To: mitoc@MIT.EDU
Subject: White Mountains Backpacking Trip Report 11/5 - 11-6
Date: Mon, 07 Nov 1994 10:25:01 EST
From: Jon Christian Rost <jcrost@MIT.EDU>

      Hitting the trails this weekend were Liz Arentzen, Bob Beretta, Dan 
Christensen, Audrey Kalmus, Tom Palka, Chris Rost, and Susan Ruff.  
      We started from the scenic railroad station in Crawford Notch, just
southwest of the southwest end of the Presidentials, and headed, of course, up. 
Soon achieving the ridge, we followed a spur up the peak of Mt. Tom, at four
thousand feet and change, and then headed down into the valley on the other side
in a cold, foggy drizzle.  At a trail branch at the bottom we headed through
Zealand notch, a steep sided valley, where the trail crosses an impressive
landslide topped by a craggy cliff.  
      We camped a short walk from Thoreau Falls, which cascades through a rock
y
canyon.  During dinner we proved again that those colorful dusty flakes from the
bulk bins at Harvest Food Coop can indeed be reconstituted into a tasty meal.  
As the sun had set at about four-thirty, everyone was in their tents (or
hammocks) by about eight, thus getting approximately double their average
nightly sleep.
      We started Sunday be heading up the river valley toward the ridge toward
the challenging climb to Mt. Willey.  It isn't the 4030 foot height that makes
the climb stimulating, but scrambling up smooth, sopping-wet rock faces and 
scurrying over water-saturated wooden log ladders with full packs.  It being
raining and 39 degrees, the main thing to think about was how glad we were
that it wasn't raining and 31 degrees.  As the only thing to be marveled at from
 
the top of Willey was the isotropic whiteness of the cloud bank, we hurried on, 
after a brief primal scream, to munch summit brownies in the shelter of trees.  
      A few hundred vertical feet down, and then back up, brought us to the
top of Mt. Field, and to a leisurely descent to the cars, and then to Elvio's.
      Totals for the weekend are three four thousand foot peaks, and sixteen
miles.  
      Thanks to everyone who went, and remember, only 61 more shopping days
left before Winter School!

chris
