Roger Carpenter – Greg In Wild
Living with a sense of adventure
The entire day was beautiful, a complete reversal from the previous day. A clear blue sky, wispy clouds and 75 degrees was the perfect day to follow the AT over three mountains. I knew this would be challenging, but the day given to me deserved my full enthusiasm. The first summit was Bald Mountain, 4.1 miles and 1400 feet above my streamside camp.
It is sometimes a little sad to leave a good place in a trail town to resume hiking. That was certainly true this morning because a light rain was falling and breakfast at Shaws in Monson was so, so good. But once on the trail I realized several positive things to look forward to. First, I had two working trekking poles for the first time since Day 2. Second, the AT leaving Monson was absent of steep climbs and boulders to climb over.
On a day I rested in Monson, Maine the experience of hiking through a beautiful, mountainous forest dotted with lakes, ponds and streams sunk in deeply. One reason I hike is to check in with the natural world and see the good things growing and living apart from the developed world. I also watch for warning signs that human activity is creating problems for the natural world. It is true the “100 Mile Wilderness” is not a federally protected wilderness where humans are only brief visitors who leave no structures on the land. Instead, this vast area in Maine was logged heavily a century ago, and not many of the old growth pine trees remain. But efforts by the state of Maine, the Nature Conservancy and private land owners have been very successful at keeping the area looking very pristine and attractive for people who live and visit a state where the license plates on cars declare it is a “vacation land.” The few gravel roads I encountered had little or no traffic.
For several days the weather was unseasonably warm and very humid…no, steamy! But I felt fortunate to not suffer the extreme heat event back home in the Pacific Northwest.
Continue reading “Days 5 to 10, June 27 to July 2: Finishing the 100 Mile Wilderness, Maine”
The day was easy going through a gentle forest. I enjoyed seeing woodpeckers up trees and Trillium on the found. It looked like home!
Left lovely camp at 630am. Climbed about 600 feet to Nesuntabunt Mtn 1520. The rest of the morning was hiking along Nahmakanta Lake. Here, the trail made agonizing steep climbs and equally steep descents from and to the shore. The lake has no homes or developments along the shore of the four mile long lake.
The AT this far north is showing signs of its real self. The rocks on the trail are bigger and more numerous. Same with the roots. After an early start at 6:30am, feeling fresh, I ascended to Rainbow Mtn. at 1550′ where I caught some nice views while eating some of Cindy’s nutritious granola. I have hiked 33.6 miles since starting the journey.
Been there, done that when it comes to attempted thru-hikes. In 1995 I started but terminated a PCT hike, and victoriously returned to the same trail in 1996. I worked hard for 20 years until a layoff from my employer became a gifted opportunity to thru-hike the Continental Divide Trail in 2016. With 5,500 miles of thru-hiking experience I did not understand the nervousness I felt when I carefully stepped off the Amtrak Lake Shore Limited at Boston South Station on June 20. The train was one hour late at 9:00pm, and the lack of daylight on the deserted downtown Boston streets unfamiliar to me did nothing to sooth my nerves. In just three days I will begin the 2,193 mile southbound hike of the AT, another unfamiliar route.
Continue reading “Anticipation”My backpack for the Appalachian Trail will contain essential items and a few more that will ensure I get sufficient rest, minimal hassles, eat great tasting food, keep the bears from eating my great tasting food, and take great photos.
For my last two hikes before starting the AT on June 23 I wanted steeper, higher and farther than my previous outings. The Mt Defiance trail climbs about five miles from the Columbia River to the summit at 4954′. The wonderful view of Mt. Hood is not altered by the constant, low level hum of the communication tower equipment. No worries…I was there for the conditioning and not a wilderness experience.
