Date: 2013-08-19
From: Horns Pond Lean -to

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: light rain

Start Horn's Pond Lean-to, mile 2002.8Stop Little Bigelow Lean-to, mile 2013.0Sleep tentCell none Hiked 10.2 miles Northbound172.9 miles remaining60.7 miles hiked 2013 ATOld Goat's notes:We had a great night's sleep last night. The temperature was perfect, there was a slight breeze, and we had a tent site that provided us with privacy. Today the hiking was extremely tough this early in our hike, day 8. We started off with a climb from 3183ft at Horns Pond to 3831ft on South Horn. Incidentally all of the hiking today was on the Bigelow Mountains. We were feeling good at that point but our strength weakened an the day digressed. We dropped from South Horn by a few hundred feet as we hiked 2 miles to the Bigelow West Peak at 4145ft, then down again and up again to Avery Peak at 4090ft. At the top we met two gentlemen who were climbing all the peaks in New England over 4000ft. Lucky us to have these peaks on the AT. After Avery our next objective was Little Bigelow. It looked like it would be less demanding because the elevation was lower 3010ft and the profile map didn't look as steep. Those were true facts except we had a heck of a time crossing that mountain. In fact we are now on the north slope of it. We found the only level tent site here at the Lean-to site. We're all steeled in, bellies full and we're comfortable in our tents. Ten point two miles is a respectable distance for us. In 2006 I was in better shape and made considerable better progress. At Avery Campsite I showed Check 6 the platform I slept on and bragged about the view I had. That view is gone because the trees downhill from it have grown and now they block the view. Just as my ability has changed so has the environment we are in. Speaking of change, there used to be a small building on top of Avery Peak which is now gone. The only thing left of the building is the stone foundation.Check 6's notes:Hard day today. The Bigelow Mountains have too many peaks!! I'm glad those peaks are behind us. Avery Peak was the last peak over 4,000 ft until Mt Katahdin. The steep ascents and descents are so hard! But we did them and there's only Mt Katahdin left to do of the high peaks. Yay! Little Bigelow Mountain's profile on the map is deceiving. It looks less intense than all the other mountains we've been hiking, but it was HARD! There were some rock scrambles I had a real hard time with, and a lot of hard hiking. I had a couple meltdowns when I came upon a rock face we had to ascend that looked impossible for me. With Old Goat's help, I got up them, but it was scary and frustrating. What he did for me was to put his foot on the rock face and I used it as a step to step up to the next foothold (as I pulled myself up by the rock or roots). One particular time was extremely embarrassing...I had just cried through the second (and last for today, thank heavens) time he had to help me and I was crying backing down the other side of the rock when a guy came upon us hiking South. Here I am bawling as I descend backwards...awkward and embarrassing! He was a real gentleman though...when I saw him he was looking down at his boots, not at me. Old Goat asked him what the trail was like ahead and the guy gave us hope that we were farther along than we feared (just a little over 2 miles from our destination). The guy looked only at Old Goat. I appreciate his courtesy. I'm happy to be in our tent and to know we're just about finished with these Bigelow Mountains!! (Just have to finish going down the North side a short distance in the morning.)Sent from my iPhone