August 9, 2022 Back to the Trail!

After 11 months dreaming about completing the AT, we have arrived back in Maine and are ready to renew the Journey!We have driven to Bingham, Maine, which is a very sparsely populated part of  central Maine, staying in what I am calling the Guns and Ammo Motel, due to the sign outside the little strip motel built in the 1950s. We are near where we got in Caratunk, last year and will drive back up to the trailhead tomorrow. So far we have driven 1300 miles to get back to this spot. But have hiked 2042 miles to get here! Only 152 to go!

August 10   Miles 2042- 2054

A great start to the finish! Up early and back to Caratunk! Didn't know what to expect in today's 12 miles reentry to the AT. Always hard coming back when section hiking. It takes about 2 weeks to get your mountain legs back, and in 2 weeks we should be finished! Thru hikers long the way said section hiking is harder than thru hiking. It may be true. But sectioning is easier on my 71 year old self!

Cool humid morning, 62 degrees not too bad to start. My sweety accompanied us about 1.5 miles in. Great trail to start, doing 2 MPH, the fastest in a while. The opposite of my return last year on this very day on MT Washington.  Hiked in a fast time up Mt. Pleasant Pond, a 2500 foot mountain. Had a quick lunch, 7 miles done and just 5 to go. At lunch ran into a kind of creepy older guy coming south. Glad he was going south and not north. He said lots of odd things and didn't really listen to our comments about where he was headed. Always told to follow your gut when encountering other hikers. Strange guy.

As always happens out here, the AT gods don't want you to have an easy day-so a slow slog down and up and down and up for 5 miles. Lots of rock and boulders to climb over and down-a baby White Mountain experience. Met an older couple coming south and they said the hike up was very difficult.

I think they are thru hikers. What's ahead for them is far worse than this. I feel for them. Finally at the bottom and the road and my sweety is there it greet us. Very tired at the end of the day. But happy to be back and excited! Hopefully my body will refresh by morning. Another mountain and our heavy packs tomorrow. Got to use day packs today. So much easier!!

August 11-12 Miles 2054-2078

Our two days hiking trip with full packs to get us to Monson, and the beginning of the 100 mile wilderness. Up one big mountain, 2600 foot Moxie Bald Mtn, but then down hill all the way to Monson. So much better than the way ups and downs of the last 400 miles. Hoping for clear hiking ahead like this. Had my very first ford of the entire AT hike on August 12. . The east branch of the Piscataquis River.  All along the way there has either been a foot bridge of some sort built or we could step on stones to cross every creek, stream or river. As well as a Canoe! But all of a sudden the AT wants a water experience-so off with the boots and on with the crocs. I had read about this earlier, so luckily was prepared. Kinda fun.

Did "cowboy" or stealth camping that night by a water source. Hadn't done that since way back years before. In the mid Atlantic states they don't allow it , and up in New England its typically too rocky and vertical to camp. Fun just throwing up the tent where ever we want, as long as you have water!

A nice flat out walking experience the second day out to my sweety at Monson! Part one of this concluding hike accomplished. A zero day ahead and then the 100 Mile Wilderness begins!

August 14  Mile 2078-2089

Began the 100 mile wilderness with my sweety walking for 3 miles with us. A ten mile day with a plan to hike that much each day to be done with this section by by August 23. 3 miles in, is a shelter across a difficult creek crossing with steepness and lots of rocks-Leeman Brook Lean-To. When arriving a day hiker looked down at the creek, where we were getting water and asked-"that water is safe to drink, right? We are up in the mountains." I said "NO, never drink untreated water out here." and we never have.

An actual hard hiking day. In fact every day out here has been hard-lots of PUDS-Pointless ups and downs!. Then my left blister heel nagged me all day. Didn't realize how bad it was til we had to ford another stream at the end of the day. and could see the blister band aid was gone and it was red underneath. Not good! I can't have another injury out here to keep me from finishing. So I put on a new Compeed blister patch with Neosporin and will hope for no infection.  I don't care if it hurts for the next 104 miles til we finish! But no infection. Then we get to the shelter and  open my food bag and what is this-My Mayonaise packet has exploded! What a mess and no real way to clean things up out here!

Cisco made a yummy dinner and then to bed in the Wilson Valley Lean to. When we got close to the lean to we hiked over some railroad tracks and I thought little of it. But during the night while trying to sleep and freight train came along and I thought it was going to come right through the shelter!

And snoring too! Long night!

August 15 Mile 2089-2098

Another hard hiking day. But I knew the first four days of the wilderness would be the typically hard stuff. Hiked up Barren Mountain, a 2600 foot mountain, with New Hampshire style ups, lots of bouldering and straight up verticals. Hope to be through with that soon. Worried about my heel blister,

but I took out my boot pad and it lowered my foot, so it barely rubbed. Should be ok. Along the way today, someone had put down in sticks-"100" 100 miles to go til the end! Loved seeing that! Made it to Cloud Pond Lean to. A very pretty spot, on top of Barren  Mountain. But almost a half mile off the trail, up and down over difficult terrain. We really dislike it when shelters are this far off, but a very pretty spot by a pond. 

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August 16 Mile 2098-2109

Had four mountains to climb today. The main one Chairback. Another day I thought would never end. I made the mistake I do so often out here. I looked at the map and said, "oh today looks decent-a ridge walk." Ha, up and down and the downs turn into ups. So exhausted climbing over short mountain tops in the Chairback range. The profile of Chairback even looks like a chair. After 2100 miles, all us hikers, thru and section, say we've had enough and want this to be over. I was ready at the end of today. Not savoring this part. Just plain tough every single day. Maybe its my age? Anyway, at the top of Chairback some great views-green and blue as far as the eye can see. Sort of makes it all worthwhile.

Learned a new tern today-a MYTH hiker-Multi Year Thru Hiker. That's us. I like it! 13 summers since we started. Thought the 100 mile wilderness was inaccessible for 100 miles, but at mile 30 here is a major logging road-the Katahdin Iron Works road with the Gulf Hagas area nearby, a very scenic part of Maine we are told with lots of tourists. The trail ends today at a stream we will have to ford tomorrow.

We had planned to to tent camp on the other side tonight. But checking the weather, we see a major rain storm is coming in tomorrow and getting worse all day. With tomorrow being a day we need to climb a big mountain-3600 foot White Cap-the last big climb before Katahdin, it would be a miserable day hiking day in big rain. So we opted to return to Monson and wait out the storm and come back Thursday. Doesn't see to mess up the schedule and let's me tend to my blisters and repack our gear for the next 70 miles. Got another blister on my right heel this time. Can't believe I'm still getting blisters after nearly 70 miles of hiking. We did see the crashed airplane today by the trail. Very interesting. Happened about 40 years ago, and no one was hurt.

August 17-Zero Day

August 18 Mile 2109-2122

We got up early and drove the hour back to the stream. The heavy rain raised the stream quite a bit, so fording it was a  bit of a challenge. Got across and hiked off for the day. The rain was supposed to end in the morning, but it persisted all day and the trails were flooded all day. My boots and socks were soaked all the way, with no way to dry out. We climbed 4100 vertical feet today-4 mountain tops, and with lots of clouds, no views. So White Cap was a bust for viewing-but that happens out here. And it was another little Mt Washington-lots of rocks. Roots and Rocks-that's been Maine.

We finally get to our shelter-Logan Brook and it is very full due to the wet weather and the camping areas are all muddy. So the other hikers let us squeeze in for the night. There are several young thru hikers-and as they always do, they boast to each other how fast they are and how many miles they do a day. One said he does 35 miles a day, I don't see how that can be sustained. If so he should have finished 2 months ago! A past thru hiker was there redoing the 100 mile wilderness. One of the younger thru hikers asked her-"Does it get easy from this point on to the finish." Which I thought was an odd question from someone who has done over 2100 miles-You would certainly gotten pretty tough by this point. Anyway her answer was classic-" It doesn't get easy, but it gets easier. Nothing is easy on the AT."

Very true words. So we get down to dinner, a wet day and we say it's time to eat. But Cisco can't find his spoon. Its the only utensil he and I have. So, in true AT fashion, we share my spoon. Good dinner and to bed. And its still raining. 

August 19 Mile 2122-2134 

In studying the maps going back to last year, I noted with anticipation, that once I got to Mile 2122 and Logan Brook Lean to, I was home free, that is it would basically be down hill from here and no more crazy high ups and downs. A few ups, but the worst would be behind us. About 60 miles of pleasant hiking "walk in the woods" terrain until Katahdin. Not exactly that easy, but a nice hiking day ahead.

I also decided we would pick up the pace and finish in 4 days and not 5, getting to Abol Bridge and Baxter Park on Monday. This would require 4 -15 mile days-alot with a pack, but with easier terrain, doable for me. So off we go and day one is good. Maybe a total of 1000 feet of elevation, just one 400 hill, not mountain, as Cisco keeps reminding me, and downhill and flat there after. Still rocks and roots, but I am ok with this.  

So after about 12 miles or so, we make it to Cooper Brook Falls Lean to-a most beautiful spot by a wide stream, and probably the prettiest stream we have ever camped near. We set up tents by the stream and enjoyed the afternoon. Ate dinner and early to bed. Lots of other hikers here. Many Sobos, who I felt very sorry-I keep thinking about where they have to go, and I don't want to go back. But in perspective, I am 71 and they are like 25, so for them it's pretty not a big deal. Lots of fordings on this section.

Never forded a river until this trip. Now probably half a dozen. And one very scary. A person could drown out here!

August 20 Mile 2134-2149

We make it to the generic State Campsite by Pemadumcook Lake by late afternoon and do our primitive tent camping near the lake. Hiked by lots of pretty lakes today, and very little elevation gain. No one else nearby by and beautiful weather. During the night I get out of the tent to observe the night sky, as this is a dark sky official area. Beautiful starlight. 

August 21 Mile 2149-2164

A very long hiking day. Expected it to be easier-Ha! Fell twice.  Hiked along  Nahmakanta Lake. So far ok. But then came Nesuntabunt Mtn. On the map only 750 feet up, but on a warm day, it kicked my "bunt". So tired! 

It was straight up! A bunch of other thru hikers got to the top as we were eating lunch there, and they said how tough it was too. Made me feel better, but I was really drained. At the end of the day, we hiked up Rainbow Stream-It was the most beautiful stream I have seen on this entire 2164 mile hike! Rocks and roots and roots and rocks, again! Early in the day my boots finally dried out from 3 days ago. But, fording a  stream, stepping on old logs and branches, my right foot boot went splash into the water. Soaking wet again. We didn't arrive at the Rainbow Spring Lean to until 6:00 pm. What a long day. Exhausted, tenting again tonight. But this will be our very last night of tent camping. How strange.

After nearly 200 days on the trail, this is our last night of all our rituals-Tea on arrival, Cisco getting water, me treating it, Cisco going through our food bags and fixing dinner, eating on a log or a rock,

cleaning up our dishes. Eating a Snickers bar, brushing our teeth and then to bed by 7:30. With all the rocks and roots, its been a great time together. But 15 miles tomorrow and the dreaded 100 mile wilderness is finished. Hard to believe we are at this point after so many years and miles.

August 22 Mile 2164-2179

Up at 5:30 and excited for the day to come. Not a bad of of hiking, the same roots and rocks, but only about a total of 1000 feet of elevation all day and we come to the end of the Wilderness at the Golden Road and Abol Bridge, a destination I have dreamed of for 12 years. And we are here! But its just a dusty rural road. No fanfare, no real feeling that you are anywhere special. Just another dusty road. And the bridge, just another bridge, indistinguishable from any other road bridge. I guess I was expecting some grand design to welcome us here. Oh well. My sweety is there to meet us and we walk the road down to near the Baxter Park entrance for our conclusion in a few days. But first a zero day in Millinocket, a steak dinner, a pizza dinner and two packless days to finish! So excited!

August 23 Zero Day in Millinocket

August 24 Mile 2179-2189

So close! Back to the trail from Millinocket, and a quick flat walk to the Baxter Park entrance. Meet the ranger there and check in. Then an uneventful 10 mile flat hike through the park to the Katahdin Stream campground area where we will start the summit to Katahdin the next day. Hiked along the beautiful Nesowadnehunk Stream for about 5 miles, then through woods and by ponds in the park. Very nice.

Rain lightly began to fall when we reached the end of the short day hike. We were at the bottom of the mountain, but couldn't see it. The parking lot was pretty small. Luckily everything had fallen into place for the conclusion of our hike. We had to have a place or parking reservation to summit. Couldn't get a parking reservation, but was able to secure a cabin on Kidney Pond for 2 nights, about 15 minutes from this parking lot. With my Sweety and our car, it was easy way to get there. Met a ranger who had to give us our special hiking permits to summit the next day. Signed up with the rain falling and off to our cabin for the afternoon and night. Good weather expected for the next day. So glad!  

August 25 Mile 2189-2194 The End

Nervous as usual Not knowing what to expect, but have read about all the bouldering we will need to do. 4000 foot elevation climb and a total of 5.2 miles to the top. Then  5.2 miles down, but via another trail. The AT ends at the end of the Hunt Trail. Either have to go up or down Hunt to be official. Rather go up it, don't like descending through boulders.

The first 2 miles or so is delightful. Gentle up, by waterfalls and Katahdin Stream. Then a half mile or so climbing stone steps. Not so bad. Watched some videos of folks summiting and it didn't look any worse than the Whites in NH. But then it hits you! The Boulder field begins where the treeline ends. Up to this point it reminded me of much of the Whites-straight up hiking over lots of rocks. Not terrible.

Now it begins. We reach a point where the boulder field is like nothing I have yet experienced. So glad I just have a light day pack. Have to pull myself over boulders and sharp rocks. Don't want to look down or to my side, as it is straight down into the side of this very steep 5000 foot mountain. Tallest in Maine. Got to a chin up bar and had to pull myself over. Very tough. Then lots of very steep and very sharp rocks and boulders to climb over for a mile or so. Cisco told me later that he had read in our cabin journal that an older couple attempted this hike earlier in the month and gave up at this point, as it was just too hard. Glad I didn't wait any longer to try!

After climbing and climbing, seeing false summit after false summit as so often happens out here. A couple coming down says to me, "You are almost there!" And so I was. A little more effort and we have made it to the Gateway and the Tableland! Flatness! Eons ago a glacier sliced off the top of the mountain creating a rock strewn flat landscape for a mile or so-treeless, so you could see Baxter Peak our long sought objective. On we walked, very excited now as were so close. Went by Thoreau Springs,

where Thoreau had made it back around 1842 and drank for the water here. Cisco got us water from the Spring as well. Not sure how he made it so far without blazes. I sure needed them or I would have been a goner. Read later that 60 people have died on this mountain in the last 90 years, two as recently as 2020.

Glad I didn't know that too! Anyway just about a mile or so to go. Up through a rocky trail now, and we could see lots of people on the peak. The weather was still great. Cloudy but comfortable. As long as no rain I was happy. Up and up a bit. Came across some teenagers and one had twisted her ankle very badly, and it was swelling while a companion was wrapping it with a bandage. We asked if we could help, but they said they were ok and gave our condolences and moved on.

Then we were there! The peak! The end! The stuff that hikers' dreams are made of. We hugged the famous Katahdin sign. And it was finished.

When we left the cabin that morning, Cisco forgot his phone, my sweety forgot her phone. I didn't carry my Iphone out here, but had my burner phone. We had no other camera. Cisco carried the burner phone as we went up the mountain. Climbing over the boulders  the screen somehow hit the rocks and the screen was damaged to the point that the phone was useless. What would we do? We would need to ask someone to take our picture at the famous sign-All hikers have it somewhere in their possessions.

    

And as always, you can't make the distance out here without the help of strangers. We asked two hikers to take our picture, exchanged email addresses and hoped they would remember to send when they got a signal. They did and we appreciated their help so much.

We then ate our lunch by the rocks near the sign. It took us right at 5 hours to summit-6:40 AM to 11:40 AM. So happy with our speed and success. After a celebratory lunch and much happy discussion we headed down. Taking the advice of the AT person in Monson, we decided to take the Saddle Trail and the Chimney Pond Trail down to meet my Sweety at Roaring Brook Campground. I could not go down that boulder field and didn't need to. The AT was concluded. Wow! But what a tough way down- rock slide for two miles. It took as long to get down as to get up and I was exhausted. I thought it would never end. Again, rocks and roots. Steep downs. Mud pits. But, I was so happy the trail was done!

What a grand adventure!!! Many thanks to all that made it possible-Known and unknown

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