And we are off again. After a wonderful breakfast at the AMC Highland Center, we headed up Crawford Path.

In 1819 Abel Crawford and his son, Ethan Allen, cleared this path to treeline near the top of Mt. Clinton. Along this trail the Crawfords guided many groups to the summit of Mt. Washington. The trail was improved to a bridle path in 1840 with Abel, then 75 years old, making the first ascent of Mt.Washington by horseback. By 1870 this historic path reverted to its original use as a footpath to the heights. The Crawford Path is a connector that brings us back to the Appalachian Trail, and was a perfect choice for Blue and I.

The Presidential Range of the White Mountains is the highest range of mountains in the northeast and is home to the largest above-treeline alpine zone. As well as being a popular recreation destination for tens of thousands of people every month, it is also home to some of the world’s “worst weather”. Freezing temperatures and hurricane-force wind are not uncommon even in the middle of the summer. But today is a picture perfect day with visibility over 100 miles.

As Blue and I were hiking to Mizpah Spring Hut, we ran into no less than 30 girls who belonged to a Summit Club, out of Maine. Each year they climb a peak and spend a few nights in the wilderness. This year it was Mt. Washington. The girls ranged from 10-12 years old and had two leaders with them, one guy and one gal. Kudos to the guys as there was a lot of estrogen flowing! I gave them all high fives as I passed. What an accomplishment for these ladies.

Mizpah Spring Hut is the second largest AMC Hut in the White Mountains, located at the south end of the Presidential Traverse. The hut is a full-service mountain lodge with bunk space for 60. Blue and I made it in time for pastries. There was Pumpkin Bread with Chockate Chips and Blueberry Coconut Cake. Yum, we had one of each. The coffee was hot and the goodies were tasty. Being we are now members of the AMC Huts and thru-hikers, we are entitled to two free pastries and a cup of soup. Such a deal for a whopping $10.

Once we left the hut, we headed up to Mount Pierce. It is one of the southernmost peaks of the Presidential Range. As I reached the summit, I was smiling from ear to ear. There were three Canadian Hikers on top, Stephanie and Sue (twin sisters) and their friend Janice. We had a great laugh over my endless smile, which seemed to lighten up their day. I was so dang thrilled that the sun was shining and the skies were clear. The views from the summit are some of the most spectacular of the Presidential Range. From atop Mount Pierce, we could see across Mount Eisenhower and Monroe to Washington, and beyond to Jefferson. This is why I hike mountains. It just takes my breath away and brings me to tears. What an incredibly creative God we have!

As Blue and I continued north, it just got better and better. It was hard to hike as all I could do was gaze over the vastness of this mountain range. I have talked with many hikers who powered through the Whites in blustery conditions, in rain and wind, with less than ten feet of visibility. Yet here Blue and I are on this trail with endless vistas and mind blowing views. I know that many of you have been praying for our safe passage through the Whites, and for a window of weather that would allow us to enjoy this beautiful mountain range. Your prayers have been heard and we were blessed beyond measure!

Mary Poppins caught up with us near our final uphill at Mount Monroe. What a Mountain Goat she is. I told her to go ahead so she could get her Work-for-Stay as Blue and I had no intentions of doing that. She took off like she had a fire lit behind her. Gosh that gal can hike fast.

When we arrived at Lake of the Clouds Hut, Blue and I had planned on sleeping in the Dungeon or paying for a room. Trish told us there were many options including Work-for-Stay. I asked her what that entailed? There is a compost pile that needs some tending to. Hmm, that sounds like a perfect job for Blue and I. Blue is like, uh, I think I’ll look in the dungeon and sleep there for $10. I say, well we can do that and still help with the compost pile. And so we checked the dungeon and decided Work-for-Stay wasn’t such a bad option. Honestly, with all that we have received from this trail, the least we can do is a little work.

Blue and I get all decked out like Haz-Mat workers. We walk down the hill to a caged area, open up the chain link fence and take in the odor of stale rotten food turned compost. Flies are buzzing and I dive in. Pitch Fork in hand, I start turning compost and so does Blue. The big difference is that I have a Buff around my nose and mouth which helps with odor control. Blue piles in the shavings and I rotate. It’s quite the job as this compost pile has been marinating for some two months. I probably need to say no more! After thirty minutes of rotating compost, I think we have completed our task. Job well done girls. I told Blue I think this is God’s way of keeping us humble. It worked.

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and doing a little bit of yoga. The sunshine never stopped and the views were indescribable, even for a blogger. Around 7:30pm, Blue and I came into the Dining Room and helped clean tables while Chowder and Hot Cakes swept the floor. Best floor sweeping I’ve ever seen as that will be where we sleep tonight. Thanks Team.

Such a great day and overwhelming blessings. Oh, and one more thing. Mary Poppins and Cookie Monster arrived first at the hut. Some sweet person donated two beds to the first thru-hikers that showed up. There could not have been a more deserving person to revive this gift than our most precious Mary Poppins. That’s the way our God works! The only thing left to share is the most marvelous sunset I have witnessed while on trail. Absolute perfection.