| Trapper John Shelter and fireplace out front 2006 |
August 4, 1981 - Trapper John Shelter to Cube Mountain Shelter-
Left shelter at 7:15 a.m. Hiked down to bottom of hill and then up Smarts Mountain. A very steep climb. Stopped at
fire warden’s cabin and ate dinner with Neil from Mass. (out for a week and doing a good job keeping up with us
through hikers.) Made it to Cube Mountain Shelter after only 11½ miles. Six of us here tonight. There is an old
fireplace here from an old house. There was one at Trapper John Shelter too. The water supply here is a very slow
spring and it has scum on the top of the water but it should be alright because the water is very cold. This shelter
looks like it was originally a garage, maybe a work shed.
August 5, 1981 - Cube Mountain Shelter to Highway 250 cottage motel.-
Left shelter at 7:15 a.m. It is going to rain today. Coming off hill it started to thunderstorm so I just sat dawn with my
poncho on and waited it out. I had to wait about ½ hour. I made it to 250 highway where Marjo got eight of us
through hikers a cottage for free. We had spaghetti, salad, etc. for supper. Very good and a very nice place.
Renae and Connie met the former governor of New Hampshire. Marvelous Meldrin Tomson was his name.
August 6, 1981 -Highway 250 cottage motel to Beaver Brook Shelter-
I day hiked from N. H. 25 to Glencliff and then hiked 8.7 more miles to Beaver Brook Shelter today. Mount
Moosilauke was a MOTHER!!!!! This mountain has a steep accent on one side and a drop off on the other side that
we had to hike or climb off of. Up on top there was snow falling! Coming down was beautiful. The temperature came
up as we came down and by the time we got down to the shelter it was around 50º. Coming off of the mountain we
descended through a creek and the cascading waterfalls were indeed north the whole day by far. This is the
steepest decent on the entire A.T. We needed special devices to get down off the cliffs! Along with the sleet it made
for very dangerous walking. If you were to slip and fall you would fall into the large creek and be swept away and
probably drown. The shelter has eight people in a four man shelter. We stick together like super glue when the
going gets tuff!!
August 7, 1981 -Beaver Brook Shelter to Eliza Brook Shelter-
Low mileage but very hard walking. Straight up and down. Cold rain. We stopped at Eliza Brook Shelter. The trail
was one big mud slop hole. Worst trail since Georgia. Very bummed. So I will stop for the night and rest up for
tomorrow. Marjo, Tracy, Jim, Dan, Ranae, Neil and I are here tonight. We sat up and told jokes till late.
August 8, 1981 -Beaver Brook Shelter to - hostel at road-
Left shelter at 7:15 a.m. and hiked over Kinsman Mountain. Got fair view of valley. By the time we got to Kinsman
Pond Shelter it started to rain again. I ate the last of my food. Marjo helped me eat it. Neil is here also. Dan and
Ranae got here as we three started to leave. We stopped by the first hut in the White Mountains and I was not
impressed. Continued to walk down trail to Franconia Notch. Tried to get a ride into town and it took 1½ hours to get
one. Mario stopped trying and started to walk and Neil and I got a ride into town. Neil went on with the car. He is
going back to Hanover to get his car and go back home to Boston. I bought groceries and checked into tourist house
for $8.00. 1 bought Coleman fuel for big bertha. My stove. Met Will of the Houstin brothers, who had quit the trail at
Pearisburg I think and who I had not seen since Roan Mountain Shelter, in Virginia. I also met a through hiker who I
had met on my first day out off of Springer Mountain in Georgia, Robert Bachelor, the hog. He had become a 2000
miler at Harper’s Ferry W.Va. We all went out for supper. (Jim, Tracy, Connie, Mayo, Dan, Ranae, Rob, Marjo, Keith
Fetterman, and I.) I ate a pint of ice cream for dessert from grocery store. I came back to tourist house and ate four
pieces of chicken given to all of us hikers staying here tonight by another week hiker, on vacation from Jersey. I am
going to bed after repacking my pack which is the heaviest of the entire trip. (65 lb!!!)
Left shelter at 7:15 a.m. Hiked down to bottom of hill and then up Smarts Mountain. A very steep climb. Stopped at
fire warden’s cabin and ate dinner with Neil from Mass. (out for a week and doing a good job keeping up with us
through hikers.) Made it to Cube Mountain Shelter after only 11½ miles. Six of us here tonight. There is an old
fireplace here from an old house. There was one at Trapper John Shelter too. The water supply here is a very slow
spring and it has scum on the top of the water but it should be alright because the water is very cold. This shelter
looks like it was originally a garage, maybe a work shed.
August 5, 1981 - Cube Mountain Shelter to Highway 250 cottage motel.-
Left shelter at 7:15 a.m. It is going to rain today. Coming off hill it started to thunderstorm so I just sat dawn with my
poncho on and waited it out. I had to wait about ½ hour. I made it to 250 highway where Marjo got eight of us
through hikers a cottage for free. We had spaghetti, salad, etc. for supper. Very good and a very nice place.
Renae and Connie met the former governor of New Hampshire. Marvelous Meldrin Tomson was his name.
August 6, 1981 -Highway 250 cottage motel to Beaver Brook Shelter-
I day hiked from N. H. 25 to Glencliff and then hiked 8.7 more miles to Beaver Brook Shelter today. Mount
Moosilauke was a MOTHER!!!!! This mountain has a steep accent on one side and a drop off on the other side that
we had to hike or climb off of. Up on top there was snow falling! Coming down was beautiful. The temperature came
up as we came down and by the time we got down to the shelter it was around 50º. Coming off of the mountain we
descended through a creek and the cascading waterfalls were indeed north the whole day by far. This is the
steepest decent on the entire A.T. We needed special devices to get down off the cliffs! Along with the sleet it made
for very dangerous walking. If you were to slip and fall you would fall into the large creek and be swept away and
probably drown. The shelter has eight people in a four man shelter. We stick together like super glue when the
going gets tuff!!
August 7, 1981 -Beaver Brook Shelter to Eliza Brook Shelter-
Low mileage but very hard walking. Straight up and down. Cold rain. We stopped at Eliza Brook Shelter. The trail
was one big mud slop hole. Worst trail since Georgia. Very bummed. So I will stop for the night and rest up for
tomorrow. Marjo, Tracy, Jim, Dan, Ranae, Neil and I are here tonight. We sat up and told jokes till late.
August 8, 1981 -Beaver Brook Shelter to - hostel at road-
Left shelter at 7:15 a.m. and hiked over Kinsman Mountain. Got fair view of valley. By the time we got to Kinsman
Pond Shelter it started to rain again. I ate the last of my food. Marjo helped me eat it. Neil is here also. Dan and
Ranae got here as we three started to leave. We stopped by the first hut in the White Mountains and I was not
impressed. Continued to walk down trail to Franconia Notch. Tried to get a ride into town and it took 1½ hours to get
one. Mario stopped trying and started to walk and Neil and I got a ride into town. Neil went on with the car. He is
going back to Hanover to get his car and go back home to Boston. I bought groceries and checked into tourist house
for $8.00. 1 bought Coleman fuel for big bertha. My stove. Met Will of the Houstin brothers, who had quit the trail at
Pearisburg I think and who I had not seen since Roan Mountain Shelter, in Virginia. I also met a through hiker who I
had met on my first day out off of Springer Mountain in Georgia, Robert Bachelor, the hog. He had become a 2000
miler at Harper’s Ferry W.Va. We all went out for supper. (Jim, Tracy, Connie, Mayo, Dan, Ranae, Rob, Marjo, Keith
Fetterman, and I.) I ate a pint of ice cream for dessert from grocery store. I came back to tourist house and ate four
pieces of chicken given to all of us hikers staying here tonight by another week hiker, on vacation from Jersey. I am
going to bed after repacking my pack which is the heaviest of the entire trip. (65 lb!!!)
| The famous Trapper John outhouse seat 2006, It was out in the open in 1981. |
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Trapper John Shelter