(Daily Mi: 2.6) I feel like I am losing my hike. Choo Choo had problems getting her mail straightened out this am (PO misplaced her box) and we didn't end up getting on the Trail until almost 1 pm.

Still, I was up almost 2500' out of the notch by 3 pm. Short but very steep hike and threw it in 750' short of Little Haystack allegedly because I did not want to be traversing the exposed Lafeyette ridge during prime storm hours.

Wow are there a lot of people at the site. And I guess it is true that the Whites are crowded (particularly 2.6 miles from the roadhead). It is summer and the bulk of the people are organized groups of say 11-16 year olds.

Meet a nice Southbounder named Brother who spent the night geurilla camped on top of Garfield. He stops to roll and smoke a couple of cigarettes with me as we exchange tips North/South, and then heads down into Woodstock for the night.

Awesome spring, but there is a waiting line.