Summary: 10.5 miles over the Bigelow preserve peaks – Lost left glove
06:05 Waking up alone in the shelter. Yesterday, on the way here I’ve met no one as well. There are two shelters here for overnight and one more – the oldest surviving on AT for a day use. There is a cell signal here. So, my iPhone shows +5°C, but here at 3000′ it is probably even colder.
07:37 – all things are gathered; I am ready to depart.
08:18 – 0.7 mi – 3800′ – there is a 0.2 mi side trail to Bigelow Mountain – North Horn. Here the terrain is wide open, and trees and branches are covered in ice condensation from the air overnight. Yes. It did fell below freezing here. My feet are in plastic bags to walk on remaining snow patches. The first snow I saw yesterday near the hut, but it will be more and snow drifts still melting at the end of May here.
08:50 – 3831′ – I am taking a moment rest at South Horn. From here you normally can see down at the pond and the roofs of two shelters where you just came from.
09:35 I am sitting on the ground, well almost. I am sitting on low hanging spruce branches with my back to the tree. Spring here is just starting. Deciduous trees are rare here, and they are just beginning to spring leaves. I am writing in my new gloves, but the temperature is slowly rising. It was cloudy and foggy in the morning, but the wind is dispersing the clouds and the sun is winning. The water is too cold to drink, so I am warming it up in my pants pocket.
10:47 – snow patches are everywhere.
11:23 – I pass the first peak
11:51 – Stop for a solid break. Meet the first fellow hiker – a lady. After many months in the red, finally today my long term LRCX lot sold at 622 making it the biggest deal of the year so far. Consume an orange and hide the peels.
12:27 the low point between 2 neighboring peaks is called a Col.
At 13:00 I’ve reached the Avery Peak (). I was here at the same squarer foundation of a former tower 4 years ago exactly 2019-05-27 at 13:00.
On the way back, I see 4 deviations to various viewpoints. The trail is going down bypassing enormous boulders that can be used as a shelter. There is never any water underneath these rocks, and the landscape looks like a mini desert.
15:00 I’ve reached the bottom of the saddle where Stafford Brook trail joins AT and Stafford Notch campsite resides. No signal here. All layers are removed now – only shirt and pants. Plastic bags are all torn at this point and are off as well. Applying bug spray assiduously. 5 miles complete today and there are 5 more miles to go.
At first the trail goes very smoothly up until it reaches the
17:00 I am at Little Bigelow hill at about 3000′. 2.4 mi remains mostly down. There is about 2-fingers worth of water remaining, but it should be fine. I am on top of the Bigelow range, so it is sloping down on both sides. There is no strong desire for food.
18:14 where is the glove? How many times I can lose it. About an hour ago I think I placed gloves in my pants pockets and now only one is there. I am not going back up the slope. I am too exhausted. I will continue as camp is close within reach.
The weather appears to be clear, nice and it is warming up.
19:09 I am at Little Bigelow shelter. Total day hike is 9.5H or 10.5mi. For yesterday and today and did over 15 miles of hiking.
20:40 Two more hikers have arrived after me from down East Flagstaff Rd., and they are staying in a tent on a platform. All three of us gather sticks and wood and now tend a fire in firepit. There is no signal here.
21:49 The fire is burning out. I am drinking filtered water and tea.
22:00 last entry in the notebook.
Navigate through the List
- 00 AT 2023-05 Preparation for the trip (2023/05/24)
- 01 AT 2023-05-25 TH - hitchhike for 5H to start the hike (2023/05/25)
- 02 AT 2023-05-26 FR - jumping over 4K Bigelow peaks (2023/05/26)
- 03 AT 2023-05-27 SA - gloves and camera miracles (2023/05/27)
- 04 AT 2023-05-28 SU - hike, swim, enjoy solitude (2023/05/28)
- 05 AT 2023-05-29 MO - conquer last unfinished section in Maine (2023/05/29)
- 06 AT 2023-05 Summary (2023/05/30)
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