Date: 2004-07-20
From: White Wolf Inn, Stratton, Maine

To: Abandoned Summit House, Top of Sugarloaf Mountain
Miles today: 10.6

10.6 miles todayAbandoned Summit House, Top of Sugarloaf MountainI got up about 5am and started getting all my stuff packed up. I got my bounce box ready to go, but I've got to wait on the po to open at 9:30am before I can hitch a ride back up to the trail. I'm looking forward to getting back out and walking. I went over to the diner at 6:30am and had breakfast. I stopped and bought some Altoids, not for the mints, but for the tin they come in. I saw a nobo with the same digital camera I have and it fits perfectly in the tin. It won't save me any weight, but it will save volumn which is just as important to me. The camera that fits in the tin is a Pentax Optio S4i. Stanimal sent me an email to let me know the easiest way to post my pictures. I have to get to a retail outlet first though. He said a card reader that plugs into a usb port works at all the libraries...I'm still learning, but I'm getting more hi-tech all the time. I got an email from Chief and he's learning too. He said he got into a situation on the trail about a week ago and asked himself...what would ole Stumpy do. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Glad I could help, Chief. I went to the grocery next door and had a 10" roast beef and provalone hoagie made to pack out for dinner tonight. I picked up a 12 oz coke also to pack out. I was able to get in touch with Mailar and he is picking me up at the Rangley trailhead on Thursday at noon. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. He was giving Chief some pointers on backpacking while they were hiking earlier in the year down in Georgia before Chief got a runny nose and called his wife and begged her to come and get him and take him home.I checked out of the motel at 9:25 and was at the po at 9:30am. I sent off my bounce box and then started walking down the road. I was going to go to Mainely Yours and have a cup of coffee before I started hitching a ride. On the way a jeep pulled over and offered me a ride to the trail, so I took it. I had the best rides to and from this town that I've ever had. I got a ride in with the very first car to come by and I didn't even start hitching and picked up a ride out...maybe I should go to Vegas.I started hiking at 9:50am and it felt real good to get back in the woods. I ran into 2 trail maintainers about 11am and talked to them for a while. A nobo came up by the name of Leap Frog. He seemed happy, but didn't hang around to talk.I have been eating some really good gorp that I got at Fotter's Grocery. I stopped at a spring at 11:30 and got more water and took a break. I have been hearing thunder in the distance, but so far it's staying away. I've been climbing since I left town and at 12:40pm I made it to the top of North Crocker Mountain, about 4200' high. I hiked down and then back up to the top of South Crocker Mountain. It was still thundering in the distance, but still dry where I was at. On my way down the mountain, I passed a nobo by the name of Iodine who left Springer on April 2nd. I hiked on down and crossed the South Branch of the Carabassett River and caught up to Commando and GiddyUp. I got their picture before they hiked on. I sat down by the river and took a break. It's really been a nice day, but it looks like the rain is getting closer. It was a steep down to this river and when I started climbing again, it was very steep going back up. It started raining, but only lasted about an hour. I caught up to Cobweb, Commando and GiddyUp. They said they were going a little further than I was planning today. I passed Lunch Box. I got to the 1/2 mile side trail that goes up to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain, the 2nd highest mountain in Maine. I stopped by a spring on the way up and got enough water for tonight and coffee in the morning. When I got up to the old abandoned ski house, there were 2 section hikers from down south, Tim and David. They started hiking north on the A.T. 15 years ago and every vacation they come out and do another 100+ miles. They are going to monson this year and next year they will finish the trail. That's real dedication. There are also 2 sobos, Adrian and SunTag. Two nobos just got here, Mouth and Haiku.I ate my hoagie I packed in and drank my coke...ummm ummm good. SunTag started a fire and it feels good inside. It is just 60 degrees out with a pretty good wind that makes it feel colder. There are windows all around this hexagon building and the views are awesome. I set up my bed on a picnic table and my belly is full and I'm getting tired.Another nobo just came in by the name of Gentle Ben. Another great day on the A.T.