AZ on the AT

Monday, September 6, 2021

Week 21, Katahdin!

8/30 Last zero at Shaws Hostel 2078

8/31 Cloud Pond Lean-to 2098, left early, passed some college groups, heavy pack, tower on Barren Mtn had an amazing view,

9/1 Sidney Tappan campsite 2116, first glimpse of katahdin, bog with carnivorous plants, 2100 mile mark, dry camped without my bug net, some boulders coming down from the chairbacks,

9/2 Antlers Campsite 2141, rainy morning and night, no view from whitecap but it was a nice climb. Afterwards I got to the flat section of the hundred mile wilderness. Took a break at a shelter to dry my feet and had a nice chat with a late SoBo.

9/3 Camped near Doughnut Stream 2168. Didn't get much sleep due to staying up a little late, and section hikers next to me getting up early. Saw some amazing lakes today, and once again a mostly cloud-covered view of Katahdin. Drizzly, but not too bad. Mostly flat along lakes and streams. Loons sang me to sleep.

9/4 The Birches 2188, this is it. Pulled into Abol bridge around 10-11 expecting to have to wait a day before getting a spot at the Birches. There was a group of 8 just ahead of me that I assumed would clean out the thru-hiker campsite's 12 spaces. As I approached the camp store marking the end to the 'hundred mile wilderness' I was just thinking about the food I was about to get. The group met me at the store and told me there was still space available because they decided that they all wanted to go together, and there were only 5 spots for them. I was excited, but knew that the spots could go at any time. I franticly rushed through a quick 1 day resupply at the store, dropped my trash, and hurried over to the check-in. I made it, and even though I had the rest of the day to get 10 more miles to camp, I continued at a fast pace. I took a break at Daicey pond to take a dip, cool down, and rinse my shirt. Amazing park, even if seeing a bunch of cars and the people that came in them was a little jarring.

9/5 Katahdin 2193.1, the end. Amazing climb up 4000 feet of gradually increasing slope. Boulder clambering for the last climb before a mile of flat alpine approach. Impossible to describe how it felt. Incredible views in all directions, and I couldn't have imagined a better way for the trail to end. I stayed at the top for a while, reflecting. The climb down was challenging, and I felt emotionally and physically drained. I had finally accomplished what I had been inspired to do as a young kid on family trips, and had started actually planning four years ago. I had put things on hold, and after two different cancellations (2019 for a broken knee, and 2020 for COVID), and needing to re-affirm my choice multiple times It had finally happened.

Thanks for following along here, NH and ME pics to come in a little bit.

Monday, August 30, 2021

Week 20

8/22 Hiker Hut 1973, easy 10 mile hike into town. Decided to zero at a hostel a quarter mile off the trail. The hostel is off the grid, and has standalone shower, kitchen, garden, and portapotty. Lighting is solar powered flashlights. No phone service, but I can get reception and a charge in town.

8/23 Hiker Hut 1973, complete zero day. I ate a pizza in Rangely, and finally got a haircut. Hostel filled up, and I took a nice nap.

8/24 Spaulding Mountain Lean-to 1991. amazing views from the horn, above treeline. Some slippery climbs but clear weather. Good crowd at the shelter.

8/25 Hostel of Maine in carrabassett valley 2005. Crocker range. 2000 miles! Italian restaurant nearby. A nice converted B+B that had a dog.

8/26 Little Bigelow Lean-to 2020, amazing views from the last climbs above treeline till Katahdin. I tried to see it in the distance, but it was too hazy in between. Got a hitch to trail after road walking for a mile.

8/27 Pierce Pond Lean-to 2038, stopped early to be on time for the ferry tomorrow. Packed shelter, as I ran into a large bubble of hikers. Flatter hiking with rooty footing. Stopped at a lake to wade/soak my feet.

8/28 Bald Mtn Brook Lean-to 2057. Amazing pancake breakfast. Canoe ferry across the Kennebec River. Shower, charge, and resupply from the Stirling Inn in Caratunk.

8/29 Shaw's Hostel in Monson 2078, fast flat day along a stream. Tenting at the hostel, and I'm going to take my last zero here tomorrow.

Sunday, August 22, 2021

Week 19

8/16 Rattle River Hostel 1895, Carter Dome, Hut breakfast on the way out in the morning. A very smooth final few miles along Rattle river to US-2. Someone left a sofa chair by the trail, where I chilled and chatted with other hikers. Waterqueen had some amazing trail magic, and took my picture for her van's poster project. The hostel had a mixed group of thru hikers and not. At resupply, the store had its card reader down so I had to put back some of my food to pay cash. Played a board game, then crashed.

8/17 camped at 1908, past the whites the trail is noticeably less maintained, 1900 miles!, half day getting out of the hostel hanging out with people zeroing. Did get to pick up more food from the gas station near the post office where I swapped sleeping bags and sent shorts home.

8/18 camped just past Mahoosuc Notch 1919, started with climbing Mt. Success and blue blazing to see a plane crash site. Took a little bit of time finding the AT again afterwards in the fog, and found someone else I knew who was also trying to get back on trail. Waist deep bogs on the ridge, NH/Maine border!, my map calls Mahoosuc notch "a deranged jumble of boulders" and it was certainly that. A mile of the most fun, technical, and challenging climbing I've seen so far. The notch took me an hour and 20, compared to 20-30 for a mile before the whites. Hoping to get going early enough to climb Mahoosuc arm before the predicted storms.

8/19 Camped past the Dunn falls 1937, I had amazing views from Mahoosuc arm and Old Speck. With the distraction of summiting I forgot to check a step with my pole and ended up sinking a leg in bog up to mid-thigh. Took a dip in Old Speck pond to wash off. Met a weekend hiker at Grafton Notch that I had met at carter notch hut. Cloudy traverse of the Baldplates, turning into rain. I set up my tent in the rain and I was warned it would rain all night. I should have called ahead to Andover, as all hostels were full by the time I did call. Shelters were full by 3pm. Hikers really are afraid of the rain.

8/20 The Cabin Hostel 1946, woke up with several slugs all over my tent and belongings. Clear day, after a night of rain. I dried things out partially at the next shelter, and then hiked on out to a trailhead. While riding to the hostel, the hostel's car got a flat so I ended up walking .2 miles to finish the trip. Amazing hostel, full of AT history.

8/21 Sabbath Day Pond Shelter 1963, 24 hours with my phone turned off from leaving the cabin to the next morning. Amazing moss along the trail. Got some trail magic from a group of guys that took a boat over to the trail from across the pond. Sitting on the beach and soaking my feet was amazing at the end of my day.

Hundred-Mile Wilderness, Here I come!

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Week 18

8/11 Liberty Springs 1823, evening hike up

8/12 Guyot shelter 1836, franconia ridge, sunset view from W. Bond mtn, amazing views from above treeline.

8/13 Mizpah hut campsite 1854, breakfast leftovers from zealand, trail magic from stitches (AT '99), leftovers from dinner, amazing weather, hut croomember bleached his hair,

8/14 Camped near 1866 (below treeline), summited Mt Washington just before an hour of rain, waited it out and then got some amazing views on the north half. Worked for breakfast at lake of the clouds hut.

8/15 camped just below Carter Notch Hut 1880, early windy climb to Madison, then down to pinkham notch, passed a car race going up Mt. Washington, shower, food, electrons, and nap at the pinkham visitor center, got leftover dinner from the hut

Cutting back to weeks ending with the weekend for consistancy. The white mountains were amazing, despite the tourists. Escaping the green tunnel was a special occasion for once or twice a day, and spending a whole day above treeline was a different level. I've started counting down miles until Katahdin, and I can feel the magnetism pulling me harder the closer I get.

Maine here I come!