Day 120 to 131 of Reed's AT Adventure

This update brings me from the southern end of the AT in Maine to Monson, ME, the last trail town before the Hundred-Mile Wilderness and the end of my journey, Mt. Katahdin. The highlight of this part of my trip, besides seeing some of my state's fabulous mountains, were my companions along the trail, both planned and unplanned. My folks joined me for an overnight hike over the Bigelow Mountain Range, an especially challenging bit of the trail. Then, my Uncle Steve surprised me by unexpectedly showing up on the trail at the Kennebec River. As I hope the pictures and following accounts will show, such companionship has made the near-end of my trip all the more enjoyable.

On August 22, Mom and Dad met me at Grafton Notch, near Bethel, ME, for the afternoon. We had lunch and dinner together, and they brought supplies to last me until I met them again the following weekend near Stratton. After posing for this picture near the trailhead, they sent me on my way. Later that evening, at Baldpate Shelter, I saw my first moose, a huge bull with antlers that were nearly 6-feet wide. It was too dark to get any pictures, but he roamed around the shelter area, eating the small vegetation, apparently uninterested in the group of hikers (all of whom were VERY interested in him). Over the next few days I saw a total of five moose, but was unable to get any pictures.(8/22/99 6:22PM)

The climb up Baldpate Mountain and Little Baldpate was strenuous, but (at least it appears here) the descent was just one huge step down. Actually, the mountain doesn't drop down the way it looks in this photo, but it was a steep descent. (8/23/99 8:24AM)

Another gourmet meal! For half of the trip I went without a stove, eating only non-cook foods on the trail. From Hanover, NH, northward, however, I experimented with burning denatured alcohol as a light-weight alternative to a traditional stove. I used a small tin can, filled with alcohol to heat water. Each night I gathered 3 stones on which to set the pot. The bags on the right of the picture contain the usual ingredients for a filling meal: corn pasta, dehydrated veggies, and dehydrated sauce. (8/23/99 3:38PM)

I liked the signs that the Maine Appalachian Trail Club posts on the door of each privy. The MATC, which maintains the trail throughout the state, has done a very impressive job. Much of the trail is through very boggy, wet, rocky, or delicate areas, and it is obvious that maintainers are constantly at work to keep the trail in as fine condition as possible. (8/23/99 4:39PM)

My first few days in Maine consisted of a lot of steep climbs up over tough little mountains. The MATC has installed all kinds of rock steps, steel ladders, and wooden ladders to make the especially difficult parts passable. Here, I climb up a notched-log on my ascent of Old Blue Mountain, north of Andover, ME. (8/24/99 9:28AM)

Much of Maine is fairly flat, but passage would be extremely muddy and messy if not for miles of bog bridges that the MATC has built to speed up our travel. I walked these particular bridges between Old Blue Mountain and Bemis Mtn. (8/24/99 10:23AM)

One of many excellent views I've had. This one is from the Second Peak of Bemis Mtn. (8/24/99 2:00PM)

A particularly bold rabbit was in residence at the Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to. He munched away on some sunflower seeds a few feet away while I settled myself in the Lean-to on Aug. 24. He hopped around the campsite all evening. (8/24/99 5:06PM)

A mammoth AT sign at the Route 4 road crossing, near Rangeley, ME. (8/25/99 10:47AM)

The infamous "Your Move" privy at the Piazza Rock Lean-to south of Saddleback Mountain. Note the cribbage board located between the two seats in the privy. Surprisingly, I couldn't seem to find anyone who wanted to play a game with me. (8/25/99 11:48AM)

The southern (and highest) summit of Saddleback Mountain. I ate lunch on the summit on August 25 and enjoyed one of the finest views I've had in Maine, since the top is well above tree-line. (8/25/99 2:27PM)

A view of the southern summit of Saddleback (far left) and some of the ski trails (far right) of Saddleback Ski Area. The trail over Saddleback remains the largest and most contentious section of trail that is still privately owned. From what I've gathered, for about 15 years, the ATC and Saddleback Ski Area have been trying to determine how to settle an argument over how the land near the top of the mountain should be used and who should control it. Basically, the ATC would like to buy as much land as possible and prevent further development, while SSA would like the option to expand the skiable terrain to the top of the mountain. It's a complicated issue, but after hiking over the summit of Sugarloaf Mtn., I have to admit that I'd prefer to keep Saddleback just the way it is: undeveloped at the peak. (8/25/99 2:40PM)

A picture of Saddleback in the afternoon haze from The Horn, a slightly smaller peak to the north. (8/25/99 3:18PM)

I took a side trail .6 mile to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain on August 26. Since Sugarloaf is the second highest mountain in Maine, I couldn't pass up the easy opportunity to climb it. On the summit, I met up with a group of Bowdoin College students on a pre-orientation trip. Amazingly, one of the leaders of the trip was a former art student of my mother's, who knew I was on the trail. Thus, I had to get this photo of a fellow Winthrop-ian, Wade Kavanaugh (second from left) and his crew of Bowdoin classmates. (8/26/99 1:13PM)

This photo, near my campsite where I tarped on August 26, shows the basin of Crocker Cirque. According to my guidebook, this is one of the finest glacial cirques (a natural amphitheater-shaped hollow) in all of Maine. Well, if they say so... (8/27/99 6:49AM)

On August 27 one of the great adventures of my thru-hike began: I was joined for 2 days by Mom and Dad, trail name: The Pit Crew. Outfitted with my own excess gear and equipment borrowed from my middle school guidance counselor, Mr. Jones, they met me at Route 27, near Stratton Maine. Here, their enthusiasm shines through as 3/4 of our family (too bad Katie wasn't there!) head out for our first-ever backpacking trip.(8/2799 12:01PM)

We stopped for lunch at Cranberry Stream Campsite and did our best impression of the "see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil monkeys." This, apparently, is the great cultural contribution my parents have made to the Appalachian Trail. (8/27/99 1:33PM)

The Pit Crew takes a break half-way up the southern approach to Bigelow. In the background are the Crocker Mtns, which I had climbed the day before. (8/27/99 4:34PM)

We stopped on an overlook with Bigelow Mountain, our conquest the following day, looming in the background. (8/27/99 5:02PM)

The Land of the Blue Tarps lives again! When Katie and I were children our family took several vacations to Mt. Blue State Park, where we car-camped. Our campsite, and that of our constant companions, the Sissions, became known as The Land of the Blue Tarps, since we hung tarps everywhere to keep everything dry. On the night of August 27, The Pit Crew and I camped at Horns Pond Lean-to, on a tent platform. Mom and Dad slept in my tent while I slept beside them under my blue tarp. Here, Mom and Dad feast on mac 'n cheese. (8/27/99 7:31PM)

The Pit Crew prepare for day two on the morning of August 28. (8/28/99 6:23AM)

We had a steep and misty ascent of the South Horn (3,831 ft). As we climbed over each peak, the day got clearer and clearer, giving us better and better views. (8/28/99 7:44AM)

Above tree-line, The Pit Crew wave as they hike the final few hundred yards to the summit of the West Peak of Bigelow Mountain (4,145 ft). We hiked 12 miles on this day, over four significant peaks. Although Mom kept saying that she didn't know what she was getting into and Dad insisted that Katie and I had taken out an additional life insurance policy on them, we all had a grand time. (8/28/99 9:49AM)

The mist partially obscures Bigelow's Avery Peak, our next climb, as we decent into the col (that's a geological term I learned from Mr. Miller) from West Peak. (8/28/99 10:00AM)

A successful climb! We take a break at the summit of Avery Peak (4,088 ft). The mist behind us quickly blew out and we had some fantastic views of Flagstaff Lake to the northwest. (8/28/99 11:24AM)

We ate lunch on August 28 on Old Man's Head, a rock outcropping on the descent from Avery Peak. From here I caught my first glimpse of Mt. Katahdin, far away on the horizon. (8/28/99 12:51PM)

As I prepared to snap a picture on the summit of Little Bigelow, a large dragonfly landed on dad's shirt. A truly unique and remarkable wilderness event! (8/28/99 5:01PM)

Since The Pit Crew had been supporting me all summer (I COULD NOT have done this trip without them), I thought it appropriate that they support me at the summit of Little Bigelow. Mom was a bit worried that I might fall off the mountain on this hand-stand attempt, but, as always, they were there to make sure I made it through the experience safely. (8/28/99 5:04PM)

Our journey together ended at the base of Little Bigelow Mountain, where we were met by David Maxwell, a long-time friend of the family. David and his mother, my 8th grade Language Arts teacher, have a cabin on West Carry Pond, where we spent the night of August 28. They treated us like royalty, making us a delicious dinner and breakfast and welcoming us into their camp for a much-needed night's sleep. Here, we pose with Mrs. Maxwell and David on West Carry Pond. Mt. Bigelow is visible in the background. Alas, Mom and Dad had to head back to civilization and I headed back into the woods for the stretch-run to Katahdin. (8/29/99 12:35PM)

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On the Long Falls Dam Road, a bold "2,000 MI" marker indicates that the northbound hiker has covered the lion's share of the trail. Although the actual 2,000 mile point is slightly north of this point, it's official enough for me. (8/29/99 2:52PM)

The Kennebec River is the widest, unbridged river crossed by the AT. Because of the danger of fording the river, the ATC, MATC, and Park Service offer a free Ferry service across the Kennebec. Here, Steve Longley, the ferryman, brings a southbound hiker across before carrying me the other way. (8/30/99 10:58AM)

HOLY ANCHOVY! As I crossed the Kennebec, a familiar -- and highly unexpected -- figure came into view. My Uncle Steve, a longtime outdoorsman, was standing there, pack on, to greet me and hike with me for 8 days. Without alerting me, he figured out where I would be on the trail and jumped on, surprising me with much-welcomed companionship. On the morning of August 31, Steve (trail name: Anchovy) and Sly Fox, a northbound thru-hiker, climbed up Pleasant Pond Mountain ahead of me. (8/31/99 8:17AM)

Anchovy and I enjoy a morning snack atop Pleasant Pond Mountain on August 31. Anchovy was given his trail name several years ago by some thru-hikers who noticed his habit of using anchovy paste to spice up his bagels. (8/31/99 8:52AM)

Anchovy and I were treated to some unusual and impressive rock formations as we climbed up Moxie Bald Mountain. Although the day was beautiful and clear, this looks like it would be a great spot to wait out a rainstorm. (8/31/99 3:18PM)

We had a full shelter on August 31 as we stayed at the Moxie Bald Lean-to. Here, Only Tony and Anchovy eat breakfast as Sly Fox packs up his gear in the shelter. I met Only Tony back in Virginia and always enjoyed his register entries because he frequently writes about the geological formations we see along the trail. He got off the trail at the Delaware Water Gap to do a bike trip out west and got back on the trail in Maine to hike south to DWG. This process of jumping up to the northern end of the trail and hiking south as the weather gets cooler is called "flip-flopping." (9/1/99 6:29AM)

I spent the night of Sept. 1 in Monson, ME, the last trail town before Katahdin. Although it has nothing to do with my hike, I couldn't resist taking a picture of a real estate building that was for sale by another real estate agent. Strange stuff, indeed. (9/2/99 9:41AM)