#217 US HWY 2 (Gorham NH) to Imp Campsite - Day 137: MM1894.7 to MM1886.7
Journey back in time with me and my friends on a 2015 hike across the Wildcats and summit Mt Washington.
9-14-24
I’ve decided not to (re)hike the Wildcat Mountains in 2024 because I did it with friends in 2015. This section of trail is very difficult and dangerous. I survived it once and there’s no need to do it again.
I’m currently in Gorham NH where I spent last night in the Barn Hostel but will tell you the story of the 2015 Wildcat section of trail over the next couple of chapters. As I do this, I’ll use my friends’ Trail Names. Mine is Sprawl - you already know that. Their names are in order under the photo above.
Travel Day 1
8-21-2015
I leave my home in Henderson KY to pick up Beast at his workplace in Evansville, IN, then drive to Problem Child’s house in Jasper, IN. Hurley is driving towards us from Bedford, IN. After a pizza dinner at Problem Child’s, we load her car for the big road trip and hike in New Hampshire.
We drive to Burlington KY, across the river from Cincinati, where we spend the night at my cousin Cynde’s house. She has several beds ready for us, but being a rare cool August night, we grab our sleeping bags and pads and sleep outside on the second story deck.
Travel Day 2
8-22-2015
We rise early in the morning eager to hit the road. We want to get to Niagara Falls in time to drop in.
Roadkill lives in Mt. Vernon, IN but is visiting her parents in Michigan. She will meet up with us either at Niagara Falls or the Four Mile Creek Campground a little farther east.
The four of us hang out at Niagara Falls, then fill our bellies at sunset at The Silo Restaurant in Lewiston, NY. Sitting on the deck of the restaurant we watch the sun drop over Canada, which lies to the west in this area, across the Niagara River.
We arrive at Four Mile Creek State Park Campground after dark. Roadkill catches up with us there. After setting up camp, we walk over to sit on the beach of Lake Ontario and look at the clear sky. With the glow of lights on the liquid horizon from Toronto, Ontario in Canada.
Travel Day 3
8-23-2015
The sun rises way too early for Sunday morning, and we rise with it. After walking back down to look at Lake Ontario in the daylight, Beast, Roadkill, and I go for a short run around the campground. We know we’re in for a log ride today and thought we better get some exercise.
We break camp and eat breakfast at Knead the Dough in Ransomville, NY, then stash Roadkill’s truck in a Walmart parking lot in Albion, NY.
We pile into one vehicle for the eight-hour drive to Hurley’s parent’s home in Rumney, NH, where we’ll spend the night.
At their home we find hospitality, friendship, laughter, old books full of old stories about Yukon life, a big bowl of snacks, and lessons in boxing, trapping small animals, and tales from Hurley’s dad about his dogsledding days. Hurley’s dad is a man of many interests and talents.
Hurley’s mom makes sure we we’re all comfortable and that we have all we needed. As the provider of the big bowl of snacks, she becomes hero to the weary travelers.
8-24-2015
Hurley’s Parents shuttle us to the trail head.
We take two vehicles to the trailhead outside of Gorham. NH, on US HWY 2, where they drop us off, then they place Problem Child’s vehicle on the other side of Mt. Washington at Crawford Notch/HWY 302, where we plan to end our five-day hike.
We jump out of the air-conditioned vehicles into a hot and muggy August afternoon.
Up, up, up, we climb,
step after step,
labored breath after labored breath,
every stitch of our clothing soaked in sweat,
slowly we climb, slowly we climb.
Whoever said the mountains in New Hampshire were difficult to climb was not kidding. Knowing that these mountains are going to be tough is not a deterrent, but a challenging invitation - challenge accepted.
After a couple of hours of hiking straight up the mountain we reach sunlight on a small bald but still aren’t near the top. We welcome the cool breeze.
We change out of some of our sweaty clothing and hang it on the small pine trees to let them dry out.
Higher and higher we continue on our southbound trek until reaching the summit of Mount Moriah, our high point of the day. We pick blueberries from a bush and begin popping those juicy little treats into our mouths.
The sun is quickly setting over the mountain range, and we know that we better get moving.
We arrive at Imp Shelter just before dark. It isn’t until we come across the sign that reads “Caretaker on duty, $8.00 per person” that I remembered reading in a trail guide that the Imp Campsite costs money (cash only). We cobble together forty dollars in cash to cover us all. (When I hike in NH in 2024, the price is $15.00 per person.)
We have no choice but to pay the fee and sleep on the platforms. This is the only flat place to camp for miles around.
We tightly set up four tents on one of the wooden platforms, Problem Child hangs a hammock between two trees behind us.
We walked to the waterfalls to gather water for cooking then set under a large worn-out tarp that hangs near the Imp Shelter where we cook and eat our dinners. Once done, we place our food in the metal bear box about fifty yards from our tents to protect it from hungry bears.
There’s a wooden bench near an opening in the trees where we can look down on the lights of Gorham. The view gives us perspective on how far we’ve walked and how high we climbed today.
It isn’t long before we slip into our tents and crash out for the night.
