Kinsman Notch Parking area (1,183 feet) mile 1,803.7 to NH Route 25A (903 feet) mile 1,784.5 for a 19.2 mile day.

Yes, you are reading that right, we went SOBO today, and with a slack pack. The main reason we did it this way, 6,272 feet elevation gain in 19.2 miles, and , if we had done it north the big climb was going to be at the end of the day. It does not matter to me which way you walk it or how big or small your pack is, just as long as you walk it!

The side of Mt. Moosilauke that we started on went straight up and right next to a water fall most of the way and it was beautiful!!

Not sure this picture really does justice to the slope that we were climbing, but, I will say this, I have never hiked up a mountain that had foot holes chiseled out of the rock and wooden blocks making stairs attached to the rocks!

Look at the bottom of birdies feet and you’ll see the wooden blocks.

We peaked out at the summit of Mt. Moosilauke and it was foggy with a nice wind blowing!

Making our way down was pretty rough too. It was roots, rocks, and mud the whole way down.

But, as we made our way down the clouds stated to thin out and we could see so sunshine. This was a welcome sight because Mt. Moosilauke is the first mountain inside the White Mountain National Forest and that means it’s rocky and steep climbing starting with this mountain.

Once we got about 8 miles into the hike we were back down to “normal” elevation, 1665.

Today I saw a different mushroom then I’ve seen in the past. This one was a purple topped mushroom, not the official name, and it was short but I really liked the coloring.

Speaking of coloring out here on trail, in His creations, God has given us some amazing colors and more than that, He has shown what colors look great together. So much so, Suzanna asked me before I started, if I would take pictures of beautiful colors on trail so she could create a color palette, “colors of Appalachia”. She is an interior designer and the first time I took her hiking I was in front walking along and turned around and she was carrying a bunch of sticks and leaves and such and I asked why, and she said these color combinations I would never think of!

Anywho, I digress! Another big day tomorrow, 16 +/- miles with some pretty big climbs!

Puppy love, out!