Eating the Maine course a bite at a time

Scott
Jun 22, 2018
5 min read

This next chapters in our journey involve several 3 day scrambles down Maine as we work our way toward New Hampshire and the White Mountains. We made stops at Caratunk, Stratton and Rangely Maine along the way. The hiking gets harder so it was helpful to have these town nights to rest and recharge.

Day 10 - Leaving Monson. Poet, who runs Shaw's Hiker Hostile, dropped us off at the trail and shared both wisdom and Haiku to send us on our way. Rained heavy last night and today is another wet one. We put in 18.4 miles to get to Moxie Bald. How quickly the recharge in Monson was consumed :(.

Erik (Trail name Nix) with Poet as we hit the trail again after Monson. Shaw's was awesome, best hiker hostile on the AT.

A new flower every day

The famous White Blaze that marks the AT

This is why you don't drive the AT

Day 11 - Today was only 12 miles but it was a climbing day as we crested both Moxie Bald and Pleasant Pond Mountain. The good news is we are a short 6 miles from Caratunk.

We took a quick side trip to North Moxie Bald Mtn

Climbing two mountains today was not enough for Erik so we added a third (dangerous hiking with an 18 year old:))

Worth the hike as the sun was shining and we got a last look at Katahdin.

New flower of the day

Topping Moxie Bald

Saying good bye to Katahdin

Erik finds some shade

Saw this flower out first day, today found 100 of them ;)

If I look tired, you are seeing this picture clearly - this climb was tough.

How the AT looks in my dreams and memories

How the AT looks most days in Maine

Panorama from Pleasant Pond Mountain. (these panoramas may look similar, but we can see the peak we started on behind us and the peak we are heading to on the other side. We can connect these panoramas peak to peak as a cool way to track our progress.)

Day 12 - short 6 mile hike to Caratunk and then another short hike to the Inn since the shuttle didn't respond :(. Still nice to get a shower, meal and good nights rest. Hard to believe we are already more than half way through Maine. Erik and I watched a Lord of the Rings movie for inspiration (third one for those wondering). Tomorrow we are back on trail heading to Stratton.

Bulbous tree growth near our campsite

New Flower of the day

Some formed an AT Logo out of wood chips on this log

Cool flowers on the way to the Inn

Bonus flowers today

The Inn where we stayed was founded in 1816 and was a cool place to recover

This cool bath tub may date back to 1816 as well as the Inn

The Sterling Inn in Caratunk Maine

Day 13 - We crossed the Kennebec River via a canoe ferry to start our 14 mile day. Weather was great all day but rain surprised us at night and we had to scramble for our rain flys.

Maggie is the ferry pilots new dog

That's not a canoe, it's the Kennebec River Ferry

Erik helps get us across river

New flower du jour

Bridges are getting sturdier

Pierce Pond Stream Falls

And cascades

We actually hiked across the dam that forms this lake

If you look back there you'll see the beaver den

So glad MATC has bridges over the swamps ;) (big swamps in Maine)

Another AT sign, this time with a chain saw

We took a nice lunch break on this sandy beach

A little history, Benedict Arnold led an army through here - probably what caused him to turn traitor;)

Birds turned this tree into a giant flute

Day 14 - Big day as we hiked 15 miles and climbed the Bigelow Mountains Rained much.of the day and stormed as we hit the peak. Sorry no panoramas this time as it was all fogged in. We camped near the peak as the storm continued. A cold, wet and long night. Makes the sunny days more enjoyable.

View from Little Bigelow as we ascend (see storm coming)

Atop Mount Bigelow. Wind is blowing 60-80 MPH and was COLD at the top

Old Fire Wardens hut near Bigelow Peak. Fog reduced visibility to 50 feet.

Day 15 - a quick 8 miles down the Bigelows and into Stratton Maine. Although the miles were short, the long down hill sections are the hardest (they beat your joints up).

The Bigelows are twin peaks. After that cold night camping we hiked the second peak. Weather was still wet, windy and foggy.

As we descend the weather improves and the clouds blow across the vista

Erik taking a late breakfast in the day use shelter

2000 miles left :) Means almost 200 already done

So many new flowers at the trail head in Stratton (3-4 new ones)

These little guys grew at the mountain peak (above treeline)

A panorama as the storm passed and the sun came out. Those twin peaks are the Bigelows.

Even in town we find new flowers ;)

Day 16 - today we climb out of Stratton and make our way toward Rangely. We will climb 5 4K summits over the next 3 days. Today we tackle 13.5 miles and the first 2 4Ks, the Crocker Mountains.

Erik hanging with the hiking bears at the Stratton Motel

You can see Sugarloaf Ski Resort across this valley. We will hike there this afternoon

Getting water from a cold mountain stream is so refreshing and a frequent opportunity in Maine

Looking back at several of the 4Ks we hiked this week including the twin towers (the Bigelows)

Today we hiked our 200th mile. Giddy Up!

Dandelions are not that special but are a new flower ;) (and they are mountain size)

We added to our 4K list with the Crockers and Spaulding

Is that the look of success (or pain)?

Day 17 - today we hiked just 10 miles though there was plenty of climb, though just one 4K peak (Spaulding Mountain). We tented in Redington Stream campground (cold and windy).

This water fall was awesome and we found it down a side trail (some of lifes best experiences are off the main path)

We are starting to enter Alpine zones at the top of these mountains. Takes plants a 100 years to grow to maturity.

Our new flower today is fragile but lovely

Day 18 - today we headed into Rangely after climbing the last two 4Ks (the Horn and the Saddleback). The trail between these two is an all Alpine Zone and above tree line. Some of the most beautiful views and trail we have travelled yet. After breakfast on the peak, we decended to the Hiker Hut, a rustic hostile near the trail (outdoor shower, no power or water, but a warm bed ;)). Internet in Rangely is so bad we cannot upload pictures :(. Will add those to next update. Some great pictures of Saddleback so be sure to look back after our Gorham NH update in about a week.