Date: 2016-06-23
From: Grafton Notch

To: East B Hill Road
Miles today: 10.0

Life has gotten much better since "the notch". I took a zero at Pine Ellis Lodge yesterday while rain moved thru the mountains. I wouldn't have hike regardless of the weather. Just too beat up. Pine Ellis is a great hostel in Andover run by three senior women who genuinely care about their guests. I have a private room and the town has just enough resources to be relaxing. It could use another bathroom though. One restroom for 20 guests can be challenging. On Thursday I started a very rewarding and yet easy four days of day hiking. There was a major hitch on the fourth day but that's a later entry. Pine Ellis is within shuttle range of four sections of the AT. They will bring you to a starting trailhead and pick you up later that day at the next one down the trail. People take the opportunity to slack pack these trips but I no longer slack pack. I after recent weather problems up the mountain and a notable rescue (wait for my take on that) I take a full pack with me each day. Thursday took me from Grafton Notch to East B Hill road. The notable mountain was Baldplate which had two summits and some nifty rocky climbs above tree line. Starting at 5am as usual I finished that hike just after noon and was back in Andover for lunch. Friday took me another 10 miles from East B to South Arm. This leg includes Sawyer Notch, which in my guide shows an almost vertical 1000 ft climb that had had me worried since I started planning the trip. Yes it was steep. But after all that has come before it was just another climb. In fact I met a very talkative guy with the MATC (local hiking club) and learned a lot about the AT in Maine and how it is maintained. I did finish before noon on this leg and had another free afternoon in Andover. Saturday took me up old blue mountain from South Arm to highway 17. I shuttled with fellow hiker Mac from Canada and we ended up hiking together most of the day, although not intentionally. 13 easy miles after the initial climb up blue and still made it back by mid afternoon. A fellow could get used to this. Sunday was to be the final leg, from highway 17 to highway 4 and a move from Pine Ellis to the Farmhouse Inn in Rangely. This 13 miles had few major elevation changes, just a series of mild undulations. Almost a nearo in my book. But there was change in the wind. Thunderstorms were forecast as 90% for Tuesday, a day that could have me right in the middle of some major mountains ahead. Taking the safe road would have me staying in Rangely until the storms passed, maybe three or four days. And missing a good hiking day on Monday. By the time I made highway 4 my mind was made up. I had hiked the 13 miles in 6 hrs. It was not yet noon. I headed straight for the Hiker Hut a few tenths west if the road to see what they had in the way of food and resupply to allow me to continue on over Saddleback mountain as an afternoon hike. Catherine and Steve at the hut were amazingly helpful. After two bottles of Gatorade, some potato salad and two slices of wonderful watermelon, I was renewed and headed back out to try and make the 32 miles to Stratton before the weather closed in. I canceled my Farmhouse Inn reservation but told them I would be at the Stratton Inn later. The have the same owners. I had just turned an easy hike and a fun time in Rangeley into a very difficult hike and pressure to have more hard days, just to avoid lightning in the mountain. Sounded good but took its toll. Next time.