Date: 2014-09-23
From: Chairback

To: 100 Mile Wilderness Logan Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: broken clouds

RW Means: Risky Window71.4 miles to go.Last night turned out to be nice for me in my protected tenting location, but the others complained of a cold windy night. The ground was wet but I stayed dry. I love my Big Agnes UL2 tent.I got up very early intent on a long day. I told Hopper and Bismarck of my intended destination and they said it was unlikely they would hike that far on such a mountainous day. I felt very good, strong, and rested and just assaulted the trail today determined to prove to it I was still capable of finishing. It accepted my challenge. Yesterday it was a battle between me and trail but today I was determined to get my advantage back.I left before daybreak with my headlamp and watched a beautiful sunrise. The trail quickly took it away and filled the sunlight hole with thick clouds. I hiked alone today.After a few miles I passed another milestone, the 2100 mark, and felt additional strength at the accomplishment. I took my last photo of the day because the trail retaliated by preventing my cell phone/camera from working the rest of the day denying me more photos.   The water was cold and swift at the West Branch of the Pleasant River ford and the crossing froze my feet, but I waded in and across without incident. The battle between the trail and me was still even points. The trail was smooth for several miles and I knew then that I made the correct decision to push a high mileage day, point for me. As I hiked I left messages at a Lean-to and once in the dirt for Hopper and Bismarck so they knew how far ahead I was should they decide to do a high mileage day also. I made great time initially and shortly after lunch began a rigorous series of mountain climbs. I climbed from 718 feet to 2406 feet crossing Gulf Hagas Mountain, West Peak, Hay Mountain, and finally White Cap Mountain. Several climbs were steep and tiring, but I felt strong today and charged up the slopes, point for me. I climbed back above treeline, the wind howled and it was cold and cloudy. My first official view of Mt. Katahdin could have been from White Cap Mountain today, but the trail denied me the view, point for trail, and even if I had seen it, the trail had already taken out my camera phone as insurance to deny me a picture. The fall colors were also beautiful and intensifying, I wish I had a picture, point for trail. I climbed down the mountain and got to Logan Brook Lean-to about 4:30 still feeling strong, point for me. At the shelter were Loon and Tomo, the Japanese men who had left Monson the day before me. We were all surprised that I had caught them. We attempted to start a fire but failed because everything was still very wet from the rain two days ago, point to the trail. Still we had fun and soon Indy arrived. Other hikers I hadn't met before arrived with a message for me that Hopper and Bismarck wouldn't make it. They were stopping 5 miles behind for the day. Loon was carrying some nice camera gear and we took my phone apart and cleaned all of the parts with camera cleaner. It worked - ten points for me. We all went to bed early because we were in a box canyon and darkness came quickly and completely. The trees obscured the stars, one last point to the trail for not letting me see the stars, but I still won the day.