Happy 4th of July Weekend

So, our plan for the 4th of July weekend went something like this...
Leave Thursday afternoon, and drive up to White River Junction, Vermont and spend the night.
Friday do a little sightseeing, do a little hiking.  Drive to our campsite in White Mountain National Forest.
Saturday, do a good hike.
Sunday, relax, see if we can find a church, maybe do an easy hike.
Monday, hike a little, spend a little time in the local town's 4th of July celebration.
Tuesday.  Drive home.

My aunt used to say the purpose of a plan is to know what you aren't going to be doing. 

Thursday and Friday were great, we stopped at one of my favorite places, Augustus Saint-Gauden's Studio, the King Arthur Flour Bakery, and a Rockefeller manison with an interior designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. 

On Saturday, after consulting a a hiking book, we found a trail with lots of waterfalls, in fact, two trails.  There was a small loop, that was 2.5 miles and 5 waterfalls, or what was called a "Grand Tour" that was 8.5 miles and more than 12 waterfalls.  The kids were told we hadn't decided which we were going to do, but they would all recieve a "Grand Reward" if we did the 8.5 mile loop.  And we told our youngest that we would carry him whenever he needed it. 
10:00  We started  in just over two miles of pretty easy hiking we saw three nice waterfalls. 
1 mile We stop at a waterfall and discuss our options.  There were several trails we could take, and the idea was thrown out there that our path only takes us 0.6 miles from the summit of the mountain, what about hiking to the top?
2 miles, we have seen 3 waterfalls when we notice a trail that takes us up a shorter route to the top, we check the map, (we had a great, detailed topographic map) and it seems to be about the steepness of the trail we were on (rather steep, but not brutally so), we decide to climb to the top, and then follow a parallel trail down, still being able 5 or so waterfalls.  Also, the battery of my cell phone, that we were using as a timepiece dies.  We have no way of telling the time.
3 miles  The trail gets tough, definitely steeper, and rocky so we have to pick our way around and over the boulders. Occasionally it is so steep that there are wooden ladders bolted to the rock.
3.8 miles We hit tree line (I didn't know the Appalachians had a tree line but they do.)  The terrain becomes a giant boulder field and we slowly pick our way around and over boulders, the major climbing is over, but it is VERY slow going.  I hear another group mention that it is 5:30.  I'm worried about time, and weather. 
4.6 miles  (elevation 5300 ft)  We have gained 4100 ft elevation.  We are at an intersection called "thunderstom junction"  there are a few clouds, but nothing big enough for rain,  watching the skies carefully.  At this intersection we can go another 0.3 miles to the summit, we can turn around, or we can go on our planned trail down.  No one wants to go to summit, we are worried about time, so we dub a nearby cairn the top of our mountain, take pictures next to it, and turn on the Appalachain Trail to hike a mile to the other trail.  This will lessen our total distance above treeline, which is brutal hiking, and we are still hopeful to see some waterfalls.  We also have no desire to go back down the trail we just came up
5.0 miles The trail is starting to get a little better, there are some stairs and flatter areas built in.  The going is faster, and we are finally going downhill.
5.6 miles We come to our trail junction where there is a cabin for AT hikers, we listen to them happily eating dinner in a big dining room.  Just as we pass, someone shouts "did everyone have a nice dinner?"  We don't know the time, but are worried if they have already finished dinner.  We have been eating as we hike, chocolate bars, pretzels, raisins and reese's pieces.  It is 0.4 miles to the next trail marker.  But we are starting to descend below tree line.  We have 3.7 miles to go.
3.2 miles to go.  It takes us forever to get to the trail marker, we are below tree line but the trail is still strewn with boulders and we have to pick our way down.  Tough, slow going.  The kids are more sure of their footing and are ahead, but Doug and I have to pick our way more carefully.
2.9 miles We passed the trail marker, still slow, still rocky.  We asses our water, and find that we have 4 bottles left.  The day is cooling off so we aren't so sweaty, we ration 1 bottle per mile. On the way, we ask a passing hiker the time, he says it is 7:45, about an hour until sunset. He looks worried for us. If we could hike at our regular speed, we could make it (barely) before dark, but it is rocky, and kind of steep, so still slow going.
2.5 miles  The sun sets, we pick our way as quickly as we can, but as it gets darker, the going gets slower.  We are desperatly looking for a trail marker at 2.2 miles.   We see something that might be a trail marker but it is too dark to make out.   Brilliant daughter suggets "Why don't you take a picture of it?" 
  This is fantastic idea.  I take the camera out, and start to take a picture, and a red light shines (I think it is something to do with the flash).  If I depress the button just right, the red light will stay on.  So we hike with the aid of this light, when we need less, we use the light from the view screen.
2.2 miles  Next trail marker is not for another 1.2 miles, so it will be a long time before we have confirmation we are on the right track, it is quite dark, but the rocks are bright white, so we can navigate, using the camera light for the tricky parts.  We make sure that all the kids have visible clothing on and stay close together.
2.0 miles  It is completely dark, the camera light is the only way we can navigate.  I light up a section of trail using the red light on the camera, and everyone comes down, then I walk 5 feet ahead and do it again.  We are all disconcerted by a repeated noise in the distance (booming? roaring? engine noise?)
More to come going to eat....