| September 19, 2005 |
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Coming off the road at Rt. 17 It was a very
steep decent. I had to be very careful it was just mud
and roots and from the rains it was still very slick. Still
going down hill, but it's not as bad as it was. This is the
first pack I've had a full weight on my back for a couple of days
after slack packing. I feel like I've go a tank on my back.
That make it harder to get down in those slick areas because the
weight has a tendency to push you forward especially when you bend
over. |
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I've come across some dry river bed
streams, but the next one I come across I will have to forge.
This area is mostly deciduous trees the leaves have changed
more in color within the last two days. You can hear this
river from here. Just about ready to cross it. Camera
secured. Waist belt off. Wrist strap unfastened. |
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I was able to get across safely. I
walked across one big downed tree that was about half way across the
stream. Rock hopped down the stream to a log pile, then came
across the log pile and jumped to the bank and come right back out
on the trail. |
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Going up hill over some mossy covered
stones, getting into some of the bigger boulders now. Some of
these boulders I've has to up close and personal to in order to get
up over them. I'm glad I'm hiking up it and not down it.
It's still very damp. I slipped on one of the moss covered
stones and came down on my leg, but didn't hurt any. It'll be
bruised for a day or two. Looking at these closely I can see
clear quarts in these rocks. I still have a ways to go to the
top! This is a straight up rock where I had crevices to put my
feet in and try to find the rougher areas and used the limbs of the
trees to hold on to help to pull myself up and grabbing a hold of
the edge of the rocks. I've got another one more to go up, I
can tell that, but I don't know how much further it will be.
These are defiantly straight up and there's not of a corridor here.
By the time I get through this AT I'll be able to climb up Mt.
Everest. |
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Hand over hand and crawling I made it over
the big rocks. I still have a few more to go, but I
don't think they're as solid. I'm glad I didn't have to go
down over those or I would have had to scoot down and would've had
to buy a another pair shorts. I just saw a smiley face drawn
in the mud. |
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I must have come off Little Bemis and I'm
into the pine trees now and they're right up against the trial.
After a rain or during a rain you can really spell the spruce.
Reminds me of Christmas at home. |
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I'm going through one of these really dark
and dank pine tree forests. It's got all the moss covered
boulders spread out all over the place. Reminds me of the
enchanted forest, along the spooky side. They had a lot rain
here yesterday. It's running down the trail and everything you
touch is just sopping wet. It's a little overcast now, I don't
know what happened to the sun. I hope we don't get any rain. |
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I'm on top of these big mountains on these big
flat rocks and it's just like hiking on cement. The trees are
getting a little bit more scrubbier and some dead ones here and
there. I'm not quite at the top yet. Dark clouds are
still hanging over. I had to put my raincoat on, but the rain
just went right over. The sun is trying to peek out again.
I can back to State Rt. 17 from here. A couple of cares
passing each other. They must be looking at the views, they
stopped. I can see back into Rangeley and one of the big lakes
there. I can also see another lake, must be part of the
Rangeley Lakes |
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This granite just sparkles with this
crystal quarts in it. The big flat rocks up here are just
beautiful. I could hike jus a quarter of a mile up here on
these flat rocks. I think I'm close to the top. Wind is
picking up! I'm at the second peak of Bemis Mountain 3,923
feet. Bemis Lean-to is 1.3 miles. I'm going to sit down
here and take in the view and eat a candy bar before moving on.
I'm really above tree line. Since noon and it is now 3:30pm, I
have covered 4.4 miles. South Arm Road is 8.6 miles from here.
I'm going to stop into Bemis Lean-to, get water and move on.
If I have to camp on top of the mountain I will. |
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Leaving Bemis Shelter at 4:15pm and I
probably hike for a couple of hours and maybe find a good camp spot.
I must be getting very close to the start of the Bemis Mountain.
Starting to ascent and I'm getting into some large boulders.
I've had several big boulders to climb and then it leveled off.
The must be precursors fro what is to come on the next Bemis
Mountain. This is the big boy! The pines are really
close to the trail now. A lot of leaves have fallen in this
area. Mostly birches. This is interesting, I'm headed
down through big boulders, on the trail in the middle of a stream.
It is just running right down the trail. I'm going to climb
big time now, straight up. The higher I go, the wind is
picking up and it's getting pretty cool. This mountain has
just roller coastered. Your up and your down.
That was a big straight up boulder I had to come up over. Has
to use the roots in the trees to get my self up over it was so
slick. I can look out and see that big old lake now, the
mountain range with big puffy clouds on top of them. Looks
hazy though. Getting a different view of the mountain on the
east side of the mountain. It's still rolly through there.
I can barely see the last range. |
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This pine forest is so dense that you can't
even see underneath the trees any distance at all. Just rocks
and moss and liken and dead trees. I guess I shouldn't bad
mouth these dead trees, they have pulled me up over rocks many
times. Really rooty and rocky through here because of all the
pines. I've got a beautiful view of this mountain from the top
of this ridge that I'm on now. I can see the sharp contrast
between the pointed pines and the spruces and the different color of
the trees up the mountain. It sure is high, but beautiful. |
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Now I can see the mountain that I came of
off. It is completely rock. Came off it crossed the
knots and I'm on this one. It's been dense pine with the usual
mosses, very damp, a lot of down stuff, the typical Maine look.
This rock stuff that looks like a glass, that I thought it was,
until I picked up a piece of it. That could be what it is, but it's
in layers and breaks off in little tiny sheets. When you get a
little thin piece it feels like gristle plastic, yet it's clear like
glass. |
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I think I have nearly reached the top of
Old Speck. I'm seeing a lot real tall cinnamon ferns in this
area. It's also swampy through here. The moss hold so
much moisture! What a view from here. I'm looking over
the mountain off into the distance. It's really pretty.
A lot of the yell turning on the hill sides now. Occasionally
I see a real bright red one. The leaves haven't really started
to turn yet. You see a mountain range way off into the
distance. I need to move on, it's 5:30pm and I'm still now
where I need to be. Got to keep moving. Cold up here
anyway. |
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It is now 6:00pm and I'm at Grafton Notch
To the campsite I still have one and half mile to go. There is
a beautiful sunset in the west. I'm going to have to put my
jacket on, it's a bit on the chilly side. I'm coming down
solid big rock, a drop off. It's going to take me forever to
go that mile and one tenth. Went down the big boulders and I
had to up large boulders again. Going across a lot of swamp
bridges also. Majority of the is rock climbing. There's
really no hiking to it. You learn to rock climb. I've
had 2 close call coming down these rocks in the last 2 minutes.
I hope I'm out of here pretty soon. It's also getting dark and
I'll have t pull out my flashlight. |
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It was 7pm when I finally got to the shelter. I'm
on my way to get some water, over rocks too, very rough. This
is nice little camp ground they have around Speck Pond. Tent
site platforms set up. This has been a very rough day,
especially coming off the hill. The I was worried that it
would get really dark on me. I don't like to hike in the dark,
it's just to dangerous. This is a ways to get water, all rocks.
I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sandy
sounds very exhausted. Kathy |
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Swing'n Jane |
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