Date: 2005-07-26
From: Fish Hatchery Road

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

This was, without a doubt, the hardest day of my (admittedly not very long) backpacking career. The temperature was forecast to be near triple digits. I don't know if it got that high, but it was certainly close.If I'd been smart, I'd have just stayed in bed. But, as one of my Scout leader friends has observed ¢through-hikers generally operate on the other side of the stupid line¢. Apparently, today was no exception.The main problem with really bad heat and humidity is going uphill. I can deal with level, and with downhill, but even going downhill requires some exertion. Climbing uphill, with a heavy backpack, in conditions of extreme heat and humidity, just takes a tremendous effort. You also have to treat it as a technical hike, paying extraordinary attention to staying well hydrated and to avoid overheating. What that means is that you have to stop immediately if you start to get too hot, and cool yourself down!Unfortunately, the elevation map for today's hike showed a number of ups, the worst of these being the "Three Ridges", which together would take me from 970 feet at the Tye River crossing to over 4,000 feet at the top of the third ridge. It didn't help that I had to start my day with that little 1 mile (non-AT) climb up the Fish Hatchery Road from the B&B either!To make a long story short, I am happy to report that I survived the day's hike. I credit this to my judicious use of rest breaks (at one point, I was stopping to cool off every ten steps!) and sheer determination.For the record, however, I did not actually hike the official 18 miles to Maupin Field shelter. What I did, for the first time, was to take a blue-blazed loop trail that allowed me to avoid about 1,000 of the 3,000 foot climb up the three ridges and about 4 miles in total. There have been several times since Springer Mountain when loop trails have been advised in the event of dangerous weather conditions - usually lightning, rain, snow or heavy winds - around exposed cliffs or mountain peaks. I've never had to take one of those, but yesterday, when the opportunity presented itself, I declared the Mau-Har Loop trail an official hot weather emergency trail - and I make no apologies! The loop trail, while it saved me 4 miles, was itself a really tough section under the best of circumstances. It made a descent down a long, rocky trail to a waterfall and then up an even longer, rockier (and steeper!) trail into Maupin Field Shelter. Besides having twice hiked the 20 miles from Snickers Gap to Harpers Ferry should make up for any supposed shortfall - if anyone wants to make an issue of it. Anyone who was outside during the day today, however, would presumably be sympathetic. Anyone who is NOT, can just strap on a thirty pound pack and go climb the Three Ridges the next time we hit a hundred degrees, and talk to me about it when you get back.Today's hike is dedicated to all of the through-hikers out there who kept on hiking today - or any day this past week - despite the extreme heat and humidity. Let's face it- hanging out in a shelter until the weather is nice for hiking ain't gonna get us to Katahdin, is it?Stay tuned, LonghaulSent via PocketMail Email Anywherewww.pocketmail.com