Date: 2016-08-27
To: Bog Brook Rd./Flagstaff Lake
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Destination: Bog Brook Rd./Flagstaff LakeStart: ME 27, StrattonMiles planned: 16.8Miles hiked: ~ 1.5 on the trail north, 10.4 on trail hiked the previous dayI got up at 3 AM, dressed, ate, and stowed my gear in the van. Steve and I donned our headlamps and headed out at 3:30. We crossed the paved road (ME 27), found the trail marker, and headed into the woods. It was a challenge to keep a normal pace in the dark. Not long into the hike I missed a turn and ended up off the trail. The trail in this section is well-trod and clear of undergrowth, so I quickly realized I was off the trail when I saw some scrubby undergrowth. When I got back on the trail I saw the reflectors on the back of Steve¢s hiking shoes ahead of me. I continued on with Steve a bit ahead. Then I missed another sharp turn. Again I quickly realized my mistake and headed back. Again I saw Steve not too far ahead. The third time this happened I was off the trail a bit longer before I realized my mistake. When I got back onto the trail I didn¢t see Steve¢s reflectors ahead of me. I didn¢t think anything of this though; I assumed he¢d just gotten a bit further ahead of me. I continued on this flat part of the trail for quite a while. Around 4:30 I reached a paved road where a lot of cars were parked and some people were milling around. As I looked for the trail marker some people yelled, ¢Hey! Where are you going?¢ Focused on finding the continuation of the trail, I thought to myself, Why are those crazy people yelling at me? I found the trail marker and headed back up the trail.   According to the AWOL guide, Cranberry Stream campsite was 1.8 miles into the hike. By the time I crossed the paved road I¢d been hiking about an hour. Estimating my speed at a mile and a half an hour I figured I should see the campsite within half an hour. I started looking for it. A long time went by, and I didn¢t see it. I began to wonder if I¢d missed it or if I¢d misjudged my pace. As the trail headed uphill I started to worry. I should have seen the campsite before the trail turned uphill. Gradually the sky began to lighten. As it did, I realized that the sun was rising on my left. Heading north, the sun should have risen on my right (east). It gradually dawned on me that I was heading south rather than north, and I¢d been doing so for a long time. I sat down to think. I decided to keep hiking in that direction until I reached a trail marker to confirm where I was. By the time I reached the North Crocker Mountain marker, it was already far too late to go back to the starting point and head north. It was 5.2 miles back to ME 27. I turned around and headed back there. Near the bottom of the mountain I met two nice women from Massachusetts and stopped to talk to them for a while. I got back to the parking lot at noon. Words are inadequate to describe just how terrible I felt. I felt stupid, frustrated, embarrassed, and very disappointed at missing the day¢s hike. The section we were to have hiked ¢ over the Bigelows ¢ is reputed to be some of the most spectacular scenery on the entire AT. Also, my budding confidence that I could follow the trail took a nosedive. My car was in the lot. I decided to drive to Bog Brook Road, where the day¢s hike was to end, and wait for the group. This wasn¢t as easy as it sounds. I didn¢t have a Maine map detailed enough to show the small gravel road that was our destination, and I didn¢t have any cell phone coverage to get directions from the internet. Finally I drove into Stratton and got directions from someone at the Stratton Motel. I got to Bog Brook Road around 3 o¢clock. Not long after I arrived a hiker emerged from the woods. He introduced himself as Bruce. He said there was a lake nearby and invited me to go for a swim. We walked a short way to Flagstaff Lake and took a refreshing swim in water that was colder than I expected for this late in the summer. Afterwards we chatted about hiking. Folks from my group began arriving. The last person arrived around 5 o¢clock. We sat on rocks at the edge of the parking lot and ate dinner. They told me I shouldn¢t feel so bad about getting turned around, that it happens to everyone. Several people gave me strategies for avoiding it. The ones I remember are these:Left off, left on/right off, right on: if you turn left to leave the trail for a shelter, etc., you turn left when you get back on the trail. This will keep you going in the same direction.When leaving the trail, place your hiking stick on the ground pointed in the direction you¢re headed. When you pick the stick back up, head in the direction the stick is pointed.If you haven¢t seen a blaze in 15 minutes turn around. I guess this would apply equally to reaching a landmark such as the campsite I¢d been looking for. When I didn¢t find it at the time I estimated, I should not have continued more than 15 minutes in that direction without turning around. On a positive note, my new shoes were great. They didn¢t touch my blisters, so I had no pain while hiking. Not having improved in my tarp pitching skills, I again slept in my car.