Day 177
Start: Grafton Notch, Bethel, Maine
End: Surplus Pond Road
Miles Hiked: 12.1
Miles on AT: 1942.1
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I got a later start this morning, but the skies had cleared up and the sun was shining. After a quick breakfast, I got my shuttle back to Grafton Notch to get back on trail. Despite the clear skies all around, the mountain that I had to climb next was shrouded in clouds when we pulled up to the parking lot. As I got out of the car and made my way to the trail, I hoped that the clouds would dissipate by the time I reached the top, but I didn’t think my calls for mercy would be answered.
Today the trail was chilly and wet. Because of all of the rain that fell yesterday, the trail was a well-flowing water source. It was a chore to keep my feet dry, but I was happier that no rain was falling from the sky. The climb up to the Baldpate peaks wasn’t bad at all; in fact, it was a very pleasant gradual incline until it started getting steep near the top. Baldpate West Peak was a tree-covered summit that would have had wonderful views to the north if there hadn’t been a huge cloud in my way.
But, getting to Baldpate East Peak was a whole different ball game. Instead of a typical trail, I had to climb up bare rock. On top of that, the winds, which must’ve been at least 20 miles per hour, threatened to blow me off course. I had to stay low while climbing and sometimes use my hands to steady myself while on all fours. I was in the middle of a stream of clouds on top of that summit, so when I reached the sign, I took my picture and hustled my way down.
Going down wasn’t any easier than going up. It was cold and wet and I had to use my hands to make sure I didn’t slip down the slippery face of the mountains. Despite all of the discomfort, the view coming down from Baldpate East left me in awe of the beauty that Maine had within its borders. The orange, red, and yellow foliage stretched out in undulating waves for miles. All I could see was wilderness with a few houses dotted here and there, and despite the wind and cold urging me to descend, I took a few minutes to just stare and soak it all in. I could see why people loved Maine so much.
Once I got below treeline, the air warmed up and I could finally stop for a snack break at Frye Notch shelter. I was about halfway done with my day, but it didn’t seem like the next few miles would be that hard, and they weren’t. After a climb up Surplus Mountain, I enjoyed some of the nicest trail I had seen in a while. There were no large rocks in my way, leaves covered the ground, and the descent down to Dunn Cascades was nice and gradual.
When I reached Surplus Pond, it was still relatively early in the day, maybe around 5 o’clock, but I could tell it was going to get dark pretty soon. I debated night hiking, but since it wasn’t necessary, I decided to just set my things up and enjoy the early night. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any moose in the pond, but the stars littered the sky and kept me company.
And that’s day 177.
A version of this post originally appeared on TheTrek.co.