Bob Kittredge
Active member
A few years ago my two daughters and I hiked up the Old Bridal Path to
spend the night at Greenleaf Hut. When we arrived, we found that 38 of
the bunks had been reserved for a group of women who were doing the
Wilderness Heals hike as a benefit for the Elizabeth Stone House, a
battered women's shelter (among other things) in the Boston area.
That day, the women, in groups of 6 or 7, were making the arduous trek
over Garfield Ridge from Galehead Hut; each group with a mix of
experienced and inexperience hikers. By suppertime, all but one of the
groups had stumbled wearily into Greenleaf. As we settled down at the
tables, a woman with binoculars scanned the trail coming down from
Lafayette, anxiously looking for the last group. At last she called
out, "I see them. My God, they're carrying a stretcher!" A dozen women
leapt to their feet, frantically pulled on their boots and rushed up the
trail.
As it turned out, the group had met with a solo woman hiker and her
dog, a dehydrated black lab with cut-up paws. They had improvised
a stretcher from hiking poles, duct tape and a space blanket and
were carrying the dog down to the hut.
That night, the women were totally wired. Many barely slept at all
but talked quietly long into the night.
I was very moved by the whole experience, and find myself getting
choked up just recounting it.
This year they will be holding the hike for the ninth time over
the June 18-20 weekend. If you are interested in participating
or sponsoring someone, you can find more info at:
http://www.elizabethstonehouse.org/hike1.htm
spend the night at Greenleaf Hut. When we arrived, we found that 38 of
the bunks had been reserved for a group of women who were doing the
Wilderness Heals hike as a benefit for the Elizabeth Stone House, a
battered women's shelter (among other things) in the Boston area.
That day, the women, in groups of 6 or 7, were making the arduous trek
over Garfield Ridge from Galehead Hut; each group with a mix of
experienced and inexperience hikers. By suppertime, all but one of the
groups had stumbled wearily into Greenleaf. As we settled down at the
tables, a woman with binoculars scanned the trail coming down from
Lafayette, anxiously looking for the last group. At last she called
out, "I see them. My God, they're carrying a stretcher!" A dozen women
leapt to their feet, frantically pulled on their boots and rushed up the
trail.
As it turned out, the group had met with a solo woman hiker and her
dog, a dehydrated black lab with cut-up paws. They had improvised
a stretcher from hiking poles, duct tape and a space blanket and
were carrying the dog down to the hut.
That night, the women were totally wired. Many barely slept at all
but talked quietly long into the night.
I was very moved by the whole experience, and find myself getting
choked up just recounting it.
This year they will be holding the hike for the ninth time over
the June 18-20 weekend. If you are interested in participating
or sponsoring someone, you can find more info at:
http://www.elizabethstonehouse.org/hike1.htm
