Day 84: Lonesome Lake Hut to Stealth Site-Galehead Hut (15.9 miles)

August 4, 2004 - Had a nice night’s sleep, good to be indoors when it storms all night. After breakfast I had to do a little cleaning before I could leave. Stomach felt much better so I took off for a much easier hiking. It started off with 3 miles of easy downhill, not bad at all, no rocks to climb over. Then had a steep uphill to climb; but the climb was nothing like Kinsman so it wasn’t so bad. Once I got up on the Franconia ridgeline it was easy hiking. After a few miles I started to go above tree line. When you are above tree line you can see a long ways away. First went over Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Lafayette going back over 5000 ft for the first time in awhile, which is where I ate lunch. The people at the hut had given me leftovers from dinner that I ate for lunch. Then I went up Mt. Garfield which was steep but short, I had someone tell me that Garfield is the hardest climb of the Whites. Then off to Galehead Hut. I had planned on work for stay like at the last hut but they already had 2 thru-hikers working but told me about a campsite near by and to set up camp and come back for dinner later. They didn’t have that much leftovers from dinner but it was OK since it was free. Saw a great sunset from the roof of the hut. 15.9 miles for the day.

Franconia ridgeline