As I mentioned on the first page of my blog for this trip, I hiked with 4 seasoned and experienced backpackers: "Grizz", "Boot", "Doc", "Iceman" and then me, "Survivor". Below are their pictures and a bit of a backstory on their names.
"Grizz". The organizer of this Colorado Rockie Mountain trip. A very seasoned backpacker that includes hikes in Alaska.....and an excellent fisherman! He is the one that kept us all fed with fresh grilled lake trout from the many lakes we came across. And his trail name?....well....apparently he was hiking in another part of the Northwest one year and, casually walking thru the bush, he happened upon a Grizzly Bear!....and of course he was "startled" but thankfully the Grizzly Bear was also startled and ran away.
This is "Boot". He actually got his trail when he was in the Air Force back in the 80's. Soooo many stories about his escapades during his military years...and many years after! He is an AVID hiker/backacker and has, among many other trails around the world, hiked all 900 miles in the Smokie Mountains. Don't let his absent stare fool you. He is scoping out a VERY HIGH rigde to summit.
This is"Doc", another seasoned backpacker. A man of few words but he was strategic in "dispensing" the "medicine" purchased at the dispensary. Only for urgent medicinal purposes of course!
This is "Iceman". His name evolved based on his fondness for jumping into a local stream, river or lake when hiking, especially in the winter time...even if he has to break the ice. The ultimate Eskimo Plunge backpacker.
And this is "Survivor" (me), rounding out the 5 people on this Colorado Rocky Mountain adventure! And the backstory on the cards I am holding? When I starting backpacking a few years ago, one of my grandsons (Parker) gave me these 3 Pokémon cards because he said they would give me good luck and keep me safe……and I have taken them on every single hike I made since then…and will continue to do so! For sure they have kept me safe and are a constant reminder of how wonderful a family I have!
Latest comments
27.09 | 17:20
Hi Possum! MacGyver and I finished up on Sept.7th with 351 miles in this year. False alarm on MacGyver taking ill. He was dehydrated but recovered in about 2 days. Was great to meet you this year!
27.09 | 17:16
Hey Pinnacle! Great to meet and hike with you also! And great advice on the next section we did. Thanks!
06.09 | 16:10
Great meeting you and your Brother at Eagles nest.
06.09 | 16:07
It was great meeting you and brother at Eagles nest
Pinnacle
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Great views from the top of South Twin Mtn!
Okay....starting on June 21st we decided to do a bit of "Platinum Blazing" at the AMC Huts. It was not the plan at all in the beginning for various reasons.....but the bad weather we are experiencing and lack of camp sites in the Whites; it made a lot of sense :)
Stayed at the AMC Highland Center June 21st and it was quite a place......and we celebrated MacGyver's Birthday!
On day 11, on the way to "Lake Of The Cloud" Hut, we had some good views around, of, and on top such mountains as Mt. Webster, Mt. Jackson, Mt. Eisenhower, Mt. Franklin.....and a pile of snow!
Day 12, June 23rd's highlight was summitting Mt. Washington. Its legendary for having very unpredictable, sometime dangerous weather but we hit it on perfect day...and definitely perfect compared to what we have already been thru in New Hampshire!
From the summit of Mt. Washington to the Madison Hut (where we stayed tonight) was only another 6 miles but the rock scrambles down were brutal...but the Hut they had Veggie Pot Pie for dinner!
Day 13, June 24 we hiked up, over and down Mt. Madison! Pics to follow shortly but let me just say that this was one of the toughest descents so far. Jagged black rock proved very difficult! Made it to Gorham for the night...thinking about the pending "Wildcats" ahead!
Day 14, June 25 we did the Wildcats. That first day wasn't too bad but that did change! This is MacGyver and I enjoying our first summit......forgot to mention that the Wildcats had 4 summits! But also, some good views
Stayed at Craford Notch Hut after the Wildcats for a much needed, inside a building, rest! Also met NOBO Thru Hiker "Big T" from Mississippi.
Well....the weather had been generally bad the whole hike; but things got much worse the next days (June 26 and 27).....dangerously worse
This is not a picture that we took (because we were too busy trying to stay alive!) but almost like one of the crossings we made (but ours was in deeper rapids). We crossed a flooded Rattle River several times with one crossing getting worse than the other. Made us pause a bit.......
June 27th we slipped and limped, soaking wet to U.S. 2 in Gorham and stayed at the Barn Hostel managed and owned by Paul. But about 2 miles or so before we reached U.S. 2 we passed by the Rattle River Shelter....and it looked like this....
Of course, our initial reaction, cold and tired, was "What Kind of Long-Distance Hiker" would violate so many unwritten rules of hiking etiquette!!!
Then we found out that those staying in the shelter (for multiple days at a time) were AMC trail volunteers and State Park staff helping out to shore up the trail as best they could during the unprecedented flooding that was going on.
MY TOTAL APOLOGIZE for jumping to conclusions without know the facts. Thank you for what you do!!
Okay...coming back to The Barn Hostel.....MacGyver and I fell in love with it at first glance! Growing up in the 60's and early 70's, this Hippy vibe that we saw and felt, made us feel right at home :). In fact, I think I stayed at a place like this when I hitchhiked to Southern California in 1972! :)
Best laid plans??