Date: 2018-10-06
From: Glen Brook Shelter 

To: Limestone Spring Shelter 
Miles today: 17.1

I awoke at 5:55 and got up to take care of some urgent business. It was still dark so I used my headlamp to guide me, and it revealed a heavy mist moving through the forest. Wait a minute . . . The forecast last night indicated that today would be sunny and clear all day. So much for forecasting in New England. I got my food bag out of the bear box, returned to my tent, got back into my sleeping bag and made coffee and egg drop soup (ramen with two fresh eggs poached in it) from the comfort of my bed as the sky lightened. Sunrise was at 6:53. After breakfast, I packed up and changed into my hiking clothes which I had hung up to dry yesterday when I arrived at the campsite. Thanks to the mist, they were now a good deal wetter than when I hung them up 12 hours earlier. I hit the trail at 8:05 and immediately climbed 700 feet in 1.2 miles to the summit of Mt Everett - the last 500 feet in 0.6 miles. The visibility was about 200 feet, so the view from the summit, where the trees were 8 to 12 feet tall, was spectacular :-). The descent, 700 feet in 0.7 miles over wet rocks was also challenging, but kinda fun. It was cute, I thought to myself: Massachusetts trying to be The White Mountains or Maine. Mt Everett was followed by Mt Race; easier up and down but similar open summit and stunning views of dense water vapor.After descending from Mt Race, I traversed Sages ravine which is parallel to and close to the MA/CT boarder. The trail is parallel to and crosses Sawmill Brook in the ravine, and the recent rains had swollen the brook to the point that it had to be forded rather than rock-hopped across. Massachusetts AT trying to be Maine again. Very cute. It did slow me down, though. On the south side of the ford is an erroneous sign claiming to be the MA/CT boarder, and, since the real boarder is not marked, I decided to take a selfie there (today¢s picture).After crossing the state line, I climbed up Bear Mountain - 800 feet in 0.7 miles. Connecticut trying to be Maine or The Whites. How very cute! Bear Mountain, it turns out, is the highest point in Connecticut at 2316 feet. The summit was enveloped in clouds.Despite being not all that high, it seemed that there would have been some nice views from Mt Everett, Race Mountain and Bear Mountain. It being a Saturday either forecasted clear skies, there were quite a few locals out for day hikes. All lamented the cloud cover. Perhaps we¢ll have to come back and do this section on a clear day.I ate lunch at Brassie Brook Shelter and enjoyed the company of 6 guys with the Connecticut Appalachian Mountain Club who had come up to the shelter to clean out the moldering privy and some maintenance on the shelter. Oh boy! What a fun job! Thanks very much guys. We hikers really appreciate your work.  The afternoon hike was mostly level or downhill, with a little uphill after passing near Salisbury, CT. The town, 0.8 miles from the trail, was having its fall festival, but I did not go in as I didn¢t need anything material and did need the time for hiking. With sunset getting earlier and earlier, I¢m trying to get to camp no later than 5:30 now.  I arrived at Limestone Spring Shelter after hiking down 240 feet on a half-mile side trail. There¢s a beautiful waterfall next to the side trail and the shelter site is also beautiful. There¢s an excellent spring right by the shelter as well. I¢m the only one in the shelter tonight. I¢ve opted for staying in the shelter as there¢s a 30 % chance of rain tonight starting at midnight. It is now 9:20 PM and the rain had begun. Sigh. I¢m dry, well fed and enjoying the sounds of the summer insects in the forest and rain drops on the shelter roof.