Yesterday brought me back to the White Mountains for a hike up the Greenleaf trail as far as the Greenleaf hut. I would describe it as hiking half way up Mt. Lafayette, but with the thick clouds fog, I can’t verify that Mt. Lafayette was even there.
This was a training hike for the Search and Rescue team with which I volunteer, and since we may be called out in any weather, a misty, rainy day was no reason to change our training plans!
We hiked up Greenleaf trail through Eagle Pass, with heavy mist all around.
The view from the big rock at the top of the pass is one of my favorites, and this time was no exception, with the fog blowing through the trees and softening each ridge line until they faded into obscurity
I did miss the scent of sun-warmed granite that I associate with that spot on sunny days.
As we hiked, there were occasional moments of brightening when it looked like the mist may finally clear, but the clouds closed back in each time.
In theory, there’s a lovely view from Greenleaf Hut out over Eagle Lake and up to Mt. Lafayette. This time, it felt like a hut at the edge of the world, with a damp wind blowing now that we were beyond the cover of the trees. As we gathered in the lee of the hut, the long-threatened rain fell just hard enough and for just long enough for rain jackets and pack covers to emerge before we started the trail back down.
Despite the mist and rain, it was a warm day, and a bit of a clothing challenge to avoid getting wet from the outside in with the precipitation or from the inside out with the heat of exertion. I’m nevertheless serious when I describe it as a lovely hike! Between the wind and the mist, the black flies which plague the mountains between May and June didn’t bother us, and it was a delightful surprise that my bug net stayed in my pack.
If this becomes the year I learn to truly love hiking in the rain, so be it. An invisible mountain is still better than no mountain at all.