Samwise Hikes the Appalachian Trail! - Trail Journal -
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August 29, Garfield Ridge Campsite - mile 1805.7

Words can barely describe how incredible this day was. Right now I'm so exhausted and cold that I can barely write, but this day has been my favorite so far on the trail. I hiked the famous Franconia Ridge today, crossing Little Haystack, Lincoln, Lafayette and Garfield Mountains. It's all above tree line and the views were utterly extraordinary, even though the weather was a bit on-again, off-again. I saw a weather report that said the high on top today would be about 40-50*, with winds gusting up to 30mph. For much of the morning, I hiked through huge, boiling clouds, but every few minutes they would clear and I could see for what seemed like hundreds of miles. It almost made the views more special because they kept fading in and out. By noon or so, the clouds had really almost cleared so that I could see everywhere. I kept stopping just to stare, open-mouthed, and Tony will be thrilled that I took almost a roll of pictures! Just as I climbed the last peak, I saw glider planes soaring around the mountain, and it was like the crowning glory of the day. They were amazing! Completely silent. except for the whooshing sound of the wind. There were two of them, and they swirled around each other just like birds. In fact, one came directly over my head as I was hiking, and it seemd so close I could nearly touch it. WOW!

So tonight I'm here at a pay-campsite and it's packed. I believe over 50 people are here, on both the tent platforms and here in the shelter, definitely the most crowded site I've ever been at. And the temperature must be near freezing, because we're all wearing everything we have and are still cold! I'm heating up a pot of water now to fill my Nalgene bottle so that I can sleep with it on my feet and hopefully stay warm.