Free Spirit’s ( Al's )

Appalachian Trail Journal

NH,VT & MASS- Part 4

Dates ........ Monday Sept 11, 2000
Miles ........ 13.4 miles
From ........ Crawford Notch Hostel to Galehead Hut via Avalon and A-Z trail.
To ............. AT
Weather ... Cloudy, hazy, damp and mild, 55 degF, Windy.

Monday Sept 11, 2000

3650' climb, Mt. Tom (4047'), Mt Guyot (4560'), South Twin Mt. (4902'), Zealand Notch, Pond, Falls and Hut, 1100' drop in 5/8 mile to Galehead Hut (3820')

On the trail by 7:30 A.M., I had a long climb ahead of me, gaining 3650 feet in elevation from 1250' Crawford Notch to the summit of South Twin Mountain (4902'). The Avalon and A-Z trail was the most direct route to link up with the AT at Zealand Pond. I saw lots of moose tracks, but no moose. The hut at Zealand Falls was empty except for staff making dinner. It was a steady, steep and rocky climb past the ingenious water pump, Zealand falls and stream, up to Zealand Ridge where the Twinway Trail and the AT run concurrently. I took a short side trail to an overlook and was rewarded with a spectacular though somewhat hazy view of Zealand Notch and the Zeacliff trail as it traversed the near vertical mountainside. There I met a pot-smoking hiker that thought the place so beautiful that he was going to stay there forever. I was content to take pictures and move on.

The steep, all rock trail climbed Zealand Ridge to Mt Guyot and South Twin Mountain. In some places the boulders or rock faces were so big they had ladders going up them. Near the summits, above treeline, the trail became a jumble of rocks and boulders. Every step had to be taken carefully. Both mountaintops were in the clouds. It was foggy and chilly damp with winds in the 40 to 50 MPH range, producing a significant wind chill factor. The clouds were not dense storm clouds and were more of a fog than the heavy mist I would (later) encounter on Mt. Moosilauke

The extremely steep, treacherous and rocky climb up South Twin Mt., followed by a 5/8 mile section of trail from the peak down to Galehead Hut was the next thing to hell, dropping 1100'. It was just plain exhausting and dangerous and wore me out, sapping every last bit of energy I had left at the end of the day. The rocks were wet and slippery. Many times I had to "step" down 3 or 4 feet, some times I had to lower myself over 5 feet, trying desperately not to fall or hurt myself. Such was the trail - the only way to get there. It made the adventure. The torturous descent took over an hour.

Steep section of rocky trail leading to AMC Galehead Hut.

It was suppertime when I arrived at the hut and a warm roomful of hikers waiting to be served the hot meal of barley vegetable soup, pasta and sauce, white whole-wheat pizza, green beans and hot coffee. The din of trail talk and clattering dishes charged the atmosphere with civility and warmth. Most were eager to tell of their hair raising experiences getting to the hut. For many, not long-distance AT hikers, that was as far as they were going. After dinner, I was asleep before "lights out" at 9:30 P.M.

Hikers ready for dinner at Galehead Hut.

 

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Spring/Fall hikes - 15 miles/day - Contact Al. aljohn@jmclum.com.
Last Updated 11/22/2000