| September 18, 2005 |
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Today is a rainy Sunday. I'm hiking
south from Rt. 27 where I left off on Thursday evening to the South
and North Crocker's. The very first thing is a real steep up
and eventually level off and I'll have some rock hopping to do on
top. It's 6:50am. I should me done about 4:00pm.
It still kind of dark in the wood this morning. I think it's
because it still drizzling rain. |
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Getting into some large boulders as I came
up to the top of the hill. It's like a roller coaster up, but
at least I do get a little break. Fighting the fog on my
glasses now. Wearing a hat to try and keep the rain off my
glasses, then they get foggy. I have to stop and clean them
up. |
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I'm having to hold the battery in my
recorder now. I lost the rubber band that holds the batteries
down. I lost the back that holds the batteries down in Conn.
some where. I hope I can record rather decent until I can get
another rubber band. |
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I've had several bridge crossings this
morning, even going up the mountain. I'm surprised! I
getting into some mud puddles too. I tracking a big old moose
just ahead of me, I can see his tracks in the mud. I think the
moose cut off the trail. |
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I'm into the spruces now and that means one
thing, I'm up higher on the mountain, but the trail is kind of going
around the side right now. |
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It is now 10:00am and I've had 3 hours of
climbing straight up, I finally reached North Crocker Mountain
elevation 4,168 feet. I've come 5 miles. South Crocker
Mountain is just a mile away. Caribou Valley Road which will
be the first dirt road I cross is 3.1 miles. I haven't done to
badly this morning. |
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It wouldn't do me any good to go out and
see the vistas because I socked into the clouds. The higher I
got the closer the pines grew to the trail. They brushed
against me and I got pretty wet. My feet are soaking wet.
There are a lot of these little berry's; small flowers bearing their
winter fruit not. They are beautiful. |
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To got up this South Crocker from North
Crocker is quite bit steeper. Getting ready top go really
straight now. I'm at South Crocker Mountain 4,010 feet.
I think where I am now in these big rock out cropping is a
prettier place than when I was right at the summit of South Crocker,
and even North Crocker. I'm hiking right along the edge of big
rock piles and there is a lot of dwarf size trees and shrubs growing
on it, but the thing I like is the moss, the antler moss.
There would be tremendous views from here, but I cant' see anything.
I'm locked into the clouds. |
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All this rain, when it brushed up against
you off the pines, it really goes down the back of your neck and
runs down you arms. It's really cold! It's misty now. |
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Coming down off that South Crocker was no
picnic. It was all rocks, nothing real, real big but yet at
the same time there was some big steps off and dangerous because it
was very slick, and some were roly-poly rocks. It wasn't very
safe. I just passed the Caribou road at 12:20pm. Getting
ready to do my second 10 miles for an eighteen mile day. |
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I have to cross the river here and then I
go straight up Sugarloaf Mountain. Once I'm on top it will
level off a little bit. Well, guys it looks like I'm going to
have to go into the drink. I came up stream a good ways, but
can't find a real shallow place. It's going top be to the calf
of my leg. Wish me luck that I don't fall. |
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I made it cross OK, got my feet soaking wet
and will be going squash, squash all day long now. It won't be
the best thing on my feet, but everything is safe and I didn't get
anything wet. |
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I can't believe I'm climbing up these
rocks. One rock right after another just straight up. It
looks like I'm getting fairly close to the top of Sugarloaf.
It's all fog now. I got out to the point and looked over and
it looks like it's all slate. It's very difficult to believe
that you have this much swamp on top of this mountain. I'm
going through it now. |
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Thee trees are very dense and right upon
the trail. I'm now in an area the pine trees look like they
need V8 juice, they are all leaning in one direction. The wind
must be ferocious sometimes. A lot of little pine trees coming
up from the floor. |
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I'm standing in front of a plaque on a
mossy covered rock, that was put here by Maine CCC. I honor of
the men of the Civilian Conservation core who in 1937 - 1939
completed greatly to the completion of the AT trail in Maine. |
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I must be going straight up Spaulding
Mountain, not as rocky as the ascent for Sugarloaf, but it is
straight up and there is some full size boulders on it. Should
be fairly easy to get up! There is certainly a bunch of
beautiful white marble in this area. Love Mountain is 1.3
miles away. I've got to go over Love mountain. Then I'll
be picked up at October Stream Area. |
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Swing'n Jane |
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