Date: 2009-09-23
From: Stafford Notch Campsite

To: Stratton
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up and out a bit late, not on the trail until nearly 8. Bad move but it is hard to get up early when I go to bed late. It was still quite warm. It did not get below 60 last night. But the sky was overcast and there were a few sprinkles but mostly cloud mist. I took a picture of Ja El before I left. He was so nice to help out the old lady hiker. He is thru hiking the AT for the 4th time. I headed up Avery Peak. Some of the trail was pretty rough and required use of hands as well as feet and poles. I figured I would be doing well to get on top in 2&1/2 hours and so it was. On the way up I could see the wind pushing the clouds around the mountain. It would not be a good day for views. Too bad as this is one of the more spectacular mountains in Maine for views. Oh well. I had a spectacular day on Katahdin and no one gets all views. Near the top I met Neil, whose trail journal I had followed. And on the other side I met Franklin. I had hiked in sports bra (and did so all day) but on top I put on my rainjacket as the wind was fiercely blowing the clouds around. The picture on top only showed the outline of an old lookout tower through the mist. I picked my way down even worse rocks into the notch between the twin peaks and then up again the other side to West Peak. It was interesting to see the pattern of wetness on the rocks. Where the wind pushed the clouds into trees it had loosed the wetness of the cloud but much of the trail had such wet rocks to the right but the left side of the trail was dry. Interesting. On West Peak I met 3 young peak baggers. I think they came directly up from Flagstaff Lake. While I talked with them there was a momentary clearing in the clouds revealing Flagstaff Lake. I quickly snapped a shot before the view again completely disappeared. I had no time to sit around waiting for another break in the weather as I had 7&1/2 miles and 3,000 ft of descent to go and it was not long before noon. I was way behind schedule. On the way down to Horns Pond I met Kairos, One Step, 4x4, Moose, Bear Paw, and Stickman going up. I stopped at Horns Pond Leanto for a rather quick bite of lunch, leaving after 3. I still had 5 miles to go over rough trail with about 2,000 ft of descent. While at Horns Pond I met Iceman, Katywampus, AquaFreash, Gordon Bombay, Sarge and his dog, Jade, Charlie the Chef, and Mango. Shortly after, I met Bam Bam who told me of a pretty view spot. Thanks, Bam Bam. It was nice to have a view of any kind on this foggy, cloudy day. The rest of the way down was a fight against time while going down what was sometimes very demandng and steep trail requiring hands and feet. I am always well aware that all it takes is one mis-step to come crashing down several feet banging soft body parts and bones on unyeilding rock. I am an old lady and I move very slowly and carefully. Some of this trail is such that getting a mile done in an hour is a great accomplishment for me. I actually enjoy the challenge of the more difficult parts. I always have liked climbing around on rocks and each difficult section on rock is like a puzzle to figure out which way would be the best and safest for an old lady with a bad leg. I like puzzles. But I sometimes laugh at myself as I turn around like a cat trying to decide: straight down? back down? go sideways? which hand holds or footholds would be best? And it all takes time. I can do it all. I can do it safely. But I am dreadfully slow. The lower I went the more fall color was apparent. The trail was lined with orange and gold as well as green. I came close to getting to the road before dark but the last half mile was by headlamp. I called the Hostel/motel and after sitting on the side of the highway for 20 minutes, I was picked up by Drifter, Circuit Rider and   . The only place open was a store that had sandwiches or pizza. I bought a 10 inch pizza and a quart of chocolate and one of plain milk and retired to my motel room to eat and drink and get clean. Well, if the last two days were a test, I honestly don't know whether to say I passed or failed. I did accomplish my goals, just not in the daylght. But I am glad to be clean and fed and in bed and life is good.