Day #141 - AT Hike — Maine starts

Friday, July 31st - Day #141 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 9.6
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 1916.1/2,193 (87.37%)

Gentian Pond Shelter (1906.5) to Full Goose Shelter (1916.1) - tent at Full Goose Shelter

Total ascent - 3,852’
Total descent - 3,017’

Total states completed - 13/14

**No Rain - Really nice weather day

————

Maine!  Maine!  Maine!
I can’t believe I’ve made it to the final state on my journey. The goal in hiking the Appalachian Trail is to walk from Georgia to Maine. Mission accomplished - can I stop now?  NOT A CHANCE!  Throughout the past 4-1/2 months, when somebody asked me “Where are you headed?”  The response was always:  “Maine”.
Well - the new response is:  “Katahdin”. Mt. Katahdin is now 277 miles away.  The peak of Mt. Katahdin is the ending point of the Appalachian Trail - and the conclusion of my AT journey.

I’m so fired up right now. I walked alone today (I got out of camp before Sam & Slider/Granger). I let my mind wonder all day - to that finish line at the peak of Mt. Katahdin. What will I feel like once I complete my journey?

I was pretty emotional thinking about my time out on trail. It’s probably pretty clear if you’ve been reading my blogs - but I’m ready to be finished. This hike has pushed me to my absolute physical and mental limits. It’s taken everything I’ve got to get to this point - I’m just trying to keep it together and hang on to the finish.

So - I want to finish this last stretch really strong.  Regardless of how difficult it’s been - I’m very blessed to have had this opportunity. It’s been incredible!!  What an epic, challenging, mind-opening experience!  I’m so thankful to be able to hike and pursue my dreams.  I know I talk about the challenge and struggles in my blog - but - it’s those things that have made this experience so rewarding. I get to hike everyday.  And you know what - that’s a pretty neat thing to be able to do. I know it - and I’m very, very thankful. There’s people out there all alone, there’s people sick, dying, struggling with so many things. My struggles on the Appalachian Trail are pretty trivial in the big picture.  I try to be as real as possible and best describe my true emotions on the blog. But - at the end of the day - I know I’m a lucky guy and I’m so very grateful.

OK - with all this talk about Maine and the finish —— I have ALOT of work still to do.  I have to focus harder than I’ve focused throughout this journey - right now. RIGHT NOW!  RIGHT NOW!  I’ve accomplished nothing to this point.  Keep it going. Keep strong.  Concentrate on each step - every day.

“You’re gonna have to go through Hell - worse than any nightmare you’ve ever dreamed - but in the end - you’ll be the one standing”.

OK - to welcome us to Maine - to follow along with the general message in my blog today - please welcome to the stage - Van Halen.

————-

“Don’t want to wait ‘til tomorrow
Why put it off another day
One more walk through problems
Built up, and stand in our way, ah

One step ahead, one step behind me
Now you got to run to get even
Make future plans, don’t dream about yesterday, hey
C’mon turn, turn this thing around

Right now, hey
It’s your tomorrow
Right now
C’mon, it’s everything
Right now
Catch a magic moment, do it
Right here and now
It means everything

Miss the beat, you lose the rhythm
And nothing falls into place, no
Only missed by a fraction
Slipped a little off your pace, oh

The more things you get, the more you want
Just trade in one for the other
Workin’ so hard, to make it easier, whoa
Got to turn, c’mon turn this thing around

Right now, hey
It’s your tomorrow
Right now
C’mon, it’s everything
Right now
Catch that magic moment, do it
Right here and now
It means everything
It’s enlightened me, right now
What are you waitin’ for
Oh, yeah, right now

Right now, hey
It’s your tomorrow
Right now
C’mon, it’s everything
Right now
Catch that magic moment, and do it right, right now
Oh, right now
It’s what’s happening
Right here and now
Right now
It’s right now
Oh, tell me, what are you waiting for
Turn this thing around”

“Right Now” - Van Halen

—————-

This song is special to me for a number of reasons. I heard this song while standing on the beach ready to enter the water in my full Ironman in Lake Placid. This song was released when I was in college. I remember running around the outdoor track at Mizzou - listening to this song - thinking about my future - being inspired, being hopeful. It’s sort of the way I’m feeling currently.

Just to hit on today’s hike a moment - it was an obstacle course out there. Wow!  So many cliffs to climb. I saw more ladders, wooden steps, and iron grips today than any other day on my journey. Sometimes I just can’t believe how difficult this actually is - it’s astonishing.

Tomorrow - it gets real. We do the Mahoosuc Notch tomorrow morning. It’s known as the toughest mile on the entire AT. Do a YouTube search for the Mahoosuc Notch - you can get a feel for what I’m up against.

Well - I need to get some solid sleep to be ready for the boulder field puzzle - that is the Mahoosuc Notch. Here’s to inner strength. Here’s to good health. Here’s to making it safely to the end of my AT journey

Goodnight from Maine!!

“If you want something, go get it. Period!!!

Incredible views today 

Next up - Mahoosuc Notch

Early morning rocks 

Ridge line walking

One of the climbs

This was very steep

More iron grips

Ridge walking

Awesome 

Very nice

More sites

NH/Maine border

Goose Eye Peak

Double ladder

Mud pit

Really steep climb - rungs started about waist high 

Final state - Maine!

Steep ladder

Wow!

A mini Mahoosuc Notch

Spectacular 

Day #140 - AT Hike

Thursday, July 30th - Day #140 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 11.7
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 1906.5/2,193 (86.94%)

Rattle River Hostal (1894.8) to Gentian Pond Shelter (1906.5) - tent at Gentian Pond Shelter

Total ascent - 4,178’
Total descent - 2,782’

Total States Completed - 12/14

**Rain - Slight drizzle on a couple separate occasions. Mostly clear and nice weather.

——-

1900 miles!!  Getting closer to that 2K marker. Miles are drifting away slower right now because of the aggressive terrain and shorter daily mileage.

We talked with a number of SOBO hikers today. Most started around July 4th and look to get to Springer Mtn in Georgia around Thanksgiving. Most of them are telling us it’s really tough for another 100 miles - then it eases up into Katahdin.

Another extremely challenging day out there. Only 11.7 miles -  we left at 7:30am and only arrived into camp at 4:30pm. 4,178’ vertical ascent - with lots of steep climbs and technical footwork. I know it sounds like a broken record - but NH and southern Maine aren’t consistently voted the toughest sections of the AT by accident.

I hiked with Slider/Granger the entire day - and  with Sam most of the day. It’s fun to have people to talk with during the day to keep your mind off the hiking.  I ran into Empty Space today. I haven’t seen him since Harpers Ferry.  He went back to complete the Smokies and has been burning up the track to catch me. He’s a great guy and I’m really happy for him - it’s always amazing how frequently you see people from many months ago. It’s what makes this AT thru-hike so interesting.

I continue to be exhausted. I rested for about an hour upon arrival into camp - then ate dinner and talked a bit to the Tramily. I was in my tent around 7:45pm. It’s now 9:52pm. I’ve fallen asleep a couple different times in trying to write the blog. I really enjoy documenting each day of the journey - but I’m sure the quality of the blog has been lacking recently - it’s probably not the best to write when you’re so tired.  I’ll be able to look back in a few years and understand how I was feeling at the time with my words (that’s sort of the intention)

Well - no internet/cell coverage tonight. I’ll try to post tomorrow on course. A big day tomorrow - I finish up NH and head into my final state of the journey - Maine. I haven’t 100% decided on the song to bring us there - but I’m close.

OK - I’m going to stop fighting this exhaustion - and officially shut it down. Here’s to continued strength and good health!

Great scenery today

Ridge line views

One of the many ponds

More ponds

Water source at shelter

Early morning leaving hostal

Slider coming up trail

Granger coming up trail

1900!!

Resting at shelter

Gentian Pond Shelter

Pond views

Awesome!

Day #139 - AT Hike

Wednesday, July 29th - Day #139 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 8.2
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 1894.8/2,193 (86.40%)

Imp Shelter (1886.6) to Rattle River Hostal (1894.8) - Rattle River Hostal

Total ascent - 1,124’
Total descent - 3,667’

Total States Completed - 12/14

**No Rain - Really nice weather day today.

———-

Pretty relaxing day today. I finished the White Mountains of NH!!  The course wasn’t too bad compared to the past couple weeks. A climb up Mt Moriah to start the morning, followed by a long descent over 3,000’.  I got into the Hostal right at 10:30am. I was able to shower, get my laundry started, and get some food before noon.  Today was effectively a Nero - ready to start the next push into Maine as strong as possible.

We took an afternoon trip to Walmart - Sam, Granger, and I. I then just lounged around watching a movie and snacking for several hours. The Hostal was really low key today. Nobody around for most of the day. As I write this blog in the bunk room - not a soul is here (there is clothing and gear on a few bunks - so I expect some people to come in later - not sure where they’re at now)

20 mountain peaks in the White Mountains. I wanted to list them in order of completion. (Note - the actual peak of Mt Moriah today wasn’t labeled real clearly - so I was off 50 ft or so).

Moosilauke (4,802)
South Kinsman (4,358’)
North Kinsman (4,293’)
Liberty (4,459’)
Lincoln (5,089’)
Lafayette (5,260’)
Garfield (4,500’)
Galehead (4,024’)
South Twin (4,902’)
Zealand (4,260’)
Jackson (4,052’)
Pierce (4,310’)
Washington (6,288’)
Madison (5,367’)
Wildcat D (4,050’)
Wildcat A (4,422’)
Carter Dome (4,832’)
South Carter (4,430)
Middle Carter (4,610’)
Moriah (4,049’)

Tomorrow will be a huge milestone - as I go over the 1900 mile marker - and under 300 miles remaining on my journey. I’ll be starting with a super heavy pack - as I still had quite a bit of food left before my resupply box showed up on Monday.

Here’s to staying strong and healthy!  Goodnight from NH - just 17 miles to the Maine border.

Climbing up Mt Moriah 

Close to tree line

Pic from yesterday - taken by Granger

Amazing views this morning

Calm and clear conditions

Early morning pic

End of the hike today

Really clear morning

Great views

Sunrise climbing Mt Moriah 

Day #138 - AT Hike

Tuesday, July 28th - Day #138 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 13.0
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 1886.6/2,193 (86.03%)

Pinkham Notch Visitor Center (1873.6) to Imp Shelter (1886.6) - tent at Imp Shelter

Total ascent - 5,722’
Total descent - 4,489’

Total States Completed - 12/14

**Rain - Very light rain midday. Overcast and warm.

————

I’ve been anxious about this day for over a week. 13 miles, 5 peaks of 4,000’, with 5,722 vertical ascent and 4,489’ vertical descent.

The day turned out well. 5 peaks - (Wildcat D - 4,050’, Wildcat A - 4,422’, Carter Dome - 4,832’, South Carter - 4,430’, Middle Carter - 4,610’). Slider/Granger, Sam, and I hiked together pretty much the entire day.

The day was challenging - really challenging - but it wasn’t as bad as I had it built up in my mind. The Wildcats were as steep as advertised and the descent into Imp Shelter was no picnic - but overall it was a fun day.

The weather held out - and I was able to get some great pictures.  Overall - the Whites have provided the best scenery on the AT in my opinion. The efforting was rewarded for the most part each day. I’ll complete the Whites tomorrow - and I will never forget these past couple weeks (the planning, the challenge, the sites, the unknown).

We got into camp around 6pm. I setup my tent, filtered water, and ate quickly. I then did a Zoom Happy Hour with my friends back in Colorado. It’s always good to see them - this is the first time I called in from my tent (they were beginning to wonder if I was really on the trail).

Tomorrow will be an 8-miler back to Gorham - I’ll stay at the same Rattle River Hostal I stayed the previous 2 nights. I’m hoping to get in by noon and have the rest of the day to relax.

Big stuff the next few days. Tomorrow - finish the Whites, Thursday - cross over the 1900 mile marker, Friday - complete NH, Saturday- do the Mahoosuc Notch (hardest mile on AT).

Stay tuned - the miles are clicking away in a hurry!

Great scenery today

Me in the Whites (atop Mt Hight)

Great

Carter Notch Hut lake

Early morning - first on trail

Very cool

Atop Wildcat D

Me, Sam, Granger, Slider

Wildcat D Peak

Carter Dome Peak

More sites

One of the many scenic overlooks 

Clouds rolling over the mountains