Date: 2022-08-27
From: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to Mile 2156.1

To: Hurd Brook Lean-to Mile 2175.7
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: overcast clouds

So we got a sprinkle or two overnight but nothing really big and certainly I never heard any Thunder. Part of we wishes that we had continued on, but then we are all back together again. Apparently our tramily has been named The POD (Pilgrim Orchid Duckie), and we¢ve been apart more than together these past two weeks. Leaving camp we had a climb up to Nesuntabunt Mt where we had views of Mt Katahdin but the top was shrouded in clouds. We were also looking down on Nahmakanta Lake and the entire scenery was quite beautiful and in a way peaceful. We descended and then walked around the smallish Crescent Pond which had lots of boats chained up to trees. I¢m guessing that some of these ponds must have good fishing as well as somewhat easy access to a road. The boats we¢ve seen tend to be the metal rowboat and the plastic canoe although there are some metal canoes. Sometimes you pass a road somewhat close to the pond, but in this case we don¢t know where the closest road was. It is a bit odd to come around a bend and find a pond that appears in the middle of nowhere with boats on it. Some of the larger lakes and ponds we¢ve walked along in Maine have had houses on them, although that is certainly rare in the wilderness.After that today was another day of walking along streams and then a lake for quite a while, with first Pollywog Stream and then Rainbow Stream and Lake. We got to cross both of these streams on bridges, Pollywog on a road bridge and Rainbow on a pair of logs like a gymnast on a balance beam. I hit my 1300 mile mark right at the Rainbow stream crossing at the Rainbow Stream Lean-to, so we stopped to make a marker out of leaves, do the photo op, and filter water. We continued along the stream and then the Deadwaters before coming to the Rainbow Lake Dam where we stopped for lunch. The lake is managed by The Nature Conservancy and there were a bunch of boats chained up there as well. There were a bunch of signs indicating restrictions on fishing with live bait to prevent the spread of invasive fish on the lake. From what I can tell, fighting invasive plants and animals is a top priority of the clubs that maintain the trail. After a relaxing lunch, we walked along the lake for close to 5 mile before starting the climb up the Rainbow Ledges where we got very good views of Mt Katahdin without any clouds just about 9 miles away. We stopped for a while just soaking in the view. as this is one of the best We¢re not finishing on Mama K, but it still seems very surreal that I have made it this far and will be on the summit in 2 days if everything goes well. It wasn¢t very late and Abol Bridge Campground, with showers and restaurant) is only 3.5 miles past the Hurd Brook Lean-to just 2.5 miles away. We had some discussion about pushing on, but in the end we decided that Pilgrim was expecting us at the Lean-to and made the decision to stop at the Lean-to. Orchid and I were the first ones there. We double filtered the water, setup our tents, checked out the pond, and were eating dinner when Pilgrim arrived. In the end it was just the three of us here tonight with Pilgrim the only one in the shelter. From the camp tonight, Mt Katahdin is 7.5 mikes away, but is still 18.5 miles by trail including the 5.2 climb to the summit. Our plan is to make it to Katahdin Stream Campground tomorrow and then summit the following day.Days in ME without Moose sighting: 20Steps 41600Weather Forecast: 70/52 sunny