Day 51: Route 27 (Maine) to Little Bigelow Lean-To. 15.3 miles
Got dropped off on Route 27 at 6am and carried feelings of blah until I was most of the way up the Horn’s South Peak. Then I realized I was almost at the top of this particular mountain and my mood brightened. The climb hadn’t felt so bad after all, even though it was a lot of steep rock stairs and the usual NH/Maine jumble of boulders.
Met a NOBO named Carson and hiked the rest of the day with him. We had fun and interesting conversations, and the day went by quickly. Got up and over the Bigelows’ various summits and enjoyed every peak. Loved the above treeline 360 views and the exposed rock/ledge walking. Gorgeous. Low temps and overcast skies kept me cool too. Great day!
I got to Little Bigelow Lean-To and decided to spend the night here instead of pushing on another 2.6 to the next legal camping area. Carson is going to go farther today since he started past Route 27 and hasn’t done as many miles yet.
There is no one here but me at this shelter/campingf area! That’s strange since it is a really nice shelter right off the trail. Hopefully others will arrive within the next hour or two. Kind of weird to have the place to myself.
Tomorrow looks like an easy day. 17 or so miles with maybe 1750 of elevation gain. Today had over 5000 feet of elevation gain.
I am now finished with all the big mountains in Maine except for Katahdin. I think I am finished with all mountains over 4000 feet until I flip south and am in TN/VA.
Feels good to be done with the hard stuff. Looking forward to easier trail, and I can’t believe I’ll be in Monson in four-ish days!
Day 52, Little Bigelow Lean-To to Pierce Pond Lean-To. 17.7 miles.
Bigelow Lean-To was a gorgeous area to camp.
Lovely tall pines, nice lay-out of tenting spaces, clean shelter (not that I use those), super-clean privy. Also an area with swimming holes, though I did not try them out.
Easy peasy hiking day! The terrain was NOT a bouldery mess, elevation gain was less than 1750 feet, and there were lots of lovely pond walks and forest ambles. Have not had anything feel this easy since…ever..? Such a difference from the constant steep and difficult climbs/descents of the Whites and everything else in Maine thus far. I have heard there are a few minor climbs left in Maine (except of course for Katahdin), but that they are not difficult comparatively speaking, and that the latter half of the 100 Mile Wilderness is a cakewalk (again, compared to what I am now used to).
Did the almost 18 miles at a relaxed pace and still got to Pierce Pond by 3pm. A truly lovely day. Cool weather. Exactly one bug, and it only followed me for a tenth of a mile. Shaded paths. I very much enjoyed everything.
Saw Carson again. Also met Silver Bullet (NOBO) and saw Boulder. They are all here tonight at Pierce Pond. Met a LASHer named Turbo…he went ahead and said he is going to ford the Kennebec River. That’s not recommended by the ATC. The official route is actually a canoe ferry service. You have to arrive in the morning and wait your turn to be ferried across via canoe. The ferry service ends at 2pm today, and Turbo will arrive at the river around 5. Hope he decides to camp on the shore and wait until tomorrow for the ferry. There is a dam upstream that can release and make the current faster and the water rise higher in a short amount of time. Hikers have died trying to swim across, hence the official route now being the canoe ferry service. I believe there is a white blaze painted on the canoe.
The river is 3.7 miles away, and I should arrive tomorrow morning just before the ferry service starts at 9am. Once across, I need to resupply in the town of Caratunk. Decided to do a nearo and spend the night at the Sterling Inn and buy my resupply at their store. Only need two days worth of food since I’ll be about 36 miles from Monson where I will take another zero. Yeah, I know, there have been a lot of town stops lately…but right after Monson comes the 100 Mile Wilderness followed immediately by Katahdin, so there will be no more chances to take it easy after Monson until I finish Maine.
This campsite tonight by the pond is gorgeous! I feel like tonight and last night have had the best camping scenery thus far. I am right by a beautiful huge lake called Pierce Pond (quite a large “pond!”) yet my tent is still within the trees so hopefully there won’t be any condensation tomorrow morning. I am getting good at pitching my tent in tight spaces. This spot is barely large enough, but I made it work. Had a nice time talking with the other hikers while eating my dinner (honey roasted peanuts with some dark chocolate).
Carson just came back from a nearby lodge that serves pancakes in the morning (I am going to skip that). They gave him free food and drinks, seems like they are having a party over there. Now Carson and Silver Bullet are standing outside my tent and we are all talking. It’s a nice vibe. Oh yeah, saw Mark Trail briefly this morning as he was being dropped off to SOBO slackpack the Bigelows.
Since last year…and actually, truth be told, for much longer than that….I have been used to being on my own in this world. Now I am used to seeing friendly and familiar faces all the time, and I am finding I really like it. Hope I have the same experience with SOBOs after I flip. I will miss the NOBOs I’ve met after I leave Maine.
Heard Grandolf got off trail and went home. 😞 I wonder if Vancouver is still on trail and if I will see her again. I wonder if I will see Martian again, or if he is now too far ahead of me. I also wonder if I will see Shadow, Mosey, or Neon again.
Will sign off now so I can continue talking with Carson and Silver Bullet. I think Boulder is asleep in his tent already.
Day 53, Pierce Pond Lean-To to US Route 201 (Caratunk, Maine). 4 miles.
Did not sleep well last night. Every muscle in my legs and feet woke me every hour to complain. My upper back felt tight no matter how much I stretched it. I want CBD. I now have Tylenol Extra Strength nighttime, but that does not cut it. Not even close. CBD reduces inflammation bigtime, plus it has bone-strengthening qualities. Everyone around me has weed and offers me some, and I appreciate their kindness, but that is THC and not CBD. THC actually has bone weakening qualities – the latest scientific research shows an increase in fractures over time in people who use a lot of THC. CBD has bone protection/healing properties. I am not looking for a high – and I have nothing against those who are – I am looking for inflammation reduction, bone healing qualities, and deep rest.
I had been hopeful Stratton would have CBD, but the dispensary – if you can call it that – felt more like an underground back room than an actual dispensary. It had almost nothing and absolutely no CBD. Well, they had one bottle of hemp-based gummies, but when I checked the bottle I found the expiration date was in two days (after the sales clerk had falsely told me gummies don’t expire). No thanks.
I doubt Monson will have CBD possibilities either, so I am going to have to suck it up until I get back to New York.
Anyway, back to actual hiking – today I had a lovely 4-mile walk on easy trail by streams and waterfalls. Got to the Kennebec River crossing an hour before the canoe ferry and hung out with Carson, Boulder, Turbo (who did not swim the river yesterday after all thank goodness but instead camped by the crossing), and a section hiker named Will. Did the canoe ferry, which was fun, then walked a few tenths of a mile where a local gave me a ride to the Sterling Inn.
This is a wonderful place to stay! Comfy, tons of rooms, nice people. They have a little store, so I got two days of resupply that should last me to Monson. Carson, Boulder, Silver Bullet, and Will are staying here too. Everyone decided to nearo here before the two-day push to Monson.
A kind woman named AT Gracie drove up to the Inn and gave us all trail magic in the parking lot. Thanks, AT Gracie!
Two 18-ish mile days coming up, one with about 4000 feet of total elevation gain and the other with around 1000 feet, then I will be in Monson.
Day 54, US Route 201 to Bald Mtn Pond Lean-To. 18.8 miles
Had a lovely stay at Sterling Inn! Great place. If I wasn’t about to take a zero in Monson then I would stay there another day, it was so cozy.
Had two decent-sized climbs today, Pleasant Mountain/Middle Mountain and Moxie Bald Mountain. Over 4000 feet of elevation gain total. The individual climbs weren’t too crazy. Steep, yes, but with rock steps and just a few boulder scrambles. The descents were tame too, especially compared with southern Maine. Lots of ledges up top with blueberries, and lots of views that would have been great if not for the smoky haze of the Canadian wildfires. It was a lovely day hiking, and I enjoyed myself. My blues seem to have truly disappeared. When I meet my physical/nutritional needs, my mind heals too.
A nice guy named Mike handed out apples and oranges at one of the road crossings. Thanks, Mike! Fresh fruit is hard to come by on trail, and thruhikers always appreciate it.
This tenting area is gorgeous! Right by the pond with lovely views of the water and of a little island. Also, when I go to get water from the pond, over a dozen little frog faces stare at me from just above the water. Their little bodies are on the pond bottom while their faces stick out to stare at the giant human. So cute! I make sure to get my water far away from them so as to disturb them as little as possible.
Tomorrow will be a fairly easy 17.9 miles into Monson where I will stay at the famous Shaw’s Hiker Hostel. After Shaw’s it’s into the 100 Mile Wilderness I go, then Katahdin! Guess it’s time to figure out how to get back to Pawling!
It’s a fun group here at the Bald Mtn Pond Lean-To. Silver Bullet, whom I hiked with for the last four miles and leapfrogged all during the earlier parts of the day, a guy named Chicken Legs, a 16-year-old section hiker named Kid, Turbo, and Mark Trail. There is a lot of banter and ribbing among everyone right now. And again, I hope I experience this kind of camaraderie while heading SOBO. I have been so alone for so long in my general travels – and I have never minded as I enjoy my own company and rarely if ever feel lonely – but now I am used to this, and I hope I experience it again on the next leg of this hike.
I will be in Monson tomorrow! Hard to believe in less than two weeks I will likely be heading south from Pawling!
My body is feeling much better btw. The terrain is now easier, and the recent zeroes and nearo helped a lot in terms of muscle recovery.
Day 55. Bald Mountain Pond Lean-To to Route 15 (Monson, Shaw’s Hiker Hostel). 17.9 miles
Up and out by 6am today. Said goodbye to all the little frogs as they stared at me while I refilled my water bottle.
The trail was “flat” as far as the AT goes, which means it had lots of little ups and downs with less than 1500 feet of elevation gain throughout the day. Still lots of rocks and roots, but that is par for the course in New England.
Crossed a lot of water that usually requires hikers to wade knee-to-waist deep, but Maine hasn’t seen much rain lately so my shoes barely got wet. Lots of other usually reliable water sources were dry. I will need to make sure I fill up at every decent crossing I see in the 100 Mile Wilderness just in case many of the listed (FarOut) sources lack water.
It was hot and humid today with almost no breeze. That was my only challenge. That and a few persistent mosquitoes. Am finding that my legs now think a 500-foot ascent in half a mile is nothing at all, and a 1000-foot ascent in a mile isn’t that big a deal. Guess that is what happens when you do over 4000 or 5000 feet of elevation gain over straight-up boulders day after day after day after day after day after day after day.
Got to Route 15 and called Shaw’s to come pick me up. Am here now. The place is a main stop for all thruhikers, both NOBO and SOBO, since it sits on the edge of the 100 Mile Wilderness. Here is where you want to make sure you have absolutely everything you need for 7-10 days, because there are no towns or services between here and Katahdin. I will arrange a food drop with Shaw’s for 60 miles in so I don’t have to carry more than four days of food at a time.
Looking forward to my last NOBO zero tomorrow. Will publish photos of Shaw’s in my next post.
Day 56. Zero day at Shaw’s Hiker Hostel in Monson, Maine
Shaw’s!! This place is more than a hostel. It feels like a hiker home. Multiple sleep options including private rooms, a bunk room, yurts, and tenting on the lawn. Multiple showers and laundry. A well-stocked gear shop. A resupply store. An honor fridge with snacks. An amazing breakfast each morning that is perfect for hiker needs (three eggs over easy, hash browns, three strips of bacon, unlimited blueberry pancakes with butter/syrup, unlimited coffee, and orange juice). Multiple indoor and outdoor spaces to hang out. Books, VHS tapes. A fire pit. A general store and an ice cream shop half a block away.
Shaw’s has been around since 1977, and Poet and Hippie Chick have owned it for over ten years. They run it like clockwork while still giving off a relaxed and peaceful vibe. I cannot imagine a more comfortable or hospitable hiker hostel. Wish there was a Shaw’s every hundred miles. Then again, if there was, it would take me three years to finish the trail as this place is a serious “vortex” (positive hiker slang for a place that sucks you in so you find it hard to leave).
Mark Trail told me at breakfast that he and Chicken Legs are slackpacking the first three days of the 100 Mile Wilderness. I then found out that a different group of three – Silver Bullet, Finn, and Finn’s (adult) son Hot Dog – need a fourth for their backpacking van. The expense is by car, not by person, so the cost is minimal if you share a vehicle. I immediately signed on. My 100MW will now be a lot less stressful, as almost half of it will be with a light day pack and I will be coming back to a shower and a bed for the first three nights. This does mean, however, that we are now ineligible to stay at Baxter State Park’s The Birches. The Birches is a shelter for long-distance hikers located by Katahdin Stream Campground, five miles below Katahdin’s summit. To be eligible, one must hike straight through the 100 Mile Wilderness from Monson without leaving the trail corridor. So now we will have to summit Katahdin from the campgrounds by Abol Bridge. The ascent of Katahdin will be 14.5 miles instead of 5.3. In addition, I’ll need to pay for three more nights at Shaw’s as well as the slackpacking fee.
For me, the pros outweigh the cons. There is a drought here in Maine, plus we are experiencing an extended heatwave, and the excessive heat day after day and the dehydration (in spite of my best efforts) takes a bad toll on my body. Carrying minimal weight over the first three days of the 100MW and being able to come back to a ton of real food/liquids, a cool place to sleep, and a shower for the first three nights (45 miles) will allow my body to better handle hiking in the extreme heat with a full pack for the remaining 55 miles of the 100MW followed by the ascent of Katahdin.
After I got those logistics settled, I spent my zero day sewing holes in my dress and my pack, buying resupply, eating sandwiches and drinking milkshakes, catching up on social media, and hanging out with pretty much everyone. Carson, Finn, Hot Dog, Silver Bullet, Chicken Legs, Boulder, plus a ton of other NOBOs I am just now meeting. And…Garbage Barbie! GB hiked the AT with my friend’s young adult kids and they all summited Katahdin today. She came back here to hang out with other hikers before going home. Was nice to finally meet her.
This place is chill party central tonight. Totally full, with people in every bed and bunk, plus lots sleeping in tents on the lawn. The owners made burgers for everyone. So nice to hang out talking with folks. Getting to bed later than I normally do. Have to pry myself away from the scene so I can get enough sleep before tomorrow’s slackpack.
Day 57, Long Pond Stream to Route 17 (100 Mile Wilderness, SOBO just for today). 14.3 miles
Fantastic day slackpacking. After a hearty breakfast, Silver Bullet, Hot Dog, Finn, and I were driven to a private parking area close to Long Pond Stream and hiked a couple tenths of a mile to the AT. Took a left and walked SOBO back to Route 17, where Shaw’s picked us each up as we arrived.
Silver Bullet and I leapfrogged each other throughout the day while Hot Dog went ahead and Finn hiked a ways behind us.
I felt like I was flying. So much easier to hike when your backpack weighs 5 pounds instead of 25!
Beautiful warm day. Lots of water crossings, but none posed a problem, and I only had to take off my shoes once. Lots of ups and downs, but nothing too prolonged or difficult. Maybe 2500 total feet of elevation gain..? Some open ledges and pretty views of ponds and meadows. Crossed paths with Boulder, Kid, and Carson, all of whom are continuing NOBO and not slackpacking. Will likely see them again tomorrow or the next day.
So happy to be doing the 100 MW this way. For the first three days we’ll slackpack over the small mountains. For the last three days, we’ll continue NOBO over relatively flat terrain with full packs. Then one long day summiting Katahdin.
Oh yeah, met No Worries again. Saw him at some point as he was heading NOBO. He has since reached Katahdin and is now yoyo-ing, which means he turned around and will now hike all the way back to Georgia. He’ll probably catch up with me somewhere in the South.
Got back to Shaw’s in time to shower and get a milkshake. I could get used to this!
Day 58. Long Pond Stream to Katahdin Ironworks Road (100MW) 15.8 miles (plus a tenth or two for AT access path).
Another easy slackpacking day. We were dropped off at the same location as yesterday, but this time we headed north instead of south and were picked up at Katahdin Ironworks Road as a group instead of individually.
A little more elevation gain than yesterday, and not as much water for drinking. We were warned about the water situation by Mark Trail who hiked that section yesterday. Just one place to fill up, about halfway through the day. I therefore carried two liters of water from the get-go instead of my usual one.
Mountains (little ones!) included Barren (with a tower), Chairback Third Mountain, Columbus, and Chairback. The group split up with Finn and his son hiking perhaps half a mile behind Silver Bullet and me. The ups didn’t feel too bad, and there were ledges with blueberries throughout the day. Had an enjoyable time speaking with Silver Bullet. He and I stuck together for most of the day. The four of us then met on a predetermined peak that had cell service to make the call to Shaw’s to come pick us up at the road at a certain time.
The AT went right by the wreckage of a plane crash today. I asked about that at Shaw’s and was told a father-son crashed there in 1984 but survived, and that the duo hiked to that spot every year afterward until the father eventually passed away.
I love coming back to Shaw’s each night and seeing hikers. Some of them I have seen many times before, while I am just now meeting certain others. I am starting to feel truly at home among the thruhiking crowd. Out here, none of the inauthentic bs of life matters. No one cares how much money anyone has or what their job titles are/were. All that matters is if you are a decent human being. That’s it. As it should be.
Shaw’s itself is a beloved institution, and for good reason. It has everything a hiker could want, and the whole place has a very chill yet orderly atmosphere. I treasure my time here and will miss it when I leave.
Day 59, West Branch Ponds Road to Katahdin Ironworks Road, (100MW). 15.2 miles
Last day of slackpacking! Finn, Hot Dog, Silver Bullet and I were dropped off close to West Branch Pond Road and walked a couple tenths of a mile to the AT, then headed south to Katahdin Ironworks Road. Mark Trail and Chicken Legs were dropped off at the same place, but now they head north for good (and our group of four will do the same tomorrow). Now it really was time to say goodbye to Mark Trail. I’ll miss him. I’ve very much enjoyed his company ever since I first met him in Massachusetts. I have a feeling I will see him again at some point in my life, somewhere. Fingers crossed.
Silver Bullet and I went ahead and climbed White Cap together, then went ahead over the smaller peaks to the shaded West Peak where we waited for Finn and Hot Dog. Lots of rock steps on this range! Passed Wilson and Boulder, said hello. Once our group had reconvened on West, we called Shaw’s and scheduled our pick-up. From there, it was a relatively easy (for the AT) 8.5 mile hike mostly downward back to Katahdin Ironworks Road. I went ahead of the three since I was worried I would be too slow to make it in time for the pick-up, but I ended up staying ahead of everyone and arrived at the road twenty minutes early.
The trail went through Gulf Hagas and the Hermitage, two NNLs I visited last year. I am glad I visited those on a separate trip since I did not have the time to explore them today.
Reached the road to meet the van, and there was a hiker on the ground. He’d been throwing up all day and had been lying there for three hours. We brought him back to Shaw’s with us. Can’t leave him lying on a logging road in the middle of the 100 Mile Wilderness (it turned out he had food poisoning from an old sandwich he’d been carrying for too long).
Have to pack up everything tonight since our group of four leaves Shaw’s tomorrow morning at 6.
The rest of the 100MW will be “AT flat,” meaning a bunch of little ups and downs, rocks and roots, plus maybe a small mountain at times. Heat is in the forecast, but hopefully not all of the running water sources will be dry.
Day 60, West Branch Ponds Road to Maher Landing (100 Mile Wilderness). 23.8 miles
Left Shaw’s this morning. Hard to go. The place feels like home.
Finn, Hot Dog, Silver Bullet, and I were dropped off at West Branch Pond Road, and this time we headed north with full (heavy!!) backpacks. We’re on the trail now until Katahdin.
Just a couple of minor ups today. Most of the trail was “AT flat” which means slightly hilly with mostly dirt but still rocks and roots. Easiest AT trail I’ve been on it quite some time, maybe ever. Silver Bullet and I went ahead doing about 2.5 miles an hour. The only issue was heat and humidity. Almost no breezes. Thankfully, almost no bugs either though.
Lots of ponds, lakes, and pretty woods today. Also passed a pond with an excellent view of Katahdin. So close!
About five miles from our intended campsite. Silver Bullet fell and wrenched his calf. He insisted I go ahead while he slowly made his way. FarOut notes state there is cell service at that campsite. There was also cell service where SB fell. In addition, there were a couple of logging roads along the way. In other words, we could get SB out and back to Monson if needed, we could just call Shaw’s.
I got to our campsite 40 minutes before SB did. Two women were there, both heading SOBO, and one with a car at one of the logging roads. I spoke with them before SB arrived, and they agreed they could take SB to Monson tomorrow if needed.
SB is unsure whether he will continue tomorrow. So close to the NOBO finishing line!! If he feels he cannot continue then he will take the women up on their ride-to-Monson offer or call Shaw’s for help. He said I should go ahead. These woods are full of hikers, there is no rain in the forecast for days, he has a Garmin inReach, he has tons of food with him and of course all his camping gear, and of course there are the logging roads and cell service and the women offering a ride right where we are camping.
I tried to convince him to call Shaw’s that night or tell the women he would definitely go with them tomorrow, but he insists on waiting and seeing how things are in the morning before he makes any decisions.
This campsite is by beautiful Pemadumcook Lake. Almost swam in the lake, but then didn’t. I did give myself a good sponge bath though.
I was the first one here, but now the place is full of section hikers and one late-starting SOBO. Everyone is friendly, and we are spread out enough to not feel crowded.
