Date: 2014-09-11
From: Speck Pond Shelter

To: Dunn Notch & Falls
Miles today: 14.1

I couldn't tell if the pitter patter hitting the tent was rain or pine cones. Lately the pine cones have been dropping everywhere causing the squirrels to go into a frenzy and gobble them up. They make these chirping noises that sound like they're cursing you out whenever you go near them because they think you're trying to steal them. Unfortunately it wasn't pines cones hitting the tent but rain which is a great way to start the day. It more of a misty rain with the wind blowing pretty hard and the temperature in the thirties,it made packing up and heading out a slow process this morning.    Right off the bag we had a rock climb and then cautiously hiking up slippery flat rock faces with nothing to hold on to,sometimes I think we're defying the laws of physics. After the climb up we had a long four mile hike down to Grafton Notch which took a bit and everything was slick but there was some trail magic in the form of soda so that was a morale booster. Grafton Notch had a parking lot with a bathrooms and a garbage can which we were excited for as everything we pack in food wise gets packed out so all that packaging adds up after three or four days. We hung out there for a little bit as we met up with Ladybug and Bullseye who we've been leapfrogging with and G Hippie who thru hiked in the late nineties I believe and had some time off from work so he's been follows the bubble and providing trail magic. He told us after the next mountain we hike over,Bladpate Mountain, the terrain won't be as intense as the beginning of Maine and we'll be able to put some miles down.    So we started the steep ascent up Baldpate Mountain that had not one but two peaks we had to climb over so we had that to look forward to. The mountains here have an alpine zone which is where the trees are coniferous such as pine trees and are on the smaller side, about five to right feet high. It's mostly exposed rock face that we hike with the smaller trees in sporadic places. So we get to the top of the first peak and there's a saddle in between the two peaks and it's foggy,rainy and windy out and for ten seconds the for lifts and we see the second peak looking over us. It was all exposed rock and you could see the cairns dotted along the mountain all the way to the top, I just shook my head,laughed and off we went.   I wasn't laughing for too long as the wind blew me over a few times while trying to get up this mountain. It was more climbing than hiking and the ledges to put your hands and feet on were on a few inches wide so you had to make sure you had a good grip before hoisting yourself up. It didn't help that the wind was battering me from the right side so only one lens of my glasses was getting soaked and I essentially became blind,it was definitely the scariest moment on the trip so far.   We finally got to the top and the hike down was no better. It's was all slick rock face that we had to carefully go down. In some areas there were trees and tree roots to hold onto while making my way down and when all else failed and I sat on my butt and slid down, I have no shame. We made to to the Frye Notch Shelter where someone started a fire and left it going,it was odd but the warmth was welcomed. It was only around four thirty so we decided to hike on and we ended up staying along the shores of a stream that fed into the Dunn Falls. While filling our water bags for dinner I had another one of those 'I'm going to miss this' moment. The routine of setting up camp and going down to the river or stream was always a favorite of mine and now to think in a few weeks all I have to do is then the faucet and I'll have my water. It's the little things out here that make it so worthwhile.