Day 70: Sarver Hollow Shelter to Trout Creek

14.8 miles

Very hard day today. I miss AWE a lot, and the terrain today is harder than it's been in a while. Two big climbs, one late in the day, and some tough rock slicks that weren't well-marked. I almost got lost twice: once I went downhill for a few yards before seeing sticks laid across the trail in the universal sign for "you're hiking the wrong way". The second time the trail disappeared - big drops all around me - until Stumbles came by and climbed up 5 feet to a rock ahead. New rule of hiking: when in doubt, climb up!

Went over the eastern continental divide. Neat.

The climb up Brush Mountain was steep and long. I was worried I was going to run out of water - it is getting hotter, and I sweat a LOT. (Even when it is 40 degrees outside, I am covered in sweat within minutes of hiking uphill). After 70 days (!) on the trail you'd think I'd be acclimated to hiking uphill...but I am not. (Or - I just sweat a lot). So I am drinking a ton of water and taking electrolyte tablets in hopes of staying hydrated. Today I drank 5.5 liters of water, and was still thirsty afterwards.

I met Greyhound on the climb down - he has a twisted ankle and was taking it a step at a time going down. Asked him where he was headed for the night and he said - headed to water first, then I'll decide if I'm going the extra mile to the shelter. I thought - man it would be nice to camp by the creek - but knew that OWL wouldn't stop there because she had set her destination as the shelter. Got down to the creek and saw a bunch of folks from last night. Thought - I hope OWL is still here but she is probably at the shelter. Then I looked over to the other side of the creek and saw her sitting there, with her tentpad laid out. I was so happy I cried - literally - and said "I am so glad to see you!". She said - "well the shelter was 0.3 miles off the trail, and the water was 0.2 down steep switchbacks from there, so I was glad to save those steps and camp near the creek."

I went to the creek and drank a bunch of water, took a bath, and rinsed out my clothes. Set up my tent, ate as much food as I could stand for dinner (AWE sends me grape leaves sometimes which are heavy but an AMAZING treat), and went to bed happy and tired and full.

 

 

 

Day 58: Knot Maul Shelter to Chesnut Knob Shelter

9.1 miles

Got up at 7am and took my time tearing down camp, left around 9. Talked with Loco Pony & Hummingbird for a while; they left in late February. The walk is kind of boring today; not as many wildflowers out and mostly roller coaster climbs - not steep but just constant up and down. My knee is stiff and sore but much better. I am so thankful it is ok. I am so glad to be out here. I have a real hunger to finish the trail, to summit Katahdin.

The Chestnut Knob shelter we are staying in tonight does not have a good water source, so I had to fill up at a pond about 1.8 miles before the shelter. The pack is so heavy when I have to carry 5L of water! I have been trying to "camel up" - ie, drinking a liter of water every time I get to a water source, so I don't have to carry as much water with me.

The climb up to the shelter wasn't that bad, even with the extra water weight. The open ridgeline provided really incredible views of the mountains and valleys. Got to the shelter - it sounded scary in the guidebook ("concrete block shelter, fully enclosed with door") - but turned out to be quite nice. I really like tenting and having a big of privacy. But being in the shelter is much easier, and this one has 4 walls! Here with All the way, grandbob, don's brother, owl, and 2 section hikers (one named Sammy and not sure of the other).