Date: 2018-08-14
From: Chairback Gap Lean-to

To: Logan Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 17.1

Trekmate left his gas stove and wind shield on the shelter floor about 2 feet from my head. At about 0400 I woke up to the sound of a mouse messing around inside the aluminum wind shield. I flashed my headlamp in that direction and the critter went scurrying for cover inside the shelter wall. A minute later I heard the fury, four-legged creature making his way back to the kitchen. Once again, I lit up his playground and he ran out of the rectangular slot at the bottom of the circular shield and headed for the walls. This went on until about 0500 when I decided to get on up. I was hiking by 0600 and knocked out the last Chairback by 0700. The clouds were thick grey and it was drizzling at the summit. The descent through a huge rock (boulder) slide was a little tricky. Then it was back in the woods with the roots and smaller rocks. This continued for about four miles where the trail crossed a wide knee-deep stream. On the far bank, the trail widened and softened. Ahhh! The trail remained nice for another 1.5 miles. My feet didn¢t know how to act. The elevation at the stream crossing was 650 feet. The AT would gain 3,000 feet in altitude over the next 12 miles. At the top stood White Cap Mountain (3,644¢). The first 6 miles was a steady gain of about 1,300¢. I stopped at a lean-to for lunch before tackling the final 6 miles to the top. White Cap was only part of the story.It was the last of four peaks in front of me¢a four-headed beast. Although White Cap was only 1,700 feet higher in elevation than the lean-to, the total ascent was around 2,700 feet, with a 1,000 foot cumulative drop between peaks. Fresh off of lunch I climbed 700 feet, dispensing of the first peak, Gulf Hagas Mountain, in short order. After a 250 foot drop, it was a steep 850 foot ascent to the top of West Peak. Two down, two to go! A quick 400 feet down and 500 up and I was standing on the third mountain. Realizing that he had been conquered, Hay Mountain wept. The rain would continue for the rest of the day, making the rocks and roots very slippery. After a 250 foot descent, it was a 750 foot climb to the top of White Cap. The initial 500 feet was very steep causing me to employ my secret weapon¢Skittles! As I popped a handful of the pure sugar fuel in my mouth I was reminded of a dream I had last week. I dreamt that I was getting a post-hike physical check-up, the physician, who was more like a Witch Doctor, told me to ¢open wide¢ and then stuck his gnarly hands in my mouth. He then asked me if I had been eating Skittles. I replied, ¢a few.¢ To which he informed me that I had 6 cavities. I woke up just as he approached with a carpenter¢s drill, once again telling me to ¢open real wide.¢Where was I? Oh yeah, the Skittles got me up the initial climb and the trail continued about a half mile along a ridge before the final ascent. On the ridge I came across a Spruce Grouse hen and her chick.They meandered their way up the trail for another 25 yards before exiting into the woods. Jumping grouse has been a daily occurrence of late, but the hen wasn¢t flying anywhere without her baby. The final push was over the rocky top of White Cap. Realizing that I was victorious, she let out a cold wind, as if to say, ¢Get off my mountain top!¢ Supposedly there is a view to Mount Katahdin from White Cap on a clear day. I guess she decided not to reveal herself just yet. By the way, White Cap and the two peaks that preceded it were the last of the 3K+ mountains between here and Baxter State Park.It was a steep descent of 1,200 feet over 1.4 miles from the summit of White Cap to the Logan Brook Lean-to. Two SOBOs came by me at just as I started down. These were the first two hikers I had seen on the trail all day. Moving. quickly now, I passed three other NOBOs on the way to the lean-to. When I got to the shelter there were three other hikers already there. One gal started her hike in Maryland and still hadn¢t made up her mind whether she was going to flip or call it quits when she got to Katahdin. Another gal, Ninja, was a Triple Crowner from New Hampshire. She was just out for a ¢stroll¢ through the 100-mile Wilderness. The third hiker was also just hiking the 100-mile Wilderness. From the looks of his gear, he was a little out of his league. As soon as I arrived he asked me if I had a cigarette. Evidently he was trying to give up smoking out here and it wasn¢t going very well. I ended up giving him some hot tea to calm his nerves. Later he said he wished he had some candy. I handed him what was left of my Skittles. They came with a warning, ¢Careful, they¢ll rot your teeth out!¢Peace & Blessings - NSElevation Data:Ascent - 4,575Descent - 4,100Grade - 9.6Weather:Day - 69 / Light RainNight - 63 / Mostly CloudyOver The Horizon: Baxter State Park, ME