Descibe your favorite trail day

[A-Train]

I'm curious to hear about people's best day on the trail, or the day when the bells rung, everything clicked and you knew backpacking was for you. I'll hold off for awhile and listen to some others.

(thought this might be a way to bring some positive life and energy back into WhiteBlaze!)

[neo]

to many to count,a bad day on the trail,is better than a good day off the trail
neo

[hikerjohnd]

I was hiking with two other very dear friends on Cumberland Island (SE Georgia coast for those not familiar with it) and we were hiking in what they deemed the backcountry. After a long days hike (13 miles that started about 11 AM after the ferry ride to the island) we reached our campsite, set up camp, had dinner, and generally enjoyed talking and joking around. We were camped on the West side of the island on a small bluff overlooking the water and I remember enjoying a beautiful sunset. The next morning we woke before dawn and had an early breakfast and watched the sky change from deep violet to a brilliant blue while we just sat there. While we enjoyed our morning drinks and watched the sky, a group of horses walked through our camp and began cropping grass between us and the edge of the bluff. It was truly beautiful to witness.

[Footslogger]

Had to think about this a bit, since there were SO many !! But I have to say that my favorite day of hiking was the day I climbed Mt. Moosilauke on my 2003 thru-hike. After months and months of GREEN it was just so great to get above tree line and see out so far in all directions. I remember saying to some other hikers that day ..."this was what I came out here to see". There was a part of me that just wanted to pitch a tent and camp at the summit on that day.

Looking forward to reading other hiker comments here.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[grrickar]

Best day ever was my first ever AT hike. Left Hot Springs just at daybreak, made it to Max Patch in time for the sunset, despite everyone telling us we'd never make it. Once we got close, people started encouraging us. I think we must have jogged part of the trail that day.

[Lilred]

My best trail day was also my first backpacking trip. I had just left Bly Gap and was hiking up that first big climb. I was socked in by clouds and couldn't see 50 feet in front of me. When I got to the top, there was a short blue-blazed trail that led to an overlook. I knew it must've been gorgeous, so I said a quick prayer to see it. Within 15 minutes, the skies were clear, the sun was shining, and I could see that lake, waaaay in the distance. Was really breathtaking. Ten minutes later I was socked in by clouds again. needless to say, I'm hooked.

[saimyoji]

Thats easy. Blue Mtn. at Danielsville, PA. Hiked up the trial head to the ridgeline with my 2 yr. old. (She rode on my shoulders most of the way.) Got to the first nice lookout spot where blueberry bushes used to grow all over the trail (they've since been bulldozed). There was a White-tail snacking on the berries, didn't notice us until my daughter said, "Wow, that's a big dog, daddy." The deer just turned, regarded us with curiosity for a moment, snacked some more, and took off over the mountain. My daughter spotted a broad-winged hawk sitting on a branch later on, and we saw lots of hikers that day (my daughter was fascinated with the strange people with huge packs and funny clothes on). She's been into hiking ever since, though she still rides most of the way.

Its great to pass the bug on.

[Mouse]

This was a fun day: http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=65532

Let's see, I foiled the fleas, weathered the storm, and escaped the skunk. I went on to add my pennies to Ottie Powell's monument, admire the Punchbowl and get to Buena Vista.

[Spirit Walker]

Best AT day was the day we crossed the Kennebeck. We woke up listening to a loon on Pierce Pond. We had been camping below the shelter, looking out over the water. Took our time getting started, and walked down to Pierce Pond Camp, where we had their fantastic pancake breakfast. Followed the waterfalls down to the river. We put our packs in the canoe and forded the Kennebec, which was fast and a bit scary, but fun. It was a hot day, so the cool water felt really good. Stopped at the store in Caratunk and ate a quart of ice cream. Headed for the shelter, but it was full, so we kept going to the top of a mountain, where we slept out on the rocks, looking out at the world below. A white owl flew into a tree above us and hooted for a while before it flew off. We watched the sun set and the stars rise. It was a totally happy day.

[chris]

I really can't answer this, but instead point to any day from the summer of 2003 on the PCT. But, to give something more concrete, one day, in the early evening, beatass tired, I sat with the California sun upon my face in a formerly cleared forest, and had something that some might call revelation, or enlightenment, or direct perception Only for a few minutes, but it was there, and I can remember, if not everything, at least the feelings and impressions. I followed it up with one of my all time favorite campsites under a gnarled tree on an otherwise open ridge, with 360 degree views and a sunset that would have driven Abbey into convulsions. Then there were all the really good days over the last two summers.

[rocket04]

The day I hiked the Franconia Range in the Whites. I got a perfect day. The most beautiful sights in my entire thru-hike, and some of the most beautiful sights ever for me.

[squirrel bait]

That would be the day I discovered the little waterfall after crossing the open fields south of Roanoke. I sat under that on a hot July day and covinced myself I could just stay there and live. Oh well............

[walkin' wally]

My best day so far was going through Mahoosuc notch and up the Mahoosuc Arm for the first time. I got to see what this area was really like.
My second best day was swimming in Pierce pond after a long, hot, buggy day northbound and then watching the sunset from the shelter. nice

[TankHiker]

I think my favorite day was when I left Mountain Moma's. It was a long climb out, and a long day. I was tired and hungry. We got to the base of Max Patch at about 3:00, and I really wanted to call it an early day. But my hiking partners urged me on. It was cold and blustery as we hiked up Max Patch. It was invigorating. I imagined that Max Patch was probably beautiful on a sunny day, but it was strangely powerful on this windy day. I wondered how many people ever got to see the beauty of this mountain on a bad weather day. After a brief pause on the summit, we hiked and hiked on with renewed energy. At the end of our 21 mile day (it was my longest at the time), we found an older couple who were out section hiking specifically to be with the thru-hiker crowd. They had a fire going, and asked us to join them. We sat around the fire, and they told us stories of all the thru-hikers they had met throughout their years. It was an awesome day.

[TJ aka Teej]

I'm curious to hear about people's best day on the trail, or the day when the bells rung, everything clicked and you knew backpacking was for you.

My best day might've been an August night on the Freeze Out trail in Baxter Park watching a meteor shower/northern lights show with my daughter. My 'everything clicked' moment was when I was 8 or 9 on Baxter Peak for 5th or 6th time. I had my hand on the sign and was looking south, wondering if there was a boy like me on a mountaintop in Georgia, looking north. Good thread idea, A-Train!

[jmaclennan]

The day I met the woman I would later marry. No need to bore you with the details, but it was love at first sight (at least for me). Happened during my thru-hike in 2003 at the Mt. Collins Shelter in the Smokies. Best day of my life, in fact.

[mdjeeper]

not having thrui-hiked yet, I would say that my best trail day is still ahead of me but to this point of only hitting sections of the trail, my best day was memorial day last year when I went up kinsman ridge trail (heading from moosilauke) and kept telling myself.. thats it..there is the top and then instead it would be a twist in the trail and i was still going up!!! then the rain came (i needed a shower anyhow since I had worked up a good sweat).. then the wind kicked up and the clouds moved in and i was thinking that once I did get to the top of Kinsman I wouldnt be able to see a durn thing now <sigh>.. went passed the turn off to kinsman pond shelter and kept on heading up Kinsman when outta the blue the clouds just disspated and down below the sun just glistened off of Kinsman Pond

[wren]

Ive been sitting here sifting thru all the possible 'best days' of hiking ive had. Its interesting, looking back, that so many of my best days -or most vivid memories- of hiking seemed the toughest or most 'miserable' at the time (due to bad weather, pain, being lost or something..) Im sure ive completely forgotten the details from dozens of 'perfect' days of hiking. Seems like every walk (even if its just a lap around the block) has at least one memorable moment that slowly dissolves over time if its not anchored in place by some other event. I think all of those forgotten moments of hiking bliss just slowly add up to my overall feeling of hiking in general.

At any rate.. One of my favorite moments happened while on the PCT. I was camped alone on the bighorn plateau. The alpenglow, sunset, smells and sounds all came together and it was utterly sublime. ..Then the sun rose and it happened all over again.

[Skeemer]

I think it was fairly early in the hike when the excitement of actually hiking the AT was still fresh. I had been in Franklin for a zero day following several days of miserable weather. It was the next morning and I had just been dropped off at Winding Stair Gap. I recall writing in my journal something like "I was by myself, the sky was blue, the trail was good and I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!" (Don't get excited...just a metaphor) So there was nothing special about the location. The sun has a big influence my attitude.

[Footslogger]

The sun has a big influence my attitude.

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Originally from Ohio myself ...I can certainly understant that statement !!

'Slogger
AT 2003