It's one of my favorite parts of hiking Mount Washington .... you get to the top, and without fail somebody who drove up the Autoroad sees or smells you, kind of gives a moment of thought and asks, "Did you walk up here?".Given the the Rockpile is a busy hub on a human highway, and also a busy terminus to an unlikely mountain road, you can always count on at least a few people being on top with you. Amidst the hum of the generators near the Sherm Adams building, you can hear a mixture of dialects and languages conflating into one collective conversation.
On Saturday I decided to stretch my legs a bit and hit the top of the Northeast. I arrived at Pink's visitor's center (at which the parking lot is being remodeled, much to the shagrin of more than a few...) at roughly 3:30am. By 3:40, I was hiking by headlamp up the Tuck's Ravine Trail. By sunrise, I'd made it up onto Boott Spur via the link where I relaxed to take in a fairly nice sunrise.
Onto Davis Path...
Heading toward the Junction, I heard plenty of voices...well, at least I thought it was plenty for being shy of 7:00am. In any event, I hit the summit, enjoyed the earliest "lunch" I've ever had on a dayhike, and took a photo or two. I actually ran into Stacy K (sorry, I know how to say your last name...just not how to spell it!! ka-WECK-ie) who was an intern Observer during my first volunteer week on the Summit. We caught up for a few moments before she started slinging her slig cyclometer, had a hug, and parted ways. I was heading down before 7:45am...
Lion Head was the decent route I chose - relatively busy below timberline, but above it was peaceful...calm...I stood amongst the small plants and knee-hammering rocks, looked around and said aloud "This is awesome."
Being in an impressive place like that makes you realize what matters...at least it makes me realize!
Down by 10:00...great day!
