Date: 2016-08-30
From: mile 2094.6 (stealth camp site)

To: East Branch Lean-to
Miles today: 26.7
Weather: few clouds

I was tempted with a short cut first thing in the morning. After studying my topo map I saw a way to cut mileage and avoid four mountains; Fourth Mountain, Third Mountain, Columbus Mountain, and Chairback Mountain. See the AT does not want you to miss any climbs so the trail makes a 11 mile horseshoe so you can hit all of these mountains. So you actually start heading South at the beginning of the horseshoe.Well I resisted temptation, I've come to far to ruin the integrity of my hike. I'm headed South when I come upon a hiker just sitting on the trail on top of his pack. He asks me if I'm a Sobo or a Nobo. I answer that I'm a Nobo. He asks why then am I headed South. I tell him because the trail has turned South for a few miles before it heads North again. It turns out the hiker is also a Nobo who got confused when he looked at his compass and it showed him going South. The AT is the most well marked trail I've ever been on so it has surprised me that I've ran into countless hikers that don't know which direction to head on the trail. I have come up with three reasons for this, there are probably more but here are the following ones I've come up with:1) AT hikers don't have maps because the trail is so well marked.2) A surprising amount of hikers don't keep track of the sun not knowing the sun always comes up in the East and sets in the West. Always!3) When you make a left turn off the trail to go to a shelter or campsite when you return to the trail you also make a left turn. It seems that many hikers think that because they made a left turn off the trail when they return to it they would do the opposite and make a right turn. This is the most common reason for hikers heading in the wrong direction I've observed. I've been asked at least a dozen times by hikers, when I've tented near shelters, which way to turn when they leave the shelter.I've thought a lot about this and I think because out West because our trails are not so well marked that hikers are much more aware of their surroundings and know how to use other tools to navigate then just a marker on the trail.After climbing the four various mountains and completing the horseshoe I forded the Pleasant River. There waiting was another AT Ridge Runner with her mother. She was there to count AT thru-hikers and to make sure they were aware of the procedures of entering Baxter State Park and summiting Katahdin. After talking to her I finally understood the process. Once I reach the boundary of Baxter Park there is a kiosk where I have to sign in for the Birches Campsite if I'm one of the first 10 hikers on the list I can continue into the park. Once in the park I hike to a ranger station where I check in once again. I then camp at the Birches. The next day I climb Katahdin. When I finish I need to check out at the ranger station. Okay I got it! I reached the summit of four more mountain today, a total of eight mountain summits. near the end of the day I was treated to a view of Katahdin. I'm running low on food. So I need to stretch what I have left for two more days until I reach the Abol Bridge Campground.