Joe
>Joe
>Restless Legs & Ewok (Flip)
>Radar
>Aero
>Wood Wrangler
>Sgt Major (Knew Patch from '98)
>
>Tuesday, in Franconia Notch, I found Forest & T-Rex hitching for a 
>ride to N. Woodstock. One of them is Casey Fulp who is doing a 
>charity hike. See www.hikefor theveterans.com and 
>www.missioncontinues.org
>
>
>RockDancer (Arthur Gaudet)
>Rockdancer97 at comcast.net
>"The chalice from the palace has the brew that is true."
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-- 

Life is Good!!!
Art Cloutman