Today’s hike above treeline follows the Crawford Path, the oldest continually maintained path in the United States. Conditions are not as strenuous as on stage 6, but still challenging at times. The total ascent is minimal at 728 feet (222 meters), but total descent is almost 2,000 knee-busting feet (610 meters). Most of this stage is on a ridge that allows continuous great views but can be extra dangerous in bad weather conditions. Check the forecast before you leave the Lake of the Clouds Hut. There is one obligatory 4,000-foot peak summit today – Mount Pierce – which is preceded by two optional summits: Mount Monroe and Mount Eisenhower. Between Lakes of the Clouds Hut and Mount Monroe, there is a flat section of land that is home to numerous Presidential Range tundra plants. Remember to stay on the trail to protect these plants. They evolved to withstand harsh weather, not hiking boots.