Date: 2022-08-14
From: Maine Roadhouse Hostel (ME 27) Mile 2006.1

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to Mile 2021.4
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We got the hostel breakfast which was banana pancakes, eggs, hash browns, sausage and watermelon. Stuffed myself again and actually wasn¢t hungry for morning snack until much closer to lunch time. I couldn¢t close the food bag and the backpack top was barely closed with everything in it. The sleeping bag and pillow will compress some through the day so will actually be able to keep it closed later on. Orchid and I are heading out today, while Pilgrim is taking another zero day today. We¢re heading to Monson, ME and the start of the hundred mile wilderness in four days where we are taking some time off and I will fill in the missing Kinsman section. We¢ll meet back up with Pilgrim in Monson as we start the hundred mile wilderness. Orchid and I got on the shuttle (short school bus) which left about 8 and we were on trail about 8:20.Today has a lot of climbing but it¢s not as steep as other days. We¢ve got 2600 feet up to South Horn but over 4 miles which isn¢t bad. From there we only have smaller dips before we summit Bigelow West and Bigelow Avery named after Myron Avery ¢whose foresight leadership and diligence made possible the AT¢. The weather is clear this morning so it looks like we will be getting some really good views for the first time in Maine. We passed by several ponds but closest to Horns Pond on the way up to South Horn where we got some good views of the ponds and over to the Bigelow peaks. BigelowWest is a rocky bald and we went down into the dip and then climbed back up to the peak. It was partly cloudy out, but the clouds were high in the sky, with a strong breeze so it was somewhat chilly on the summit. Aqua was eating on the summit and we briefly debated joining her but decided to eat in a sheltered location. There were great 360 degree views from the top. We were able to faintly see Mt Washington (78 miles away) and our first view of Mt Katahdin (Mama K 84 miles away). I hadn¢t realized the Bigelows were basically in the middle of them. It¢s still roughly 160 trail miles to Katahdin so there¢s obviously a bunch of zig zags on the way. We also had great views down to Flagstaff Lake which is 30 miles long and wraps around the base of the mountains. We pressed on to Avery summit which had equally nice views as well as a plaque dedicated to Myron Avery and the stone base of an old fire tower. Afterwards we headed down to an overlook to eat a late lunch. Afterwards we headed down to the Little Bigelow shelter where we were the first to arrive. We¢d leapfrogged Aqua, Bud and a couple of other hikers and it looks like they pressed on to Flagstaff Lake. We¢d considered it but we¢re tired and it¢s getting a bit late. We decided to sleep in the shelter as there were not any mosquitoes. Puffer and 2x4 (a young couple) arrived and just as it was getting dark another young couple (Abby and ???) arrived. Both of these couples had been at the hostel with us, but they tented and cowboy camped so we had the shelter to ourselves. Days in ME without Moose sighting: 11Steps 24700Weather Forecast: 74/50 sunny