Day 82: Glencliff Hostel to Eliza Brook Shelter (17.0 miles)

August 2, 2004 - A good night’s sleep on a mattress made things a lot better, stomach felt much better. Got a late start, 10am, letting the clouds clear off Mt. Moosilauke, 4800 ft mountain which is the start of the White Mts. It is suppose to be a hard climb, 3500 ft over 5 miles. The climb wasn’t as bad as people made it out to be. At the top I had the best view I’ve had on the trail, clear blue skies. I could even see Mt. Washington. Hung around an hour but needed to move on since I’m in the Whites and its much slower hiking. The climb down Moosilauke was a killer, 1.5 miles straight down, took about an hour, very steep and rocky. You walk right next to a waterfall all the way down so one slip and you’re going on a fun water slide. The rest of the day’s hike to Eliza Brook shelter wasn’t so bad, made it before dark. At the shelter I met up with Paul again, I hiked the first week with him. He had flip-flopped up to Mt. Washington and is hiking back to Virginia. A good 17 miles today, hope I can do that all the way through the Whites.

Summit of Mt. Moosilauke