I’m giving you a short synopsis of the last 4 days because I didn’t keep daily logs and I don’t have very good service where I am in Monson. We hiked 2 days in the wilderness and popped out at the end of the second day at Abol Bridge where there is a great view of Katahdin. The clouds were hanging low, so we couldn’t see the summit. Joyce picked us up in my rental car and we went to Millinocket for the
night. The next day we went back to Abol Bridge and hiked the last 10 miles to Baxter State Park to the foot of the mountain. Wandering’s family had come in and followed Joyce to come pick us up. The trail was crazy smooth and easy so we were done by 10:30 am which was good for me because I needed to get more miles in. I said goodbye to everyone and headed to Monson to get another 6 miles in before the end of the day. It had rained on us for the last 10 miles and it poured the rest of the day. There was a ford close to the end of my 6 miles that was tough, but I made it.

Today was a crazy day. I was going to slackpack SOBO 15 miles from another wilderness road back to Monson. I had 0.8 miles to hike on a side trail from where I was dropped off to get to the AT. It was extremely muddy. I was about 0.2 miles in when I started hearing the river rushing. I knew I had 3 fords today, but I also knew there were ropes across to help. I hiked about a half mile to the river where I had to cross. I was nervous the whole time I was following the river because it was raging from all the rain. I thought surely it was going to widen and be flowing slower where I would have to cross—Nope. It was still raging. I studied it. I went up river. I went down river. I studied how I could caribener my pack and poles to the rope between my hands. I determined I should face the current. I looked for other people—none to be found. I thought about taking my shoes off and I opted to keep them on for better traction on rocks. I eased down putting one foot in the water. By the way, anyone who has hiked with me knows I love water crossings. This one, though, scared me. I put my pack and poles on the rope and double fisted the rope and took a sideways step and found a rock under the water and got steady and reached my left foot feeling for another rock, found it and steadied myself again. The next step never found a rock and I went down to my thigh but I still had hold of the rope so I pulled back over to the shoreline. I tried hanging on the rope and pulling myself backwards, but that didn’t work because the rope had too much sag and the water was too high and my butt touched the water. I tried one more time inching my feet to rocks and when I got about 3 steps in again the current swept them right out from under me. I didn’t hold a match to that current. It doesn’t look bad in the video, but it was powerful. I gave up on trying to get across. The problem now is that my ride is gone and I don’t have a tent or sleeping bag or extra clothes because I have a slackpack. I do always carry an emergency blanket and my headlamp and my water filter so I had that and enough food I could get by for 2 days. I decided I would turn around and hike to the shelter northbound and wait it out and see if the water level would drop by afternoon, but that meant I would have to night hike and I had 2 more fords beyond this one. I had to hike up the bank of the river because I had hiked down to it. As I was going up, I thought I’d turn my phone on for kicks to check for service. What do you know, I had 1 bar. If I moved my hand it would go to No Service. I tried to call the shuttler but the call wouldn’t go through. I thought maybe a text would so I tried to text and while typing, I received a text from Joyce telling me the guys had left for Katahdin this morning at 5 am and ask where I was hiking today. What timing!!!! I texted her back asking if she could call the shuttler for me. She did. I didn’t move until I heard back from her that they would be there where they dropped me off. I headed back up the trail and back up the side trail to where I started. Just as I walked up, Charley pulled up. We headed down the dirt logging road and about 2 miles down there were 4 young hikers walking who had also tried but were unable to get across. I had never seen them. They must have been about an hour ahead of me. I hate being defeated by that river, but at least I live another day.

So today my plans got changed but at least it was early enough (I left at 6 am and was back by 9:30 am) I could still get miles in on another section without major fords. I did a 7.7 mile section close to Monson. Glad to get the miles in, but now I have more to make up and piece together.

I’ve now crossed the 2000 mile mark.  I have 168 miles to go.

Congrats to my buddies Wandering, Still Thinking, Poego and Pilgrim for a safe summit of Big K today.

Here are various pictures. They’re not in any particular order.  I’ll try to do better with journaling.

Beaver eating leaves

Warning sign entering 100 mile wilderness from Abol Bridge.

View of Katahdin from Abol Bridge

First day back. About to head out.

My first view of Katahdin from the trail.

Entering Baxter State Park where I’ll return to climb Katahdin.

The trail the last 10 miles. Easy, peasy.

Our gang. Left to right: Poego, Still Thinking, Wandering, Pilgrim, Joyce and me—saying goodbye.

My nice campsite

Watching the sun set from inside my tent. Slept without the fly. Hot night.

The lake behind Lakeshore House Hostel

Rainbow Stream Lean-To