Date: 2017-09-19
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-to

To: Stealth Campsite by Carrabassett River
Miles today: 13.1

9/19Poplar Ridge Lean-to to Stealth Campsite by Carrabassett River13.1 miles Total miles:  1993.2What little rain we had last night was long gone when I awoke this morning at my usual time.  I was on the trail by 7:30 with the somewhat ambitious goal of making it to the Carrabassett River, a bit over thirteen miles away. The final descent of the Saddlebacks provided a few challenging moments, particularly with the rock faces being wet from last night's rain.  There was far more reasonable trail today, and I made good time hiking through more of Maine's beautiful forests. The leaves continue to change color, which provides extra beauty, both up close and in the views of distant forests.  There weren't any views for most of the day, as the sky remained overcast.  The hike up Lone Mountain was uneventful, and then the trail followed a basically flat ridgeline for several miles to the Spaulding Mountain Lean-to. I ate my lunch there and got water at the spring. It was two o'clock, and there was 5.1 miles to go to the stealth site by the Carrabassett River.  Tengo and Gravity were both also there, and we decided to continue on.  I hiked up Spaulding Mountain in good time, and the trail again followed a ridgeline. I knew we would be descending down to the river, and I continued on as quickly as I safely could, banking on the fact that the AT couldn't remain this easy for too long.  Along the way I came across a bronze plaque that commemorated the completion of the last section of the AT from Georgia to Maine. It was on August 14, 1937 that this last section was completed, and the then 2,054 mile trail was complete. It wouldn't be until 1948 that Earl Shaffer would complete the first thru hike. Much of the trail was completed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and it amazes me how hard these men must have worked carving out this trail. I paused a few moments by the plaque before continuing on. As the trail neared the river valley, a beautiful vista suddenly opened up, and the skies had cleared of fog.  An absolutely amazing scene appeared before me as I began hiking along the edge of the bluffs above the Carrabassett. The trail became very rocky and covered in a fine, gritty mixture of sand, dirt, and gravel that was extremely slick.  I asked aloud, to no one in particular, if someone could perhaps sweep the rocks before I walked on them. I also came across a single rock, a bit larger than my hand, that held special significance. Although I am still loving my time on the trail, I have now been away from home for over five months, so a rock shaped like Missouri obviously grabbed my attention. I decided my pack was heavy enough, so I was content with taking a photo.  I was absolutely correct in assuming the AT would get serious again as it descended into the valley. I encountered the most challenging boulder scrambles that I have seen in several days. Part of the challenge is often choosing the route to take, since there may be numerous routes. One such spot today really stood out. To the right was a more open route that required swinging out from one boulder to land on another below it. I opted to go to the left, which forced me to drop down a crevice between two boulders, hold my body up with my arms, push though a narrow crack, and then drop onto another boulder below. I had to toss my trekking poles onto a lower surface, and one of my water bottles was squeezed from its pouch, but I landed safely and retrieved my equipment. There were numerous other situations as I gradually worked my way down the mountain. The trail eventually leveled out, and the last half mile or so was still rocky with some boulders, but basically flat as it paralleled the river.  Again, Maine does not believe in footbridges, and when the water is up, the Carrabassett is not crossable where the AT meets it. Fortunately, the water is down, and I got across with little difficulty. The stealth campsite was just north of the river.  It's a very pretty, flat area just off the trail. Tengo and I arrived at 6:30 with still a half hour of daylight. Gravity arrived a bit later. We cooked dinner in the dark. A very light mist, which you could see in the light of your headlamp but not really feel, began at dusk. A very light rain started falling as we headed for our tents. The forecast calls for the rain to end tonight and then for several more days of sunshine to follow. There will be a very steep and rocky ascent of South Crocker Mountain and then her sister, North Crocker Mountain, tomorrow morning. The descent is reported to be more reasonable and leads all the way to ME 27, from where we plan on heading to Stratton for resupply. This little adventure of mine may be beginning to wind down, but there is still plenty of Maine to walk through before I reach Katahdin.