At the very end of August, when the days were still hot and blissfully free, Zan and I, and almost his entire family went on the most amazing 3 day adventure in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. We hiked during the day and spent the afternoons and evenings in a few of the Appalachian Mountain Club Huts, which run along the parts of both the Presidential Traverse and the Appalachian Trail. The entire experience was completely amazing and something that I feel so lucky to have gotten to do! We packed all our snacks and lunches ahead of time, kept our backpacks full of the essentials, and breathed in the most incredible views you can imagine.
Do you know what it feels like to be five thousand and twelve feet above sea level?
I T F E E L S G L O R I O U S.
The first night we stayed at the Mitzpah Spring Hut. All of the AMC huts have one main dining room {pictured here} and then bunk rooms or cabins. It had been raining on our way up to the hut so upon arriving I was both excited and relieved. It felt so cozy and with so much of Zan’s family there hiking the trails and being together– like something special was going down in the history books. And I was glad to be a part of it.
Black Bean Soup! Foccacia Bread! Alpine Salad! Chicken Parm!
{These hut crew members did NOT mess around with dinner.}
The gang’s all here.
Our bunk room!
Mapping out plans…
And the weather was perfect. Early morning blue skies and a just a little bit cold, which turned to warm, of course, the minute our feet hit the trails. We ate oatmeal and pancakes and bacon for breakfast {another hut meal!} before gathering up our belongings to head out for our second day in the high mountains– 6 miles across the ridge to the Lakes of the Clouds…
All 17 of us!
{And Zan’s sister and her boyfriend were joining in later that day. That’s 19! Party!}
There she is! The Lakes of the Clouds Hut!
{And not a moment too soon.}
Also, Mount Washington straight ahead! Which I did not choose to climb, but much of our group {including Zan} did!
Relaxing in the hut was more my speed at that point of the day… :)
There really are lakes in the clouds, in case you were wondering!
And they are stunning.
As is the view from the hut!
Hiking is hard, but it’s also incredibly fantastic. I would not say the actual act of hiking is “a walk in the woods” for me, but everything I feel at the end of the day is worth all the hard miles and steep hills and sore knees. It feels so free to be on top of the world like this looking out at all the layers, feeling like you just accomplished something big. And my favorite part was always the hot chocolate waiting for me in the hut, and when I was finally able to climb into my jams and sit down with my people, and enjoy a good meal AND a sweet sunset, all after a summer day’s work. ♥
