Gorham to Carter Mountain

On today's agenda... Wildcat Mountain. Another of those days that we've heard stories about, and from looking at the profile in the book, it looked like it was going to be a tough day. We got on the trail around 9:30. It is getting harder and harder to leave the comforts of (a) home. As a matter of fact, several hikers who had planned to hike today, opted to take a zero instead. Maybe it's our bodies/minds transitioning back to real life? Whatever real life is!! :) Most of what I miss about 'real life' (aside from family and friends of course) revolves around water and the conveniences that go with it. Drinking it, bathing in it, and flushing it.

Ran in to Oconee today climbing wildcat mountain. I had met him once way down in Tennessee back in April!! So weird how that works. And even weirder that I have been out here hiking since mid March! It's kind of surreal. 

Anyway, hiked about 6 miles and came to the last and oldest of the huts in the Whites. Carter Notch. I think the setting of this one is the most beautiful of all of them. Great little high mountain lakes. Perfect for swimming but a little too chilly today for that!

We got some great soup there and leftover chicken pot pie. I'm going to miss the huts!!

Anyway, back to hiking. Again, it was a tough day, but honestly it was no harder than any other day in the Whites. More tough days ahead, but there's only one way to get this done- keep walking! :)

Stopped on top of a mountain late in the day for a snack and got a nice early sunset pic.

Also had a visit from this interesting and curious bird. Anyone know what this is? He kept getting closer and closer to us. Pretty cool.