Smiles – Cashmere: Along the Way

I started the day by turning off my alarm and sleeping for another hour. I woke up when I heard a SOBO hiker by my tent. I started hiking at 7:00. It was a beautiful morning with clear skies.

Although the climbs are shorter than those in Southern Maine, we seem to be climbing more. I climbed seven mountains today. There were also a few streams to ford.

I stopped by the Chairback Gap Lean-to for lunch. Temper, Smiles, and Ghost Chilli arrived right as I was finishing eating. Temper and I hiked a few miles together. I also hiked some with Cookie Monster and Happy Feet. They all stopped at the Carl A. Newhall Lean-to but I continued on up the mountain to the next campsite. When I got there, it was packed with people. So, I decided to hike to the top of the next mountain. Luckily, the was a nice stealth site right on top that has cell coverage. 🙂

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I slept great last night even though the locals partied all night long. I started hiking at 5:30. I really wanted to make it to Monson today so I could get my resupply and be able to start the 100 mile wilderness tomorrow.

I stopped by the first shelter and met Smiles and Ghost Chili. I had seen their posts in the trail registers. They also started their flip flop hike at Harpers Ferry but they started a month earlier than me. We ended up hiking the rest of the day together.

Temper, who I met at the White Mountain Lodge and Hostel, also hiked with us. It was fun getting to know them better. They are ~30 years younger than me and they hike a fast pace. It was a good workout to keep up with them. I hiked 25 miles and finished around 4:00.

The hostel where I’m staying sent a shuttle so I didn’t have to walk the 3 miles in to town. Good dinner tonight at the restaurant downstairs. Now I’m waiting on my laundry to dry so I can go to sleep.

Ghost Chili and Smiles fording the river

The summit of Moxie Bald

Trail on Moxie Bald