Appalachian Trail SOBO Day 28 – Lonesome Lake work for stay
23rd August 2023
Garfield Ridge Shelter (363.1) - Lonesome Lake Hut (376.2)
Daily miles: 13.1
Total miles: 383.1
I must stop going to sleep in my fleece. I wake up a sweaty mess and then get chilled really quickly.
Garfield Ridge shelter
The people who get up first seem to always be the last to leave. This was the case this morning. I packed up and left without eating or drinking anything. I snacked as I went along the trail. Literally a few steps from leaving the campsite was a sweet sunrise.
Sunrise
Blue skies
Enjoying feeling the sun on my red shiny face!
The first challenge of the day was a steep climb up to Mt Garfield. It was so nice up there. It was 0.1 off trail which I wouldn’t normally do, but I’m glad I went up there. It was a spectacularly clear day and I was going to be so lucky for Franconia ridge. What a turn up given the weather of late.
Views from Mt Garfield
Franconia Ridge
Low coulds
Correcting the recent lack of jump photos
Excited for Franconia Ridge
After a steep descent and then some little up and downs I had a fairly long ascent of Lafayette. I got out of the trees quickly and I kept turning round every 5 minutes to look at the views.
In 2018 I camped on the top of Lafayette and got the most beautiful sunrise ever. I didn’t think I’d be able to recreate that night - nor did I want to - so I was happy with a nice clear day.
Once at the top there were a lot of people there. A lot of people! I got chatting to a British lady who now lives in Canada who invited me to stay whenever I get to Canada. We chatted for quite a while. It was sunny but the wind was icy.
The clearest day for a while
Ascending to Mt Lafayette
Turing around to look at the views every 5 minutes
The most stunning ridge walk
On top of Mt Lafayette
I had cell service so I looked at the weather… the forecast is nice today and tomorrow then the rain is back. I was due to go into town and stay at the Notch Hostel tonight, but I decided to change plans last minute and contacted them to change my booking to tomorrow night and I would continue hiking today and tomorrow and then potentially take the day off on the really rainy day.
I had also spoken to Cal and he’s heading to Lonesome Lake tonight because he met someone who works there and he had blagged a work for stay. I would try to get there and if no work for stay I would hike on another 2 miles to the shelter.
The ridge was beautiful, as always. The only thing that spoiled it a little was all the people; it was like the M25. And a lot of day hikers who had no clue of hiking etiquette. I saw one family trampling all over the “do not walk in this area fragile alpine plants” bit.
Lucky to get the most perfect day
Still lots of ups and downs on the ridge
It looks like there are no people but there were a lot of people!
I took too many photos
It was hard to not stop every 2 minutes
Lots of people on the top of Little Haystack Mountain
The end of the ridge and the beginning of the descent
The ridge walk was nice. It was also super hot and I actually wore my sunglasses, which I have been carrying the whole time and have worn once in Monson. I was actually pleased to get back in the trees and out of the sun for a bit.
The descent was brutal. I thought I would be able to make up some time here but it took me ages to get down. I filled up on water, the upcoming ridge is dry and people were telling me I needed 3 litres. People underestimate my powers of living with dehydration and I only need half a litre to get me over the 8 miles of hot and windy ridge!
Down down down. My knees were screaming. I don’t remember it being this painful 5 years ago. I got caught peeing for the first time. I was so desperate and I had to shout out “wait there I’m peeing!”
Finally got to the bottom where it was hot and humid and buggy! I crossed under the I93 where I had originally planned to go into town and carried on for another 3 miles to Lonesome Lake hut. It was actually quite a nice walk to the hut with a nice grade to the incline, it was still rocky and rooty of course.
Going under the interstate
I got to the hut at 4pm. The guy with the dog from last night appeared at the junction. I left the shelter before him and i hadn’t seen him all day. He said he got lost. Weird. I sat inside for a second, then in walks Cal – he had done a side quest. He asked about work for stay and for me to and we both got it.
Lonesome Lake hut
Lonesome Lake with Franconia Ridge in the background
We hung out by the lake while all the paying guests had their dinner and then we were allowed to eat the leftovers with the crew.
Mushroom soup. Lentil Dahl and rice. Flat breads. Peach pie and candy for dessert. I ate so much! It was just nice to have food that wasn’t out of my food bag. The crew chatted a lot and we found out a little more about working at the huts - honestly it sounds terrible! One of the girls had to go into the toilets and fish out a shoe some kid had dropped in there. How do you drop a shoe in the toilet?
It was 8:30pm by my the time we got our chores. Chores can be up to 2 hours but with bed time fast approaching we knew we would only be there for half an hour. Cal had to clean the fridge and I had to scrub the griddle.
Sleeping on the benches inside the hut
We slid the benches together to sleep on and settled in for the night. The fridge is the loudest thing in the world so it’s another earplug night.
