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Higher
up along the trail, we began to see patches of snow. After reaching the
hut up a long steep section with stone steps, there were even more patches
of snow. Erin got some snow together and made a large snowball.
The
view from the hut’s porch was great. We could see Zealand Notch, Mt
Carrigain, and the Hancocks in the distance across the eastern edge of the
Pemigewasett Wilderness. Right next to the hut was Zealand Falls, a long
cascade that began a short distance above the hut and tumbled down about 100
ft.
In
the afternoon, while Toi, Holly, and Erin were resting and reading at the
hut, I took a hike partway up the Lend-a-Hand Trail toward Mt
Hale. There
were numerous water crossings over stones. At the top of a long climb, I
turned around due to lack of time.
That
evening, we cooked a huge dinner in the hut’s kitchen. Knowing that we
would be able to use the hut’s cooking pots and stove, we brought more
than we normally would have. Besides the caretaker, there were only two
other couples staying overnight in the hut. We had one of the two large
bunkrooms all to ourselves. The caretaker fired up the woodstove in the
evening as we sat around in the dining room talking.
The
next day we headed back to the car. On the way home, we stopped at
Crawford Notch Hostel, and at some shops in North Conway, then headed
home. |
Erin
on the hut's porch holding a snowball she made. There were numerous
patches of snow near the hut. |
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