Date: 2014-07-18
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Ore Hill Camping Area
Miles today: 19.5

Long day and a little bit of everything - steep climbs, ice cream, nice views, and a swarm of SOBO hikers - the SOBOs are coming! Also Big Dawg comes back to the trail tomorrow - yay! Had a cold night in the hammock last night - need to bundle up a little better to stay warm! Luckily Big Dawg is bringing the underquilts back for the hike through the Whites - the Whites are coming as well!Short walk back down the trail to Bill Ackerly's house - this time he was at his house so I finally got to meet him! A great guy to talk to and he has been giving out ice cream for 11 years and still does it even though he is 84 years old - still lively though! Lots of hikers resting on his porch and enjoying the ice cream. Met Just Ed who is doing a section hike of the trail this year. He lived in Indiana around Terra Haute for a while before moving out to Massachusetts - nice guy!Saw that a guy from Noblesville, IN hiking SOBO recently passed by his house - wonder if I know who it is! From his house there was a nice gradual climb up to a road before hitting the hard climb up to Smarts Mountain - a long tough climb with several very steep sections and rocky walks. Now I feel like we are getting close to the Whites - rocky climbing and steep climbs! It was so bad in one part that the DOC had to go in and install wood steps, stone steps, and Rebar steps up a rocky section that constantly was wet! Passed Just Ed on the way up and at the summit ran into Pickles who is one of the three girls hiking together (with Ice Party and Prom Queen) resting at the cabin.Great view from the fire tower - I love it when you can actually get into the tower and look around! The door is really heavy so be careful opening it. Awesome views of VT and the upcoming Whites - so pumped! Back down at the cabin I rested with Just Ed and Pickles before we all rolled out to conquer more of the trail.The downside of Smarts Mountain was much nicer than the climb up! A gradual down that transitioned into a nice initial climb up Mount Cube - back to more woods walking. Filled up water at the brook before climbing up to the Eastman Ledges for lunch - not a super great view but a good place for lunch. While eating I met Sherlock and Circuit Rider from Michigan - they are hiking with another group of people and driving two cars up along the trail and swapping keys each time. A nice father-son pair and it reminded me that Big Dawg is coming back tomorrow!Just Ed told me the Swiss were going to press on further so I decided to keep moving on! Left Just Ed at the Hexacuba Shelter and started the rest of the climb up Mount Cube - another rocky steep climb to the south peak that keeps reminding me that the Whites are closing in! Ran into several SOBOs coming down the hill and wished them luck on the way - they all told me to get pumped for the Whites!At the summit I ran into Pickles and Sherlock and Circuit Rider resting at the summit and sat with them a little enjoying the view before hiking on - always more miles to hike! Passed a lot of SOBOs climbing up the backside of Mount Cube - they must all be starting to clear the Whites now. A SOBO bubble?Crossed NH 25A and ran into two surprises on the trail - a really muddy section right after the road and a little bear cub and the momma bear! The muddy section was poorly marked and no attempt was made to cover it or put a walk path in it - can't be good for the trail to be perpetually trampled like that.A little before Cape Moonshine Road I was walking in the woods and saw a little black creature running towards a tree. Initially I thought it was someone's dog...until it started climbing up the tree! At that moment I realized it was a bear cub and had that "Where is the momma?" moment. I saw her on the same side as the cub so I wasn't as worried but I still clacked my poles together and walked away - "Don't mind me bears just leaving!"Finally arrived at the Ore Hill Campsites and settled in with the lone camper Multi - a SOBO thru-hiker who started on June 1st. A cool guy from Texas who is looking to move to the Northeastern US - scouting out potential homes along the trail! Later on the Swiss and Sharp Knife and Hiccup showed up and we had a good evening talking about the trail ahead and Multi's experiences in Maine and Katahdin. Ready for Big Dawg to be back! Excited for tomorrow to be at the base of the Whites!