Date: 2009-09-04
From: Safford Brook Trail, ME

To: Long Falls Dam Road, ME
Miles today: 8.7

Access:North--Hike #1--East Flagstaff Rd comes in off of Long Falls Dam Rd. The AT parking area is just after the split at Bog Brook Rd. We got to this from Kingfield by going up Rt 27 to Carrabassett Valley and turning right on Carriage Rd and following that for 4.7 miles.Hike #2--Long Falls Dam Rd is reached by way of Carriage Rd., then a right turn on E Flagstaff Rd and then a left turn in about 1/4 mi onto Long Falls Dam Rd. The AT crosses approximately 2.2 mi from this intersection. Parking is alongside the road. South--Safford Brook Trail comes off E Flagstaff Rd. We described this and the trail itself in yesteray's journal.The Hike:This hike was divided into two segments. The first hike went from E Flagstaff Rd to Safford Brook Trail. This first hike started off relatively flat with an easy up to Little Bigelow Lean To. This is much less intense than the trail map profile shows (thank you!).We saw some NOBO thru hikers that we had seen yesterday including Crusty and Pickle, and they said that the shelter was full last night, so we skipped going in due to the early hour. From this point on, the trail got steeper and a lot of the trail was over rock slabs with many great views to the east and south. The slabs were intertwined with some boulder climbing. We like hiking the slabs because there were very few roots. Today was a beautiful sunny day...temp in the low 60s...With this kind of weather the rock slabs are easy. These same rock slabs, going from south to north, could be treacherous on a wet day.There were 2 or 3 false summits and we could feel our legs from yesterday. When we finally reached the peak at the east end of Little Bigelow it had a great view of Avery Peak ahd the rest of the Bigelow Range. Looking out we were amazed at what we had done yesterday. Avery and West Peak seemed so high in the distance! We went down and then up to the next peak. Then there was another peak. Nothing was labeled so we really didn't know where we were except that we were on the AT and Little Bigelow. We went down and up again with some great views over to Avery Peak and beyond and yet, there was another peak to the west on Little Bigelow. We finally reached the westernmost peak with a side trail to more views and then started going down steeply at first. Sometimes, having to 'sit and slide'. We passed a couple more NOBOS from yesterday. After the initial drop the trail leveled off for the last mile or so into Safford Notch. We reached the blue blazed Safford Trail and our exit and had lunch amongst the major boulders we found there. As described in the opposite direction yesterday this 2.2 mi trail was very nice going out.Hike #2--We went from Long Falls Dam Rd to E Flagstaff Rd. In the middle of Long Falls Dam Rd, painted in white, is the inscription '2,000 Miles'. The actual 2,000 mile mark (from Springer) is about 8 miles south of here, but this is the nearest paved road.The hike started out uphill about 450' in about 3/4 mile. This didn't seem bad at all, considering yesterday and today on the Bigelows! We passed a couple of NOBOS that we had seen yesterday and they asked if the 2000 mile road sign was ahead. They are eager to get to Katahdin.The trail then went downhill to the shoreline of Flagstaff Lake. It was a beautiful scene...we could look up at what we had done yesterday and today and be thankful we were at sea level!! Continuing on we hit Bog Brook Rd and then up and over one final hill to our car. Yeah...done with the Bigelows!!!   We finished our hike early and