Date: 2011-07-22
From: Horns Pond Lean-tos

To: Crocker Cirque Campsite
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Despite all the fixes I attempted with my pack, I still felt uncomfortable. When I reached Route 27, which was almost entirely downhill from the lean-to, I decided to hitch into Stratton where there was a market that sold some hardware. I got a ride easily. A young woman who worked at the Looney Moose Cafe. Since I was happy to have a hot meal, I stopped in for an ample breakfast and then walked into the center of town. Unfortunately I had no luck finding a reasonable replacement for the broken buckle. I picked up some food, enjoyed a soda and got a ride back to the trailhead from section hikers who were in town. These two women had formed an informal group to help each other complete the AT section by section. One, who lived in Maine, had already finished and was helping the other who had worked her way up year by year from Springer Mountain in Georgia. I was pleased to get a ride and hear their stories and impressed by the dedication it takes to keep driving and hiking section by section.At the trailhead, I met a couple from New York who were working on hiking all 115 of the peaks in the Northeast listed at over 4,000 feet of elevation. They'd finished the peaks in New York, New Hampshire and Vermont, and were working their way north into Maine. As I'd been thinking about bushwhacking from the AT to Reddington - a trailless peak once thought to be less than 4,000 feet high, but now listed as 4,010 feet, I asked if I could join them for the bushwhack. They agreed. They had an ambitious plan for their expanded weekend and were fast and agile hikers. No wanting to slow them down, I worked hard to keep up. This was difficult because the heat was oppressive and gaining altitude did not help (I later found out that the heat, set a record that day - 91 recorded in Andover, ME). It came as a relief when we finally reached South Crocker and began the bushwhack and the pace slowed. At first, we followed the boundary clearing a little too far - but soon realized that we were headed parallel to the AT when we wanted to be moving in a more perpendicular direction. Backtracking, we found the beginnings of a herd path which seemed to disperse and then coalesce again. Whenever we lost it, we held our bearings as we descended into a small field, from there we took a brief turn onto a logging road before plunging back into woods, following herd paths much of the way. After returning to Crocker, they decided they were going to stay at Crocker Cirque campsite - where I was headed. They'd hoped to go further, but it was getting late.At Crocker Cirque, we met some other peak baggers, who had hiked in from Caribou Valley Road and had reached Reddington shortly before we did. We had some great conversation. They planned on reversing direction and hiking to Spaulding and Sugarloaf the next day. We ended up discussing the Website "Views from the top." One of the peak baggers had wanted to post questions, but didn't know anyone who could recommend him so that he could post as well as read the threads. I took his contact info and promised to ask that he be added there. Once the bugs got too thick, we all retreated to our tents.Once again, I fell asleep with memories of another hike. Caleb and I had stayed at Crocker Cirque back in 2000, after a cold, wet and windy day of hiking.Mileage includes 2 miles (estimated) for Reddington Bushwhack + 12.4 AT miles)