"What orbits of the planets have brought you and me to this place at this moment. Where time takes a breath and we dance on the edge of our dreams."
-Anonymous (thanks Tom)
Start: Nauman tent site
Stop: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Today: 6.1 mi (including summit)
Total: 572.5 mi
We woke up early but the frigid gusts of wind blasted through the tent and kept us cowering in our sleeping bags for much of the morning. I was wearing every article of clothing I had on the trip and still the gnawing chill found its way deep into my bones. Finally we ventured out of the tent, packed up and went into Mizpah Hut to escape the fierce winds. I ate a snickers, powerbar and some skittles... breakfast of champions!
Heather and I climbed 500 feet straight up out of Mizpah to Mt Pierce (4312'). As my quads pushed my body up each boulder I wondered what it would be like, a week from now, not having to climb a mountain first thing each morning. Would I wander the streets, half asleep and groggy, trying to find the climbs?
Soon, we were on the ridge with Mt Washington showing its peak miles away in the pale blue sky. We followed the trail markers, piles of rocks called cairns, towards the summit. Green and black lichen spotted the loose rocks except for the ones on the path. Nearly 200 years of foot traffic on this trail has scrapped them clean and worn them smooth. How amazing a sight it was to see sharp boulders on either side and a seemingly smooth path for me, like a sidewalk to the sky.
We skirted Eisenhower (4760') and passed over Fanklin (5001') and beside Monroe (5372') before Lakes of the Clouds came into view. The two lakes beside it were mirrors, reflecting the skies above. This sight made me remember, after Heather had twice summited Mt Washington this way, her asking me "why do they call it Lakes of the Clouds Hut?" That shows you how dense the fog can be, a veil revealing only a few feet of terrain around you. These thoughts helped me appreciate what a great day we had for the summit, wind or no wind!
Heather and I checked in at Lakes of the clouds, a present to ourselves, rested for a bit and then made the final push 1200' up to the summit of Mt Washington. The weather report at lakes confirmed that the wind was blowing a constant 50+ mph with gusts approaching hurricane force. Visibility was over 100 miles as I glanced back and saw the mountains we had climbed today, yesterday and even last week. From here, up on the roof of the northeast, I peered into Vermont on one side and over to Maine on the other.
Anticipation grew in me, like a roller coaster clicking its way up the first hill, as I climbed up Washington. When I passed the .6 mi to summit sign, satisfaction and pride overcame me like a warm blanket. I can't describe or even fully understand it but there is an energy about this place. An energy even more powerful than the winds knocking me around. I passed the .2 mi sign and looked up beyond the slopes of Washington at the views all around. A gust of wind pushed me up the final rocks to the summit of Washington. I was here. I threw my arms up in the air, but realizing that I was around people again, settled for a silent celebration in my head. I continued on into the observatory building and sat down. I did it! 20 minutes later Heather walked in and we hugged, congratulating each other that we made it. I can't believe we're sitting here! It feels like I'm visiting the memories of a former life! An ocean of time seems to separate this moment from the last time I sat here or even from when we began this trip!
After a few slices of victory pizza and relaxing for a bit, I noticed a few kids glancing at me (was it the smell or the beard?). I remember my parents bringing me up here as a child and seeing long distance hikers eating and relaxing. I used to wonder where they'd been and what they'd seen, inspiring me to want to do the same. Now I see kids looking at me. It seems I've gone full circle.
After relaxing on the summit for a couple of hours, we descended back down to Lakes of the Clouds Hut. At dinner I began to notice just how many people were around me. So many faces. So much movement. Kids were playing games. Some adults were focusing intently on trail maps. One gentleman, with a discordant voice and a guitar, sang "killing me softly with his song." Ironic! I wondered if he realized he was killing me softly with his song!
A little while later the sun began setting. The skies burst with reds, oranges and yellows with the soft, purple silhouettes of distant mountains below. The golden alpine grasses on the ridge whipped back and forth while the pines far below, stuck in eddies of wind, danced in the breeze. As the crimson sun set, the moon simultaneously rose on the opposite horizon. It was gorgeous! A perfect ending to the trip of a lifetime!!
~ DADDY LONG LEGS
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