Date: 2014-07-28
From: Popular Ridge Lean-To mile 209.7

To: Maine 4, Rangeley, Maine mile 220.410.7 miles 
Miles today: 10.7

We ended up with the shelter filled to its capacity at six hikers and two others in hammocks outside. I slept well despite the crowd and clammy conditions. The rain continued through the night and came down hard in spurts confirming that the decision to stop at noon and stay at the shelter had been the right call. I got up at 5:00 am and packed quietly with the goal of getting over the high ridges before today's rain began. Although I was the first one up, I am not as efficient s other hikers and still was one of the last to leave. Following Nathan's example I took time to heat water for coffee and following the advise of another hiker put both coffee and hot chocolate mix in my cup to make an adequate trail mocha. I had three mountains to climb over to get to Highway 4 and Rangeley: Little Saddleback, the Horne, and Saddleback. Saddleback is the highest with a mile ridge-walk on top and a steep descent. I made it up the first two by noon walking and rock climbing in mist and clouds. The views from the tops are supposed to be great, but all I got to see was the next white blaze through the mist. At noon the rain started back. My rain jacket and pants protected me pretty well, but the steep climbs up wet rocks with dropoffs I could not see down were scary. The ridgewalk on top of Saddleback was chilly and windy, but flat easy walking along the granite face. I only met two northbound hikers all day. They were out braving the rain pushing toward Katahdin to finish their hikes. The steep climb down from the ridge over wet boulders was the most precarious part of the day. Traction on the rough granite was pretty good even when wet, but heeding Nathan's warning that wet rocks are slippery, I took the time to use roots and crannies to climb down whenever I could. In some places I had no option but to trust the traction of my boots on the sloping boulders. It worked most of the time, but I slipped and fell several times. Fortunately my only injury was a scraped hand. By the time I was half way down the mountain I was miserable enough that I labeled the day as an "I want my mama" day. Half way down from the Saddleback ridge I came across a Maine Department of conservation trail building crew constructing new rock steps. The muddy, hard working young people were in great spirits and proud of their handiwork. They showed me the cable they had rigged between large trees to move big rocks from up the mountain to their worksite on the trail to build the steps and water runoff guides to protect them. I thanked them for their service and was the first hiker to christen the last few steps they had laid. The girls on the crew were wrestling big boulders into place as well as the boys. They made proud heirs to the original CCC crews. Despite the rain and resulting puddles along the trail I managed to keep my feet relatively dry in my boots until the last few miles of the day. But then the puddles became so deep with no rocks to stand on or stepping spaces around them that I finally stepped in one over the top of my boots and I had to walk for a mile or so with boots full of water until I reached Piazza Rock Lean-To two miles from the highway and stopped to empty my boots and ring out my socks and boot liners.   On the way from the shelter to the road I passed three brave leaders with a pack of a dozen cup scouts hiking in to camp at the Piazza shelter. Although I was wet and miserable, the kids were all enthusiastic about their adventure with high spirits and no grumbling. I tried though the afternoon after I got back below the tree line to call a B&B in Rangeley, but AT&T service would not work. Just after I hit the highway and started hitch hiking, Queequeg, a fellow from Massachusetts with cabin on the lake in Rangeley picked me up explaining he spends his spare time during his vacation providing a free shuttle for hikers over the nine miles from the trailhead to town. The North Country Inn B&B is a beautiful old home overlooking the lake right next to downtown. Lauren and Sue made me welcome and helped me start the process of drying out. The long wet day made my shoulder strap injury worse. I did not have much pain through the day, but when I took my shirt off I found large, ugly green sores on each shoulder. I will take a day off tomorrow and hope they heal. Rangeley has lots of restaurant options, but after my shower it was getting late so I settled for a salad, pizza and beer at the Red Onion before collapsing in a soft dry bed.