Sprout Day 113 (Monday, July 18th, 2016)

Last night we stealth camped a few miles from Zealand Falls Hut. We woke up early and headed to Zealand Falls Hut to see if they had some leftover breakfast. We hiked down and were offered scrambled eggs. The people who work at the AMC Huts give thru hikers all leftovers. This saves them from packing it down with the trash. They have to pack in and pack out everything from the hut!

After we ate our eggs the staff offered leftover food from dinner last night. It was perfect and so much good food. We had salad, turkey, gravy, soup, quinoa, stuffed shells, and some blueberry muffins! They just asked that we help them do dishes and sweep the floor in return for the food. Great deal!!

Bubbles hiking out of camp this morning

Mountains in the distance

Bubbles at an overlook

Breakfast at Zealand Falls Hut

Bubbles cleaning up at Zealand Falls Hut

Sign at Zealand Falls Hut

Whiskers wearing one of the packs which are used to hike in fresh supplies and hike out trash!!

We hiked by Thoreau Falls which was an awesome short side trail. I took pictures and videos of the falls because it was so beautiful. Being that close and seeing where the water was going was amazing.

Bubbles and I at Thoreau Falls

We ended the day on Webster’s Cliffs. It was a steep hike up to the cliff but the view was breathtaking once you got to the top. We got to watch a storm roll in from the mountains off in the distance. We had enough time to make dinner and have everything inside the tent before the rain hit. Once the rain hit it was raining hard with thunder and lightening. The wind was blowing hard too. We sat in our tent eating some Mountain House Chili Mac and Lasagna. We stayed dry with only a few small drips! Whiskers on the other hand had a puddle forming right under his tent. The whole area flooded and there wasn't anything he could do until the storm passed. We got his tent dried out and moved it to a better spot. On cliffs like this there are areas that look perfect but sometimes bog up and out of nowhere a puddle forms.

Bear Country

More railroad tracks

Bubbles and I on the trial

Bubbles enjoying the view

Day: 113
Miles hiked: 11.9
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 984.8
Bears: 0
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Horses: 12
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 2
Squirrels: 11
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1