Date: 2004-08-21
From: Sidney Tappan Campsite

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: heavy intensity rain

The day began gray. The trail crew was already starting to work when I woke. The skies opened just as my packing was done. The crew was quarrying rock out of the dense forest to the right of the steep badly eroded trail. I thanked them and cheered them on as my climb up the 700' in 0.7 miles began and the rain came down. If only I had gotten some pictures of these guys. This climb was the West Peak at 3,278. A mile and a half later was Hay Mountain at 3,245. In just over another mile and a half was the summit of White Cap Mountain at 3,656. By now the rain was coming down hard and it was driven by the gusting wind. There was a beautiful stretch of talus on this mountain that just was no fun in this weather and with no visibility. This was another missed opportunity at viewing Katahdin. Memories of my rough time on Saddleback came to mind but fortunately the exposed section here ended much more quickly. Just another mile and a half would got me to Logan Brook Lean-to for lunch part 1 and a respite from the rain. This was one of the few times that other layers went on to keep me warm while eating. It was also a chance to hang my rain jacket to let it get a little less wet.The rest of the day it rained frequently but lightly. There were lots of ponds which offered weird views mixed with mists and clouds. It was one of those days that just kept you moving. There was a long muddy flat section that had me practicing my long jump again.Eventually the trail turned and headed down a shallow ravine. The weather was doing a little better by now. There should be a shelter coming up soon, Cooper Brook Lean-to. That would be home for the night. The trail was straight and wide like it had been an old logging road. Actually much of the trail lately had probably once been logging roads. Just before the trail took a sweeping turn to the left there was clearing with tents in it on the right. It was my cohorts from the last 2 nights, Rising Sun & M and Nobody & Alright. We talked for a bit. they said the shelter was full. It was after all Saturday. None of the shelter folks were thru-hikers. In fact some of them had been there quite a while. It was the age old problem of the distance hikers' late arrival. The ground left in the tenting area looked pretty muddy. My heart was really set on the shelter tonight. The gang said one more might be able to squeeze in.The shelter was less than 100 yards further. Sure enough there were 6 folks there. I cheerfully asked if there was room in the inn and they graciously made room for me, the 7th guy in a 6 person shelter. Some times you eat the bear. This was good. There was so much stuff hanging in this place it was comical. Some of these folks might have been doing the whole Hundred Mile Wilderness. That's a popular hike here in Maine. You can't help but wonder if this hike hasn't been made more popular by the book ¢A Walk in the Woods¢. The guys in that book found it to be a bit bigger challenge than they were up to and baled out. Readers probably want to try to prove themselves here. That's OK, but it fills up the shelters.The river in front of this shelter was crazy with white water. The Handbook mentioned a swimming hole here. That's a nice idea but today it would be certain death. The water was so high and brown with runoff from the forest floor, it was really exciting and scary. Still, a little clean up and some full water bottles were needed. A flattish rock jutting out into the mayhem made for a nice spot to sit and meet my aquatic needs.Everything was going fine until a gush of water snagged a water bottle out of my hand. I grabbed for it but there was no chance. There were thoughts of jumping in after it but it was gone instantly. This felt horrible. The bottle would wash down stream and prop itself up against some rock or root and just be an eyesore. My only consolation was in the hope that some hiker would see it soon and claim it as booty. This was not a plastic soda bottle. No, this was the collapsible Platypus bottle I bought at the Nantahala Outdoor Center way back in North Carolina. There was nothing to be done.Back at the shelter it was time for dinner, some good conversations and then sleep after a soggy 17.1 mile day.