Date: 2018-08-07
From: ME RT 27 - Stratton, ME

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a short walk from the White Wolf Inn to the General Store. I stopped in around 0530 to eat breakfast and grab a cup of coffee. It was 0545 when I stepped out on ME 27 and stuck my thumb out and had a ride within 30 seconds from a mountain biker driving a pickup. I knew then that it would be a good day. Jarred dropped me off at 0600 and I was on my way. Storms were in the forecast for the afternoon and I wanted to get over the Bigelow Range before they hit. The first order of business was a 2,500¢ ascent up North Horn Mountain. After crossing Cranberry Stream the trail sloped gently upwards for about 2 miles. I passed a sign on a tree marking the 2,000 mile point. It must have been placed there 4-5 years ago when the trail was a little shorter. It is off by about 3 miles now. Shortly after passing a beaver bog I came to Horns Pond Lean-to. Hydro and some of his counterparts from the Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) recently constructed a new privy here. I stopped to ¢inspect¢ it. Good job Hydro! After Horns Pond the grade steepened and I made a final push to the summit of the North Horn Mountain. From there the trail descended about 500¢ then ascended another 1,000¢ to the Bigelow West Peak. Before the climb started I heard a rumble of thunder. Hmm, it¢s early. I checked the radar and it looked like the storm was going to slide just to the north. I put the rain cover on my pack for insurance. A brief sprinkle is all that came from it. The climb up the West Peak was spread over 1.7 miles. The final 1/2 mile was very steep and rocky. Before long, the granite summit rose above the Dwarf Spruce. Above tree line the wind picked up and the air cooled. The Peak was just 4,150¢ high, but when I worked my way up the final heap of rocks it felt as if I was approaching the top of the world. The views in all directions were spectacular!Looking south I could see the Crockers and Sugarloaf Mtn. To the north was Flagstaff Lake. If you pull up a map of Maine and find the section that the AT passes through, you will find a lot of water. Impressive on a map. To see it all from above is indescribable! Looking east beyond the rocky ridge was the next mountain to conquer, Avery Peak. It is the last of the 4,000 footers heading north until Katahdin. I stopped at the saddle between the two peaks for lunch then worked my way to the top of Avery Peak. More amazing views. This is what it is all about for me. Laboring up the mountains on a steamy morning make the experience on the summit so much more meaningful. God is good! I saw a boulder with a plaque stand just below the summit of Avery Peak. It is to honor Myron H. Avery (1899-1952), a forefather of the AT.  From Avery Peak Little Bigelow Mountain can be seen in the distance. It was a 2 mile, 1,800¢ descent to Stafford Notch, where I walked among huge boulders. From the notch it was another 2 mile, 800¢ climb to Little Bigelow. The trail continued along the ledges of Little Bigelow for about a mile. The sound of thunder warned of an approaching storm. It was a 1.6 mile, 1,200¢ drop to the Little Bigelow Lean-to. I made it to the blue blaze trail leading to the lean-to at 4:30PM. The trail crossed a stream where I filled my dirty bag up. The rain came just seconds after I ducked in the lean-to. I love it when a plan comes together! Peace and BlessingsNext StepElevation Data:Ascent - 5,010Descent - 4,630Grade - 11.9Weather:Day - 79 / Partly Sunny; StormsNight - 65 / StormsOver The Horizon: Kennebec River