Appalachian Trail - Day 147 - Abol Bridge to Mt Katahdin

Day: 147

Date: Monday, 18 September 2023

Start:  Abol Bridge (AT Mile 2193.4)

Finish:  Mt Katahdin (AT Mile 2198.4) plus 4.0 back down to the Abol Ranger Station.

Daily Kilometres:  21.9

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3565.6

Weather:  Mild and mostly overcast, with spitting rain in the afternoon and cold winds at altitude.

Accommodation:  Hostel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Mars Bar/Turkey Italian roll 

  Lunch:  Trail mix/Ham Italian roll

  Dinner:  Bacon double cheeseburger & fries, ice-cream.

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - possible/likely broken toe after her foot slipped on a rock and slammed into another one.

Highlight:  Reaching the summit of Mt Katahdin and the end of our 2200 mile journey along the Appalachian Trail.

Lowlight:  Julie possibly breaking a toe on the descent from Mt Katahdin

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We woke early and were hiking by 6:00am in the pre-dawn light following the Blueberry Ledges trail to the base of Mt Katahdin. The official AT route was four miles longer, but we needed to get to the ranger station at the mountain base to register to climb before the 10:00am cut-off.

We reached the ranger station shortly before 9:00am where we removed everything we would not need for the climb from our packs and left it in a shelter, and then went through the registration formalities before beginning our climb up the Hunt Trail to the summit, five miles away.

Initially, the trail rose relatively gently beside the cascading Katahdin Stream but, the further we went, the more challenging it became and we found ourselves boulder-scrambling and using iron rungs fixed into vertical rock or squeezing along narrow ledges.  It was scary in parts and very difficult in others and we began to wonder what it would be like descending along the same route, as we planned to do, in the rain forecast for the afternoon.  Offsetting that, were spectacular views over the Maine wilderness.  Even after the most difficult parts, the climb was still strenuous until we reached the plateau-like upper part of the mountain.

From there we had about 1.5 miles of steady climbing over the bare rock-strewn alpine terrain to reach the summit marker on Baxter Peak (5267') on Mt Katahdin and the official finish of the Appalachian Trail.  There were a few people about, including a thru-hiker we knew and other day hikers, who congratulated us on our feat.  It felt surreal to finally be there.  It was also cold, and after some photos and a short break sheltered behind some rocks enjoying more spectacular views, we headed back down the mountain.  

Instead of returning via the Hunt Trail, we decided to follow the Abol Trail down.  It was supposed to be less demanding, though brought us out at a different trailhead, two miles by road from where we had left our gear at the ranger station.  It was not an easy descent, but less scary than the alternative.

Originally, our plan was to hitch-hike from the ranger station to Millinocket, an hour away and the nearest town, but with the rain gradually becoming more persistent and time passing quickly, we realized we may not be down in time to catch a lift with day-hikers leaving the park.  At 4:00pm, while we still had phone reception, Dave called a hostel that offered shuttles from the park and we were lucky that, on short notice, they agreed to pick us up at 5:00pm from the Abol Trailhead and said they had a private room at the hostel we could have.

The last mile of the trail into the trailhead was perhaps the nicest trail of the day, autumn-leaf-littered and rock/mud-free and a lovely end to our journey.

The hostel-owner drove us to the ranger station to collect our stored gear and then back to the hostel in steady rain.  After checking in, and making arrangements for a shuttle to our long-distance bus stop tomorrow morning, we showered and ordered dinner for delivery from a local store.  It was a low-key ending to our trek, but fine by us.

Dave is fond of saying "never say never" but is adamant that he will never thru-hike the Appalachian Trail again.  It was just too physically and mentally demanding at age 72 carrying a heavy pack (long hikes with a lighter load are definitely a possibility).  Leaving that aside, it was a very special and memorable experience and not one he regrets.  He and Julie made a good team, despite their current physical capability differences, and rarely had disagreements on trail.

Julie loved the trail life, though was quite exasperated by Maine's roots, rocks and bogs towards the end.  She was one of the few people on the trail not using trekking poles, frequently attracting comment, and made it all look easy.  She enjoyed the social interactions with the other hikers and learning their personal stories.  She would definitely do another thru-hike, but it wouldn't be the Appalachian Trail again.

From Millinocket, where we are staying tonight, we will get a ride to nearby Medway tomorrow morning where we will catch a bus south for 90 minutes to the city of Bangor to pick up a hire car and do some touring in the US north-east until our flight out of Newark (near New York) on 2 October back to Sydney via Vancouver.  Home on 4 October.

Appalachian Trail - Day 146 - Hurd Brook Lean-To to Abol Bridge

Day: 146

Date: Sunday, 17 September 2023

Start:  Hurd Brook Lean-To (AT Mile 2179.8)

Finish:  Abol Bridge (AT Mile 2183.4)

Daily Kilometres:  7.2

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3543.7

Weather:  Cool, breezy and sunny.

Accommodation:  Basic Cabin

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Ham Italian roll/Turkey Italian roll

  Lunch:  Roast beef Italian roll/Turkey Italian roll, fruit pies

  Dinner:  Hot dogs, fruit pies

Aches:  Nothing to report

Highlight:  Hiking the 3+ miles to Abol Bridge, our destination for the day, along the sun-dappled trail in the cool early morning with a sense of achievement and knowing that the worst of the trail and our journey is over.  Just the climb up and down Mt Katahdin tomorrow, without full packs, and we will be done.

Lowlight:  None.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

The wind blew hard all night, but there was little further rain from the remnants of yesterday's storm and we slept well in the shelter.  There was no rush to start the day as we only planned to hike the three miles to Abol Bridge and the campground/store there, so we didn't start hiking until around 7:30am.  The weather was such a contrast with yesterday's, with clear skies and sunlight shafts dappling the pine-needle-covered trail although there was a lot of debris and even large trees down in places.

We reached Abol Bridge soon after 9:00am, with a magnificent view of Mt Katahdin from the bridge, and decided to take a cabin in the campground here for tonight with plans to set out early tomorrow for the hike to the base of Mt Katahdin and then the summit and return climb.  We probably could have done the climb today, but the rangers won't let anybody start out from the base after 10:00am and we wouldn't have been there in time.

We bought some breakfast from the limited items in the campground store and then spent the rest of the day relaxing in the picturesque campground set beside Abol Stream beneath the mountain.  We also had our first showers and did laundry for the first time in a week and dried out all of our wet gear.

Trail friends, Christine and Matthew, have rented the cabin next to us and will also be summiting Katahdin tomorrow.  They had originally planned on summiting on Tuesday, but the weather forecast for that day is rain.  Tomorrow's forecast is for partly sunny skies.

We had dinner with Christine and Matthew cooked over an open fire on a beautiful evening outside our cabin and enjoyed a good conversation about our times on the trail and what we had observed and learned.  A very pleasant time before an early night with an early start planned for our last day on the trail tomorrow.

Appalachian Trail - Day 145 - Nahmakanta Lake to Hurd Brook Lean-To

Day: 145

Date: Saturday, 16 September 2023

Start:  Nahmakanta Lake (AT Mile 2157.7)

Finish:  Hurd Brook Lean-To (AT Mile 2179.8)

Daily Kilometres:  38.0 (Ascent 

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3536.5

Weather:  Cool, windy and overcast all day with rain of varying intensity in the afternoon.

Accommodation:  Shelter 

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts 

  Lunch:  Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals, Pop tarts 

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  None really 

Lowlight:  A miserable afternoon as we were hit by the outer edges of tropical hurricane Lee.  Strong cold winds and rain made for challenging hiking along a trail of which much was boggy or under water, either flowing or standing, and had the usual slippery rocks and roots to negotiate.  We were cold and saturated and our shoes/boots and feet were sodden.  Up ahead, Dave could hear Julie cursing at each new obstacle was encountered or she sank ankle deep into the mud once again.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We got going at 6:00am, happy that the rain from hurricane Lee had not yet arrived and we could pack a dry tent.  Our goal for the day was to get as close as we could to Abol Bridge, the end of the 100 Mile Wilderness, where there was a campground store, but that was 25+ miles away, so we were unlikely to make it all the way.

Hiking conditions weren't bad initially, though the trail was often the usual bogs, rocks and roots.  The wind was blowing strongly and there were the occasional spots of rain, but the hurricane impacts were less than anticipated and we made good progress, passing along the shore of Nahmakanta Lake then climbing over Nesundabunt Mountain before descending to a forestry road.

We chose the option here of following the road which reconnected with the AT a little over a mile later and missing some more bogs, rocks and roots on the AT.  Our justification was that with the full hurricane effects were yet to be felt, we wanted to get to a shelter just short of Abol Bridge so that we could camp out of the weather if necessary.  It didn't save much distance, but it did save time.

A bonus of our route was that we encountered a moose on the road.  It wasn't close, but we did get a good view of it before it sidled off into the forest.

After rejoining the AT and following the raging Rainbow Stream upstream for a few miles we stopped for a lunch break at a shelter.  There were quite a few hikers there, some waiting out the weather and in their sleeping bags, and only a few of us pushed on further.

The weather quickly deteriorated and it was a miserable afternoon (see above).  The only bright spot was that we were moving quickly, despite the trail conditions, to keep warm.  Apart from a brief break under an overhanging rock we kept walking for six hours and made it to our target shelter a little before 6:00pm, with only a short 3+ miles to go tomorrow morning to reach Abol Bridge.  Already at the shelter were friends Christine and Matthew and we chatted with them while we set up our sleeping gear, had dinner and changed into some dry warm clothing.

We feel like we are almost at the end.  We will spend most of the day at Abol Bridge tomorrow, assuming we can get a cabin for tomorrow night, then end our journey by summiting Mt Katahdin on Monday, a 15 mile hike.  Despite the conditions, we were pleased with how much ground we covered today.

Appalachian Trail - Day 144 - Cooper Falls Lean-To to Nahmakanta Lake

Day: 144

Date: Friday, 15 September 2023

Start:  Cooper Falls Lean-To (AT Mile 2138.7)

Finish:  Nahmakanta Lake (AT Mile 2157.7)

Daily Kilometres:  31.2 (Ascent 1047', Descent 1302')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3498.5

Weather:  Cool to mild and partly sunny

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts

  Lunch:  Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals, Pop tarts 

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  None really 

Lowlight:  None really 

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We set out about 6:45am on a cool clear morning anticipating easier trail for the day and hopeful of covering a good distance.

It was mostly good trail for the day and there were some beautiful sections where the path meandered through lovely mixed conifer and deciduous forest on a bed of pine needles and autumn leaves.  We passed peaceful lakes and followed rushing streams for long periods.

However, there were other sections of trail where we were constantly negotiating the roots, rocks and bogs that have become a familiar part of our day.  It's hard and slow hiking with constant steps up, down and to the side, always looking where you place your feet and hoping your judgment of the depth of the mud or slipperiness of a root or rock is accurate.

We also had some unexpected and challenging fords today.  The first was quite scary because of the pace and depth of the water in one small part of the crossing and the second was even deeper (waist-level) though not as fast.

The fords slowed us down and we didn't get quite as far as hoped.  However, we ended up at a very pretty campground by Nahmakanta Lake around 6:15pm and had a beautiful sunset accompany our camp setup.  A bonus was the arrival of trail friends Christine and Matthew shortly after us.  We haven't seen them for a few days.

We feel like the Appalachian Trail is making sure our last days are not easy, with challenging fords and endless bogs that are not usually a feature of the trail, but it has been a very wet year.  And now, Hurricane Lee is forecast to hit the Maine coast overnight and bring rain and wind to the state tomorrow.  The coast will be hardest hit, but we are anticipating a wet and windy day in the woods and not looking forward to it.

Appalachian Trail - Day 143 - Gulf Hagas Mountain to Cooper Falls Lean-To

Day: 143

Date: Thursday, 14 September 2023

Start:  Gulf Hagas Mountain (AT Mile 2121.6)

Finish:  Cooper Falls Lean-To (AT Mile 2138.7)

Daily Kilometres:  26.4 (Ascent 3048', Descent 4551')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3467.3

Weather:  Mild with some fog and an early shower then mostly sunny.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts 

  Lunch:  Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals, pop tarts.

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Early in our day's hiking we met some hikers going the other way, a couple and then, separately, a man, all of whom warned that the crossing of the East Branch Pleasant River that we had coming up during the day was very difficult and that they had heard the authorities were recommending by-passing it using an alternative route.  The man said that he had spent a very worrying 20 minutes with his foot caught between two rocks beneath the surface in the rushing river before being able to extricate himself.  This all happened yesterday before the hours of torrential rain we had last night, likely meaning the river would now be even higher.  Although we worked out an alternative route, it would have meant spending most of the day road-walking so we decided to chance the river crossing.  It was quite intimidating when we arrived - loud and rushing fast with the heavily tannin-stained water making it impossible to judge depths.  Making use of some nylon cord strung across the river between two trees, we both made a successful crossing, but it certainly had the adrenaline pumping at times.

Lowlight:  Very soon after the river crossing described above we encountered a huge puddle on the trail and Dave slipped on a wet log while trying to get around it and fell into the deep water, saturating half his body and pack.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

It rained torrentially for 3-4 hours after we went to bed and eventually some water seeped into our tent and some things got damp, but nothing too bad.  When the alarm went off at 5:00am, Dave, who had had a bad night, firstly with the after-effects of yesterday's wasp stings and then the heavy rain during the night, said he didn't feel up to trying a 20+ mile day as Plan A required (see previous posts) and suggested reverting to Plan B with a shorter mileage for the remaining days on the trail and having an extra hour's sleep.  Julie agreed so now we will finish the trail on Monday instead of Sunday.

After the extra hour's sleep, at least it was light enough to pack up without headlamps and we began hiking around 7:20am on a cool morning.  We were immediately climbing steadily to reach the first of three summits, West Peak, followed by, with descents preceding each, Hay Mountain and White Cap Mountain (3644'), the highest.  The latter had an open treeless rocky summit and we took a breakfast break and spread out the tent fly and other gear to dry.  The views were spectacular.  Soon afterwards we were joined by a "trail family" (or "tramily"), a group of six young hikers we have got to know quite well who also spread out all of their wet gear to dry.  It was an amusing sight.

From the peak we had a long descent during which time we decided to attempt the river ford coming up (see above) rather than take the bypass route.  The ford was challenging, but we made it across and had a lunch break on the other side.

Supposedly the AT is much easier in Maine once you get past White Cap Mountain, but it wasn't as easy as we hoped, with many large puddles and bogs, along with the usual rocks and roots.  But, at least, it wasn't raining and we made reasonable progress along the sun-dappled trail through pleasant early autumn deciduous forest.

We climbed and descended another mountain and passed by a large pond as the evening approached, eventually reaching our target campsite just before 7:00pm, by which time it was dark.  We found a good tent site and set up camp by headlamp, hoping that we can finish a little earlier tomorrow now we are on Plan B.

Appalachian Trail - Day 142 - Barren Mountain to Gulf Hagas Mountain

Day: 142

Date: Wednesday, 13 September 2023

Start:  Barren Mountain (AT Mile 2101.9)

Finish:  Gulf Hagas Mountain (AT Mile 2121.6)

Daily Kilometres:  26.2 (Ascent 4268', Descent 4478')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3440.9

Weather:  Mild, foggy in the morning and mostly overcast with occasional light rain.

Accommodation:  Tent 

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts

  Lunch:  Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles plus some wasp bites (see below); Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  None really 

Lowlight:  While looking for a place to cross a stream, Dave disturbed a wasps nest and was stung many times, mostly on the legs but also on the butt, groin and back.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

It rained a lot overnight as was evidenced by the huge deep puddles on the trail when we began hiking at 6:00am.  They were very difficult to negotiate, along with plenty of bogs and the usual rocks and roots, and the hiking was not enjoyable.  It was hard to see how we would cover the distance we wanted for the day when it took 3.5 hours to cover the first 4.5 miles.  We were in the cloud/fog and there were no views even though we were quite high.

From comments on our crowd-sourced navigation app, we were aware that there was an alternative trail that took us down off the mountain and reconnected with the AT in seven miles, missing the last section of the Chairback Range, so we took it.  We weren't going to miss anything in the weather and the trail conditions were so difficult we were unlikely to stay on schedule if we kept to the main trail.

Down the mountain the trail was better walking and our pace and mood improved.  Then there was some road-walking back to the AT which included finding our way across a raging stream where a bridge has been washed out and was being replaced.  While looking for a place to cross the stream, Dave disturbed a wasps nest and paid the price (see above).

Once back on the AT, it was easier walking until we reached the West Branch Pleasant River which had to be forded.  The rain of the past few days had the river running fast and wide and the ford was a little nerve-wracking, though we both crossed safely, getting wet to mid-thigh.

The trail then entered the Hermitage Preserve of the Gulf Hagas wilderness passing through some old growth forest and then climbed steadily following Gulf Hagas Brook upstream.  Conditions alternated between good and the usual rocks, roots and bogs, but we made reasonable progress and decided to push on over Gulf Hagas Mountain to a campsite on the other side which we reached at 6:30pm.

The tent site was much better than last night and we were congratulating ourselves as we washed before eating dinner when it began to rain, and is still raining steadily as the blog is written.  We ended up eating our dinner in the tent and are happy that nothing got too wet.

We've had enough rain, rocks, roots and bogs to last a lifetime.

Appalachian Trail - Day 141 - ME Route 15 to Barren Mountain

Day: 141

Date: Tuesday, 12 September 2023

Start:  ME Route 15 (AT Mile 2083.7)

Finish:  Barren Mountain (AT Mile 2101.9)

Daily Kilometres:  27.0 (Ascent 4534', Descent 3117')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3414.7

Weather:  Mild and overcast with almost continuous rain in the morning and an occasional sprinkle in the afternoon.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Cooked breakfast 

  Lunch:  Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Pop tarts

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported 

Highlight:  None really

Lowlight:  Wet, muddy and slippery trail.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We again enjoyed the hostel's big breakfast at 7:00am and were shuttled back to the trailhead in a packed van with about seven other thru-hikers in light rain at about 8:15am.  The hostel co-owner and driver, a former thru-hiker (and English Lit teacher), gave us a spiel about the 100 Mile Wilderness and a few short poems about the trail and how life-changing it can be.  Impressive!

For our last 100+ miles to the trail's end on Mount Katahdin, we have a Plan A, that sees us finish in six days on Sunday, and Plan B that sees us finish in seven days on Monday.  Plan A is relatively aggressive, but we really would like to finish on Sunday so for today our goal was 17 miles which we knew would be challenging given our late start and knowledge that the first two days of the 100 Mile Wilderness were reputed to be difficult.  If we can stick to the schedule for the first two days our confidence will be high.

For the morning we decided to hike non-stop the six plus miles to Little Wilson Falls which took us the best part of four hours.  The trail was tough with ups and downs, bogs and slippery roots and rocks.  In particular, the wet slate was treacherous and we had to take great care.  At the first creek crossing Dave slipped and fell half into the water which made him very unhappy.  All the while it was raining with varying intensity and as we leapfrogged some of the other thru-hikers we joked about how much we were all enjoying ourselves.  Misery loves company, and it was good to know that nobody was having a good time.

For the next section, there was an alternative route of about the same distance, including a long roadwalk, that avoided two significant fords and we decided to go that way.  A number of the other thru-hikers we met during the day made the same choice.  The roadwalk was along a quiet forestry road which was pleasant but the linking track that took us back to the AT had long stretches of extremely boggy and unpleasant trail.

We rejoined the AT about 4:00pm and made the choice to try and get over Barren Mountain and to a shelter/campsite on the other side before stopping for the night.  This would be a couple of miles beyond our target for the day, but there was no water in between (and we didn't want to add water to the weight of our already heavy packs for the climb) and it would likely be dark by the time we reached there.

The climb proved slower than we hoped and provided just one hazy view.  By the time we reached the summit of Barren Mountain (2670') it was almost dark and we decided to camp without water or cooking dinner rather than continue on the difficult trail in the dark.  We found a barely adequate space for a tent near the summit soon after 7:00pm, set up the tent and crawled in, still very dirty from the muddy trail with only some wet wipes to clean ourselves before getting into our sleeping bags.  Not a good start to our last five or six days, and more rain forecast for tomorrow.

We passed the 2100 Mile mark today.

Appalachian Trail - Day 140 - Day Off in Monson

Day: 140

Date: Monday, 11 September 2023

Start:  ME Route 15 (AT Mile 2083.7) but staying at Monson.

Finish:  ME Route 15 (AT Mile 2083.7) but staying at Monson.

Daily Kilometres:  0

GPX Track:  Click here and here for Julie’s Strava & Photos from her walks around Monson today.

Total Kilometres:  3387.7

Weather:  Dreary and overcast with occasional rain.

Accommodation:  Hostel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Cooked breakfast and pancakes.

  Lunch:  Ham & cheese rolls.

  Dinner:  Pizza, brownie & ice-cream 

Aches:  Nothing to report.

Highlight:  A relaxing day at the hostel contemplating, with fellow thru-hikers, our last week on the trail.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

At 7:00am we joined our fellow guests at the hostel for the cooked breakfast for which the hostel is renowned.  It was good and filling and some of us sat around for a while afterwards chatting about this and that.  While most of the 20+ people staying here are thru-hikers, there are also several cyclists as the town is also on a long distance mountain/gravel-bike route.

We then picked up the large box of food we had mail-ordered to the hostel from Walmart just in case they didn't have what we wanted for the next 5-6 days and repacked it for hiking.  After that we walked down to the volunteer-run Appalachian Trail Information Office in town where a very patient lady explained everything we needed to know (hopefully) about the 100 Mile Wilderness ahead of us, including problematic river/stream crossings, and the somewhat officious process for getting approval to camp near the base of Mt Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, and approval to climb it.  Weather could always be an issue for the latter.

For the rest of the day, Dave spent time on admin, planning and reading while Julie went for some walks locally.  Of all the hikers staying at the hostel, she is the only one who had any interest in doing such a thing on her day off.

For dinner, we bought some take-out from the nearby gas station cafe and afterwards finished packing for our return to the trail.  After breakfast tomorrow, there is an 8:30am shuttle back to the trailhead.  Sadly, a lot of rain is forecast for the coming week.  Internet coverage will be sparse, so it may be a week before the next blog updates.

Appalachian Trail - Day 139 - Bald Mountain Pond to ME Route 15

Day: 139

Date: Sunday, 10 September 2023

Start:  Bald Mountain Pond (AT Mile 2065.8)

Finish:  ME Route 15 (AT Mile 2083.7)

Daily Kilometres:  30.0

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3387.7

Weather:  Mild, overcast and showery.

Accommodation:  Hostel 

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts 

  Lunch:  Trail mix

  Dinner:  Bacon cheeseburgers & fries apple crumble & ice-cream.

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Reaching Monson, the last town near the trail for northbound thru-hikers and the start of the 100 Mile Wilderness.

Lowlight:  A couple more falls for Dave, but no damage done.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We woke at 5:00am and were hiking by 6:00am on a cool calm morning.  During the first half hour the sun emerged over the pond to our right and shafts of brilliant orange sunlight angled through the forest creating a magical effect.

We were on a mission again today, with 18 miles to go until ME Route 15 from where we intended to go to the village of Monson and stay in a hostel for two nights.  The hostel ran shuttles from the trailhead every two hours and we figured that if the terrain wasn't too bad and we didn't mess around we could be there in time for the 4:00pm shuttle.

Our first challenge for the day was to ford Bald Mountain Stream where we both got at least one foot slightly wet despite taking great care.  Knowing there was another ford coming up across the Piscataquis River where the water was likely to be thigh-deep, we decided to keep our feet dry and took a suggested alternative roadwalk that was slightly longer.

As the morning progressed the sky became ominously grey and it began to rain while we took our first break, though it didn't last too long.  The majority of the roadwalk was along a traffic-free forestry road that wasn't very interesting but, on the plus side, we made good time.  We reconnected with the AT around 11:30am, having done about 12 miles in total and stopped a mile further on for a lunch break.  Although the roadwalk was a welcome change from the trail, it was nice to be back on the trail which, generally, was pleasant walking despite the occasional sections of rocks, roots and bogs.

Our last five miles for the day involved a gentle climb over the shoulder of Buck Hill and a heavier rain shower which made us glad we were staying in a hostel for tonight.  Rain showers are forecast to continue overnight and into tomorrow.

We reached Route 15 around 3:20pm and, after checking by phone with the hostel that we would have until 4:00pm for a shuttle, decided to try hitch-hiking and were picked up about five minutes later for the four mile drive into Monson.

After checking into the hostel, which seems to have a lot of hikers in residence (20+?), we were shown to our room and later had showers and did the laundry.  For dinner, we walked down to the local gas station and bought some take-out, eating it back at the hostel.  A few late thru-hiker arrivals included Matthew and Christine and some other hikers we know, and we were also introduced to an Australian girl from Sydney who is also staying here and on the final leg of her Appalachian Trail hike.

We were both tired and had an early night, satisfied with how the day has turned out.

Appalachian Trail - Day 138 - Caratunk to Bald Mountain Pond

Day: 138

Date: Saturday, 09 September 2023

Start:  Caratunk (AT Mile 1047.0)

Finish:  Bald Mountain Pond (AT Mile 2065.8)

Daily Kilometres:  30.5 (Ascent 4400', Descent 3694')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3357.7

Weather:  Mild and mostly sunny.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Continental breakfast 

  Lunch:  Trail mix

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported 

Highlight:  It's not often that the last four miles of the day are a highlight, but today was an exception.  In serenely calm and clear conditions we climbed over Moxie Bald Mountain (2629') as the evening sun sank low and enjoyed stellar views in all directions from the vast open rock slabs on the summit.  We could easily see the Bigelow Range that we had traversed a couple of days ago along with many other mountains we may have also climbed but couldn't identify.  Ahead were other mountains we may yet have to climb.  Closer below were the mirror-like ponds and lakes of all shapes and sizes surrounded by forest and mountains.

Lowlight:  Dave had a bad morning, falling three times and filling the air with curses.  No harm done apart from some minor cuts and abrasions, but it reinforced his desire to have done with the trail.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We woke, finished packing and were ready for the continental breakfast at the inn at 6:30am when it opened.  Like everything else at the inn, it was well-organised and good quality and we ate our fill.  The inn provided a shuttle back to the trailhead, which we took along with three other thru-hikers, and were hiking by soon after 7:30am.

Our plan was to reach Bald Mountain Pond, about 19 miles away, by evening which seemed a little ambitious given we hadn't hiked that far in a day for a while (it also seemed ambitious to the three middle-aged thru-hikers with whom we shared the shuttle), so we were a little apprehensive.  However, the trail through the early autumnal forest wasn't too bad and we averaged the two miles per hour we needed.  There were the usual rocks, roots and bogs, but the gradients weren't too bad except for our two mountains of the day - Pleasant Pond Mountain and Moxie Bald Mountain - which slowed us up a bit, but weren't too technical and both offered fantastic views from their open rock slabs summits (see above).

Otherwise there wasn't much remarkable about the day apart from the beautiful ponds we passed and the Moxie Pond ford which we managed safely without getting our feet wet.  We may not be so lucky tomorrow with two more fords coming up.

We reached Bald Mountain Pond just before 7:00pm and were surprised to find no one else there, either camped or staying in the shelter.  It was an absolutely beautiful evening and we regretted not having been a bit earlier so we could enjoy the sunset over the pond.  We found a very nice tent site close to the pond shore and set up camp, washed and ate and were in bed by 9:00pm having had a very satisfying day.

Appalachian Trail - Day 137 - Carrying Place Stream to Caratunk

Day: 137

Date: Friday, 08 September 2023

Start:  Carrying Place Stream (AT Mile 2040.1)

Finish:  Caratunk (AT Mile 1047.0)

Daily Kilometres:  11.0

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3327.2

Weather:  Overcast and humid in the morning with some light rain, then very warm and humid and partly sunny in the afternoon.

Accommodation:  Bunk room in Inn

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts

  Lunch:  Pizza pockets/Hot meat roll.

  Dinner:  Meatloaf burger & fries, ice-creams

Aches:  Dave - the usual; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Crossing the Kennebec River by canoe, another major milestone on the Appalachian Trail.  Back in 1986 when Dave first hiked the trail, you had to ford the river but, after a couple of drownings and more near-misses, the Appalachian Trail Conference arranged for a canoe crossing to be available and deemed it to be the official route.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

The night was marked by thunderstorms with some lightning strikes seemingly very close, and quite a bit of rain.  We woke at 5:00am to a very wet tent fly but at least it was not raining.

We were hiking by 6:00am in the faint hope of reaching a hunting and fishing lodge three miles away where we knew hikers could get a good pancake breakfast, though you were supposed to book it in person the night before (it is close to a shelter/campsite on the AT), that only a limited number of hikers were allowed and that it started at 7:00am.  We didn't have our hopes up and just as well as we missed out on all counts - hadn't booked, were too late and exceeded the permitted numbers.

Just before we reached the very rustic lodge at 7:30am, it began to rain, so we ended up eating our pop tart breakfast on the covered verandah of the lodge and chatting to Matthew and Christine who had made it to the lodge breakfast.  They then left for the four mile walk to the Kennebec River and we soon followed as the rain let up and the humidity returned.

The four miles was not particularly easy walking after some of the better trail of yesterday, but we also knew they were our last miles of the day, which often seem to drag.  We reached the river around 10:00am and waited a short time to cross, two at a time plus the boatman, with us split between two trips.  The river was impressive, subject to fast rises and falls depending on dam operations upstream, and an AT milestone (see above).  We do feel like we are in the home stretch now.

We had booked two bunks in the bunkroom of a B&B Inn which goes out of its way to cater to hikers.  They picked us up from the trailhead near the river crossing and a few minutes later we were checking in and had our showers and laundry done by lunchtime.

We have a couple of days hiking to the hamlet of Monson from here and then tackle the 100 Mile Wilderness which takes us to near the end of the trail on Mt Katahdin.  We will need to carry food for 5-6 days for that last stretch, so spent a bit of time after lunch today making up a parcel of gear we do not think we will need for the remainder of the hike to lighten the load (a very little).  Julie then walked to the tiny Caratunk Post Office (run by one of the two guys who run the Inn) and mailed it to ourselves care of a post office in Boston where we will pick it up post-hike.

The balance of the afternoon was spent on admin and reading on the lovely big verandah of the Inn on a very warm breezy afternoon.

Later we took a shuttle to a pub a few miles away where we had dinner with Matthew and Christine before returning to the Inn and an early night.

Appalachian Trail - Day 136 - Little Bigelow Mountain to Carrying Place Stream

Day: 136

Date: Thursday, 07 September 2023

Start:  Little Bigelow Mountain (AT Mile 2022.3)

Finish:  Carrying Place Stream (AT Mile 2040.1)

Daily Kilometres:  28.9 (Ascent 2037', Descent 3780')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3316.2

Weather:  Very warm and humid, partly sunny, with thunderstorms in late afternoon and evening.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Egg & sausage rolls, pastries.

  Lunch:  Pop tarts/Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals.

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  We had been told by a hiker we met going the other way yesterday that there was a group offering "trail magic" at the next road crossing and that they will be there until Friday.  So, we set off from our campsite at 6:30am, with a little over four miles to the road, with some optimism that we would get a good breakfast, though we didn't want to get our hopes up.  With a mile to go, a couple of day hikers confirmed that there was a big spread awaiting us.  It was put on by a group of friends who camp out at the trailhead for a few days each year, one of whom had been doing the "trail magic" for 22 years.  We enjoyed a couple of egg and sausage rolls each along with multiple cold drinks and other goodies along with interesting conversation.  It was a very good way to start our day.

Lowlight:  It was hot and humid most of the day (heat advisory for central Maine) making it unpleasant for hiking and also seemed to bring out the mosquitoes which made it doubly unpleasant.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We gave ourselves a 30 minute later start because of our late finish last night and were hiking by around 6:30am.  We were hoping for a good breakfast when we reached the road crossing ahead (see above), but first we had to cross over and descend from Little Bigelow Mountain.  It wasn't a particularly difficult or long descent, though Dave did slip on some wet rock and removed what little skin was left on one of his elbows, but it did require care and was slow.

With a mile to go, however, the trail flattened out and became easy walking and we reached the road and "trail magic" at 9:00am.

After eating and drinking our fill, we got back on the trail, eagerly anticipating that it would be easier for the next few days as we had been told.  It was easier, with a better surface and gentler grades, but the day's heat and humidity made it hard work, and we were bathed in sweat and drinking plenty at our breaks.

Most of the remaining day was spent passing a series of beautiful and peaceful large ponds/lakes with low hills in between.  Despite the rocks, roots and bogs that dominated long sections of the trail, it was easier walking and we were back to the two miles per hour average we managed before we hit New England.  It was nice to feel we were making good progress for a change.

During the afternoon we had our first moose sighting, though glimpse better describes the encounter.  Julie, up ahead, must have disturbed it, and it disappeared quickly with the sound of thunderous hooves attracting our attention.  Julie got a brief glimpse of its rear end while Dave saw the big black shape galloping through the distant forest.

We reached a good tentsite beside a small stream at the nice time of 5:45pm and decided to call it a day, having gone a little further than anticipated.

Appalachian Trail - Day 135 - ME Route 27 to Little Bigelow Mountain

Day: 135

Date: Wednesday, 06 September 2023

Start:  ME Route 27 (AT Mile 2010.0)

Finish:  Little Bigelow Mountain (AT Mile 2022.3)

Daily Kilometres:  20.1 (Ascent 4862', Descent 3317')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3287.3

Weather:  Very warm and humid and partly sunny.

Accommodation:  Tent 

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Breakfast buffet

  Lunch:  Turkey, ham & salad subs 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  The 360 degree vista from the summit of Bigelow Avery Peak (4088'), named for Myron Avery who first had the idea of creating the Appalachian Trail, was spectacular and made the climb worthwhile.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We enjoyed the hostel's excellent buffet breakfast, shared with a number of other hikers amidst some good conversation, at 7:00am, so a bit of a sleep-in.  Our French Canadian friends, Matthew & Christine, were also staying there and were shuttled back to the trailhead with us after breakfast. They hike faster than us, though Christine is on anti-inflammatories for a foot injury, so soon disappeared into the forest ahead of us.  They seem to be on a similar schedule to us through to the end of the trail, so we will likely see them again.

Given that we didn't start hiking until around 8:30am, and that we had about 5000' of climbing in front of us as we tackled the Bigelow Mountain range, we didn't have high expectations of how far we would get today.  After a couple of relatively easy miles we climbed more steeply to a lookout from where we could see the beautiful Horn Pond far below, before we descended to walk along its shore and then began the serious climbing.  Up, up, up to the Horns (3831') then a long technical descent before another long climb through the gnarly moss-carpeted conifer forest until we emerged above the treeline to reach West Bigelow Peak (4145') with great views and where we took a lunch break.  We could see the peaks we had climbed in a chain behind us and the peaks we still had to climb up ahead.  Awesome and sobering at the same time.

It had been a hot sweaty climb on a very humid day but, thankfully, there was a nice breeze at the higher altitudes and that made the hiking and day much more tolerable.

After lunch, there was another long descent before we climbed to Bigelow Avery Peak and more good views (see above).  By this time it was starting to get late and we decided that we would collect some water, which was scarce along the range, as we headed towards Little Bigelow Mountain, the final peak in the range, then look for somewhere to camp.  Both finding water and finding a campsite proved difficult, but we managed both in the end, eventually nestling the tent in a tight spot on a sloping root-covered spot at about 7:00pm.

It got dark as we set up camp and ate dinner by headlamp but we were satisfied with our 12 miles and the scenery we had enjoyed throughout the day.

Appalachian Trail - Day 134 - Spaulding Mountain to ME Route 27

Day: 134

Date: Tuesday, 05 September 2023

Start:  Spaulding Mountain (AT Mile 1996.5)

Finish:  ME Route 27 (AT Mile 2010.0)

Daily Kilometres:  21.1

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3267.2

Weather:  Very warm, humid and mostly sunny.

Accommodation:  Hostel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts

  Lunch:  Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - exhausted and the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported

Highlight:  None really 

Lowlight:  We thought we had left summer behind, but there was a late burst today, set to continue for another few days, that had heat advisorys issued for our area.  Dave struggled in the heat and humidity.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

Another 5:00am alarm and we were on the trail soon after 6:00am on a mild morning.  We started with a solid climb through the forest to the summit of Spaulding Mountain (4010') and then after a drop to a saddle up onto the shoulder of Sugarloaf Mountain (where we decided not to take the steep side-trail to the summit).

We thought we had a relatively short day (approximately 14 miles) and hoped to reach a road crossing around 4:00pm where we were going to get shuttled to a hostel near Stratton where we had booked a room.  However, everything seemed harder and to take longer than expected.

From Sugarloaf there was a difficult and, at times, scary steep descent to Caribou Valley which took a lot of time and care.  Then, after crossing the Carrabassett River, the climb up to South Crocker Mountain (4050') was very steep and long and Dave started to flag badly in the heat and humidity.

We took a break at the summit then descended into a saddle before climbing to North Crocker Mountain (4228') which we reached around 1:30pm, about an hour later than hoped.  Our navigation app had a comment that the remaining 5 miles from the summit to the road was easy hiking.  It didn't have the usual steep technical descent, but it had plenty of rocks and roots, and our pace was slow, particularly as Dave was very tired.

Eventually, we reached the road shortly before 5:00pm and our shuttle picked us up 20 minutes later.  They dropped us in the village of Stratton where we bought some supplies and take-out dinner before being taken to the hostel.

Despite being later than we wanted, we still managed to have dinner, shower and do (much-needed … after a hot sweaty day) laundry before 8:30pm.

We passed the 2000 Mile mark today and now have less than 200 to go.  After the Bigelow Mountain range tomorrow (in forecast hot weather), the trail is reputed to be flatter and easier for a while.

Appalachian Trail - Day 133 - Eddy Pond to Spaulding Mountain

Day: 133

Date: Monday, 04 September 2023

Start:  Eddy Pond (AT Mile 1981.6)

Finish:  Spaulding Mountain (AT Mile 1996.5)

Daily Kilometres:  23.8

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3246.1

Weather:  Mild to warm, humid and mostly sunny.

Accommodation:  Tent 

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts 

  Lunch:  Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles and now on anti-inflammatories for his painful left knee; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Our early morning traverse of the Saddleback range was fantastic.  We were above the treeline for much of it and, apart from the occasional wispy cloud/fog that breezed through, we had superb views in all directions, including of the ski slopes to the west and the ski village below.  We felt like we had the world to ourselves.

Lowlight:  None really, apart from Dave accidentally deleting this blog post before it was posted and having to rewrite the whole thing the next night.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We set the alarm for 5:00am to maximize our daylight hiking hours as the days become shorter, and were hiking by 6:00am.  Our goal was to cover about 16 miles so that we had a shorter day on Tuesday when we planned to resupply and stay in a hostel.  However, we were conscious of the trail likely being very arduous so weren't confident we could do it.

We started with a climb up to Saddleback Mountain (see above) from where we followed a ridge, with deep saddles to Saddleback Horn and Saddleback Junior, mostly above the treeline and with great views all of the way.  The descents and ascents were hard and slow, but the scenery compensated.

After Saddleback Junior we had a long descent through the forest to Orbeton Stream.  We managed to rock-hop across Orbeton Stream without getting our feet wet before ascending steeply to Lone Mountain after which we had some nice flattish trail until we found a campsite near the Spaulding Mountain Lean-To soon after 6:00pm, having achieved our goal distance for the day.

Appalachian Trail - Day 132 - ME Route 17 to Eddy Pond

Day: 132

Date: Sunday, 03 September 2023

Start:  ME Route 17 (AT Mile 1964.9)

Finish:  Eddy Pond (AT Mile 1981.6)

Daily Kilometres:  26.7 (Ascent 3412', Descent 2969')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3222.3

Weather:  Mild and partly sunny

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Muffins 

  Lunch:  Ham, chicken & cheese subs

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Not really a highlight, but at one point in the early afternoon we had just been passed by two female section hikers who we had chatted to earlier and, as the four of us walked along in single file, we caught an overweight middle-aged guy carrying a big pack and wearing headphones, though we could not see them.  The girl in front made various attempts to alert the guy of our approach but he remained oblivious until the last second when he let out a loud shriek of terror with his arms and trekking poles flailing around ready to fend off what ever was about to attack him.  Not very amusing at the time, but we all had a good chuckle later.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

Our shuttle driver arrived at our motel on time and we were hiking by soon after 7:00am on a beautiful calm morning.

We were hoping for an easier day of hiking and this turned out to be the case, though it started with a significant climb.  From there, although we were constantly dealing with roots, rocks and bogs, the gradients were generally good, though punctuated with some short sharp climbs and descents.  Although still gnarly trail, it was easier walking than recently and it was nice to cover the ground at a better rate.

At the lower elevations some foliage was starting to show autumn colours and parts of the track were littered with the oranges and yellows of newly fallen leaves.  Our journey has taken us from the stark bare trees of late winter in Georgia through the blossoms of spring, the green leaves of summer and now into autumn.  It brings home to us how long we have been on the trail and how lucky we have been to see the seasonal changes up close and personal, even if we didn't always appreciate it.

The trail today passed a number of peaceful ponds, both big and small, and we kept our eye out for moose, but only saw some moose droppings.

Towards the end of the day we crossed a major road and then began our ascent of Saddleback Mt, which was a gradual climb at first, but became steeper and more technical as we got higher.  We never intended to reach the summit today and, instead, aimed for Eddy Pond where there were supposed to be some tent sites.  We arrived at the serenely peaceful pond around 6:00pm and found a site near the shore.  It was nice to finish at a reasonable hour and we watched the sun gradually set behind the mountain across the pond as we set up camp and cooked and ate dinner.  Magic!

Appalachian Trail - Day 131 - Day Off in Rangeley

Day: 131

Date: Saturday, 02 September 2023

Start:  ME Route 17 (AT Mile 1964.9) but staying in Rangeley.

Finish:  ME Route 17 (AT Mile 1964.9) but staying in Rangeley.

Daily Kilometres:  0

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos from her walk this afternoon.

Total Kilometres:  3195.9

Weather:  Mild and sunny

Accommodation:  Motel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Breakfast burritos

  Lunch:  Steak & cheese sub & fries/Chicken & bacon salad & fries.

  Dinner:  Nachos/Burger & fries, ice-cream & peach pie.

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - stiff neck and swelling and bruising on forehead from fall two days ago.

Highlight:  None really.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

A lazy sleep-in morning followed by some time working out a revised schedule for our remaining 2+ weeks hiking, before we walked downtown for an overpriced breakfast at a local cafe.

After that, we wandered along to the Rangeley Trail Festival which was pleasantly low-key with a few stalls, some entertainment and speakers in the morning sunshine.

We picked up some supplies there along with replacement shoes for Julie (last pair didn't last long) then walked to the town supermarket and bought our supplies for the next few days and some lunch.

In the afternoon, Julie went for a walk around the nearby lake while Dave did some admin with track and field from Zurich and college football games on TV in the background.

Our French-Canadian thru-hiker friends arrived in town late in the afternoon and checked into our motel and later we walked downtown to the pub for a very pleasant dinner with them.

Appalachian Trail - Day 130 - Bemis Mountain to ME Route 17

Day: 130

Date: Friday, 01 September 2023

Start:  Bemis Mountain (AT Mile 1960.1)

Finish:  ME Route 17 (AT Mile 1964.9)

Daily Kilometres:  8.1

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3195.9

Weather:  Cold night then mild and sunny.

Accommodation:  Motel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts/Trail mix

  Lunch:  Toasted Reuben sandwiches & fries, ice-creams.

  Dinner:  Pizza, Peach pie & ice-cream.

Aches:  Dave - still struggling with painful left knee and the usual niggles; Julie - emerging large lump and bruise on forehead and stiff neck from yesterday's fall.

Highlight:  On a perfect sunny calm morning with great visibility, we had expansive views in many directions while crossing the open rock ledges on the Bemis Mt Second Peak.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

When going to bed last night our intention had been to make an effort to put in an 18 mile day, hopefully on less mountainous terrain, to reach a road that gave easy access to Rangeley, where we have a room booked for two nights.

Our alarm woke us at 5:00am on a very cold morning and we quickly decided that Plan B would be better than Plan A.  That is, hiking 5 miles to an earlier road crossing where we could get more indirect access to Rangeley.  The "cons" were that it would cost us the best part of a day in our schedule and cost us more dollars for a shuttle.  The "pros" were that we would get comfortably to Rangeley in daylight, have a less stressful day's hiking (where would have been watching the clock all the time), and we could sleep in for another 90 minutes and wait for the sun to hit our tent.  The last argument was the clincher.

Having made the decision, it was a nice change to have a leisurely pack-up on a beautiful sunny morning amongst the pine trees.  We were camped near a shelter (lean-to, in Maine) but, apart from the South African/Swedish couple who arrived half an hour after us last night, there was no one else camped within the vicinity of the shelter or staying in the shelter.  Very unusual and, perhaps, indicative that all of the late-starting southbound thru-hikers have now passed us.  Anyway, it was a lovely spot and nice to have it to ourselves.

We started hiking around 8:00am following a mostly rock-shelved ridge northwards to the North Peak of Bemis Mt with lovely views along the way.  Occasionally there were mud bogs and small technical ascents and descents, but generally very pleasant hiking.  In the distance we could see the highway which was our goal, but first we had to descend to cross Bemis Stream far below.  The descent was slow and taxing in parts, but we made it safely then had to carefully cross the stream on a logjam upstream from the trail crossing to avoid getting our feet wet.

There was a final longish climb up to the road where we waited for our shuttle driver, who had texted to say he was late (price reduction confirmed), at a scenic lookout with dramatic views over some large lakes and back to Bemis Mountain.

We were dropped off at our motel at 1:00pm in the cute little outdoors/tourist (and upmarket …. with prices to match) town of Rangeley, which lies scenically on a peninsula between two large lakes.  

Our room wasn't ready, so we left our packs and wandered into town for a relaxed lunch and a look around capped off with a large ice-cream by the lake.  We have discovered that there is a Trail Festival in town tomorrow, so our timing is good.  It's a long weekend in the US (Labor Day), signifying, unofficially, the end of summer for many and the town is busy with tourists.

On our return to the motel we checked in and did the usual chores before returning downtown for dinner.

So far, Plan B seems to have been the right choice.

Appalachian Trail - Day 129 - Hall Mountain to Bemis Mountain

Day: 129

Date: Thursday, 31 August 2023

Start:  Hall Mountain (AT Mile 1947.3)

Finish:  Bemis Mountain (AT Mile 1960.1)

Daily Kilometres:  18.9 (Ascent 4656', Descent 4465')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3195.9

Weather:  Cool and sunny.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts 

  Lunch:  Trail mix

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - left knee sore and other niggles; Julie - head and neck injuries after she slipped going downhill and fell head first into a tree trunk driven by the weight of her pack resulting in a goose egg lump on her head, a bloody forehead and sore neck.

Highlight:  None really

Lowlight:  None really

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We got away at about 6:45am with a wet tent from rain overnight.  We were hoping to cover about 16 miles today but after the first 4.5 miles took nearly four hours we became more pessimistic.

We had two slow, steep and technical ascents and descents, the second over Moody Mt (2379'), and the ford of knee-deep Black Brook that cost time because Dave didn't want to get his boots and socks more wet than they already were, so crossed in his camp shoes.

After a breakfast break on the other side of the brook, warming up in the sun, we followed the trail steeply up to Old Blue Mt (3600'), another slow climb with some good views on the way up.  However, most of the time we were in mossy, gnarly and boggy conifer forest and there were no views from the summit.  It was on the descent from Old Blue Mt that Julie had a nasty fall (see above), though she resumed hiking almost immediately.

We took a mid-afternoon break at a lookout and reassessed our day's plan, deciding to head for some tentsites on Bemis Mt, which we reached around 6:30pm.  It was a cold evening and we set up camp, washed and ate as quickly as we could so we could get into the warmth of our tent and sleeping bags.  Autumn is coming!

Maine is wearing us both down and neither of us is really enjoying it so far.  Maybe we were too ambitious in our schedule, but it has also been historically boggy on the trail after record summer rains and this has slowed us down and made the hiking less pleasant.  From his position in the rear, Dave can hear Julie regularly cursing as she sinks ankle-deep in mud once again.  We may need to add a few days to our schedule to make life easier.

Appalachian Trail - Day 128 - Grafton Notch to Hall Mountain

Day: 128

Date: Wednesday, 30 August 2023

Start:  Grafton Notch (AT Mile 1931.0)

Finish:  Hall Mountain (AT Mile 1947.3)

Daily Kilometres:  24.8 (Ascent 5597', Descent 4459')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3177.0

Weather:  Rained most of the morning and into the early afternoon then mostly cloudy with a late shower.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Muffins 

  Lunch:  Trail mix

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - left knee sore and other niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Maybe getting back into double figures in our daily mileage.  The day was a mix of reasonable trail and some very technical trail, combined with some slippery (in the rain) rock slab ascents and descents and a total elevation gain of over 5500', so we were reasonably happy with 16+ miles.

Lowlight:  Some very heavy rain in the morning had us both soaked for most of the day.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

Kevin, the motel co-owner, was ready as promised to drive us back to the trailhead at 6:00am and we were hiking by around 6:30am on a grey, but dry, morning.

The ascent up Baldpate Mountain was more gradual than recent climbs and on better trail, which had us both feeling a little more positive.  However, the promised rain arrived around 9:30am and stayed with us for most of the morning with an occasional break.  Baldpate Mountain was largely bare rock, and a bit slippery, but despite the weather we did get some impressive views, made more so by the low cloud shrouding some of the surrounding mountains.

After Baldpate, we descended on reasonable, but very wet trail, passing the rushing Dunn Cascades en route before taking a late lunch break in a gap in the rain.  We then descended further to pass the picturesque Surplus Pond and begin our last climb for the day to the summit of Wyman Mountain where we hoped to find a tentsite.  But, alas, the only one we saw was already taken and we ended up hiking another 1.5 miles in diminishing light until we reached some tentsites near Hall Mountain Lean-to around 7:45pm, later than we would have liked.

We had pretty much set up camp by headlamp, washed and were ready to start eating dinner when it began to rain again, so we ate in the tent.  The last forecast we heard was for some dry sunny days ahead and we are looking forward to that.

Appalachian Trail - Day 127 - Mahoosuc Notch to Grafton Notch

Day: 127

Date: Tuesday, 29 August 2023

Start:  Mahoosuc Notch (AT Mile 1923.9)

Finish:  Grafton Notch (AT Mile 1934.0)

Daily Kilometres:  9.2

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3152.2

Weather:  Rain overnight then some fog clearing to mild and mostly sunny.

Accommodation:  Motel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts

  Lunch:  Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Bacon cheeseburger & fries, ice-cream & cheesecake.

Aches:  Dave - exhausted and the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Finishing the Mahoosucs, a ruggedly beautiful mountain range, but very hard work for hiking.

Lowlight:  Dave was struggling from the outset of the day's hiking with fatigue from yesterday's hike which culminated in the energy-sapping traverse of Mahoosuc Notch.  Compounding his misery, he had a fall near the end of the day which took some skin off and slightly bent the bottom of one of his new trekking poles.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

After the blog was completed last night, as we were settling down to sleep, someone approached our tent with a headlamp and asked who we were.  It turned out to be a young South African thru-hiker we have got to know (along with his Swedish girlfriend … they met on the trail) over the last week or so who was camped a quarter of a mile further up the trail at a designated tenting area and was concerned when we had not turned up there after our transition of the Mahoosuc Notch.  They had seen that we were slow and that Dave was struggling with the difficult technical trail and were worried about our welfare.  How thoughtful and kind was that!

It rained from soon after we went to bed until the early hours so we woke to a very wet tent fly sheet and sopping wet surrounding vegetation.  On the plus side, it was not raining as we packed up and we were hiking before 6:30am and straight into our first climb of the day up to Mahoosuc Arm (3765'),  It was steep long and technical and Dave was soon lagging behind, still fatigued from yesterday.

We took a break at the top, from which there were excellent views, after 2.5 hours to cover two miles and discussed our situation.  We had another big climb soon, after a steep descent, to the shoulder (4026') of Old Speck Mountain, so it seemed likely to be another low-mileage day, especially with Dave struggling.  We resolved to continue on and make a decision after Old Speck.

Before climbing Old Speck, we descended to the beautiful Speck Pond, crossing a beaver dam at its outlet.  Our timing was good because almost immediately thereafter cloud blew in and  the pond was covered in fog.

The climb up Old Speck also seemed endless and steeply technical, so no increase in hiking speed (and no views at the top).  On the way down, we decided to call a motel at Bethel, 20 miles from Grafton Notch where we would soon cross a road, to see if they had a room available.  Not only did they have a room, but they offered to pick us up from the trailhead.  Our thinking was that a short day and soft bed would help Dave recover and it also allowed us to augment our food, which we had been rationing because of the decision yesterday to take an extra day to Rangeley (and our next day off) because of our slow progress.  Also, rain, heavy at times, is forecast for overnight and tomorrow morning, so avoiding starting the day with a wet pack-up had a lot of appeal.

We reached Grafton Notch after a very long, but not so steep, relatively, descent at 2:00pm.  Unexpectedly, there was some "trail magic" treats being offered to thru-hikers by three "trail angels".  We were reluctant to eat/drink the treats because we were heading into town, but did spend a pleasant 30 minutes chatting to them in the sun until our ride to Bethel arrived.  Kevin, the motel co-owner, also offered us cold drinks, and turned out to be a great fan of Bluey, the Australian animated series, from which he retold funny stories which had stayed with him.  He was also a fan of, and knowledgeable about, Australian movies so we had a good chat on the drive to the motel.

We checked in around 3:00pm and gave our laundry to Ruthie, the other co-owner, who insisted that she would do it.  The motel is excellent value and located in the centre of the small town which is a ski resort in the winter with the Sunday River ski field nearby.

After showers, sorting out our laundry and drying our tent, Julie went to the pub for a drink with the South African/Swedish couple who were so concerned about us last night and who had come into town to resupply but are returning to the trail this evening.

Later, Julie bought some take-out hamburgers for dinner and we had an early night.  Kevin will shuttle us back to the trailhead at 6:00am tomorrow so that we get in three full days hiking to maximise our chances of getting to Rangeley in good time on Friday.

Appalachian Trail - Day 126 - Mt Success to Mahoosuc Notch

Day: 126

Date: Monday, 28 August 2023

Start:  Mt Success (AT Mile 1915.1)

Finish:  Mahoosuc Notch (AT Mile 1923.9)

Daily Kilometres:  12.6 (Ascent 2438', Descent 3442')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3143.0

Weather:  Mild and sunny all day

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts 

  Lunch:  Trail mix

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - exhausted and the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Crossing into Maine, our last state on our Appalachian Trail journey.

Lowlight:  Only 8.8 miles today, despite our best efforts.  The trail has just been too hard, twisting and turning, up and down, roots, rocks and bogs.  And it took us three hours to cover the one mile of trail through the infamous Mahoosuc Notch, where you have to navigate your way through, around, under and over massive jagged boulders that have fallen from the walls of the gorge over the eons.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We were hiking by 6:30am with some apprehension about the difficulty of the trail and particularly Mahoosuc Notch (see above).  But first, we passed the New Hampshire/Maine border which was a cause for minor celebration as we entered our last State on our long journey.

It was a beautiful day for hiking and we had some fantastic views from the open summits of the mountains we crossed, but the difficulty of the trail dominated our thoughts.  It was just very hard and quite stressful in places.  Many times we had to ascend or descend steep rocky slabs hanging onto whatever roots, branches or rocks that were available and hoping that our shoes did not slip from their toeholds.  It was an exercise in risk management and our risk appetite was low.  Neither of us, and particularly Dave, is as agile as we used to be, so great care was taken but, even then, we had our little slips and gasps.  Mahoosuc Notch was extremely taxing and exhausting.

We set out yesterday with five days of food and plans to have Friday off in Rangeley but, as the day wore on, we became increasingly skeptical that we would make it on time.  In the end, Dave called the inn where we had a booking and deferred, by a day, our booking with some difficulty because it is a long weekend.  Ultimately, the Australian charm worked and they found a room.

That took the time pressure off our hiking, but it now means we have to stretch our remaining food for an extra day, which we can do, but Dave will be hungry.

We reached Mahoosuc Notch around 3:00pm, a bit later than hoped and then it took three hours to traverse, also longer than hoped.  We found it all a bit demoralising.  We feel like we are in the home stretch with our hike and are keen to log up the miles, but terrain and trail like this never lets you walk normally and the miles pass very slowly.

At the end of the Notch traverse we found a tentsite near the trail and set up camp around 6:15pm, somewhat relieved to have the Notch and some more mountains behind us, but fearing we have more of the same ahead this week.

Appalachian Trail - Day 125 - US Route 2 to Mt Success

Day: 125

Date: Sunday, 27 August 2023

Start:  US Route 2 (AT Mile 1900.0)

Finish:  Mt Success (AT Mile 1915.1)

Daily Kilometres:  22.5 (Ascent 5951', Descent 3550')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3130.4

Weather:  Mild, humid and partly sunny with some light showers.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Motel continental breakfast 

  Lunch:  Ham & cheese subs

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - left knee sore and some other niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  When we finally reached the summit of Mt Success (3565') in the late afternoon we had great views to the east, south and west, including to Mt Washington.

Lowlight:  So many candidates.  Our booked shuttle for 6:30am never turned up and wouldn't answer their phone, so we had to hitch-hike back to the trailhead which cost us some time.  The bogs were deep and unavoidable all day with Julie going in up to her calf on several occasions and Dave managing to go into mud that came up to mid-thigh.  We had 6000' of climbing on mostly steep technical terrain with packs loaded with five days of food.  When preparing our late dinner, Dave managed to knock over the full stove water container as it was about to be heated, saturating most of the dinner items along with some of his clothes.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We turned up for the motel's continental breakfast right on 6:00am, when it opened, and were ready for our shuttle pickup at 6:30am.  The driver didn't arrive and wouldn't answer his phone.  We gave up and began hitch-hiking with little optimism given it was a quiet Sunday morning in a small town.  After about twenty minutes, a girl who had passed us returned and offered us a lift which was very kind (though her back seat was sopping wet so Dave started the day with a wet butt).

We began hiking around 7:30am with the expectation that the trail would be challenging based on various comments we had read and heard. Initially, it wasn't too bad as we climbed onto the Mahoosuc Range, but soon we were dealing with twisting eroded trail covered with slippery rocks and roots and sharp ups and downs and that's pretty much the way it stayed all day.  The forest was pretty and we did notice that some of the foliage is starting change to yellows and reds. We also passed a couple of attractive ponds and had views from rock ledges on occasion.

Dave had a couple of falls on the slippery rocks and mashed a couple of his fingers, while Julie caught a tree hard with her knee as she manouevred around a tricky section of trail.

All in all, we didn't have a great day and only managed to cover 15 miles when we had hoped to do 17 or 18.  Around 7:30pm, after crossing the summit of Mt Success, we found a possible tent site beside the trail and squeezed our tent in, not wanting to continue on in the looming darkness.