Date: 2019-08-17
From: Caribou Valley Road, Carrabassett Valley, ME

To: Spaulding Mountain Lean-To (ME)
Miles today: 5.2

I didn¢t sleep well last night. I woke up at 1:30 and didn¢t get back to sleep after that. I did have a dream that the hostel had washed my shoes, and the shoes ended up in even worse shape than they already are. I finally got up at 5:30 and sat in the common room in a big comfy chair. I journaled and watched videos until breakfast was served just before 7. I had homemade granola, bananas, and a hard boiled egg. We only had 5.2 miles to do today, so I was in no hurry to leave, especially after how hard we had pushed yesterday. Plus it was raining but supposed to clear up in the afternoon. The latest shuttle we could take was at 10, and we were back on the trail hiking just before 11am.Because last Saturday we hiked from Caribou Valley Road to ME 27, today we started at Caribou Valley and headed south. There was some elevation we would do today, but I wasn¢t concerned. I hadn¢t heard any horror stories about this stretch, and we were not summitting any 4,000 foot peaks. However, today I came close to quitting.The trail started off nicely enough. We were following the contour of this hill, slowly gaining elevation. But then, without warning, we turned and went straight uphill. Early on, there was a 50¢ section that was basically rock climbing. It wasn¢t clear which way to go except up. I would climb a little on the right side and then reach a dead end. The left side would look better so I would move horizontally over there, climb a little bit, and then get stuck again. I don¢t know how many times I moved from one side to the other, but it was too many for such a short stretch. As I got to the top, a nobo was coming down. I told him, ¢I wish you could have seen me climb this so you could see where not to go.¢A little while later, I get to a 4¢ vertical step. In case you didn¢t know, my legs are too short for a 4¢ step. I looked at this step for a full minute trying to figure out how to get up. I finally figured out a way up and did some sort of weird maneuver where I became horizontal by hanging on to a tree with my hands. Anyway, I get up this step and hear a man and woman coming up behind me. I figured I had some time while they figured out the step, and then next thing I knew, they were right behind me. ¢How did you figure out that step so quickly?¢ I asked the woman. ¢It helps that I¢m just out here for the day,¢ she answered while motioning to her tiny pack. I let them pass me, and then resumed my climb. However, I then hear the woman say, ¢Should I take off my pack and pass it up to you?¢ My heart sank. If this woman who clearly spends her weekends peak bagging and is wearing a tiny pack is having trouble, then what am I going to do?I get to the next step. This one isn¢t 4¢, it¢s 10¢. I¢m looking everywhere for footholds or handholds. I¢m hundreds of feet up the mountain now. It¢s cloudy and I can¢t see much, but it¢s clear that falling would not end well. How is this a trail? I didn¢t sign up for rock climbing! Eventually I figure out a way up that large step and a few more that followed. When I finally catch up with SC, I am almost in tears, but they come out as laughter instead. It took me nearly 2 hours to do one mile of ¢trail.¢After that, the trail became more trail-like. There was another climb, but not nearly as demoralizing as the first one. We got to the lean-to and there were already a 2 hikers set up inside. As we start getting set up ourselves, 4 section hikers arrive. However, only one is interested in staying in the shelter. We end up with 6 people in a 6-person lean-to. A sobo section hiker we saw at the hostel is incredulous. ¢How did you get here before me?¢ he wants to know. We explain that we had already completed the Crockers last weekend. Anyway, it¢s supposed to rain tonight, so I¢m glad we are in the lean-to.