Date: 2018-07-11
From: Little Rock Pond Shelter

To: Governor Clement Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: fog

I was the first hiker at the shelter to hit the trail. Still, 0730 felt like a late start. The path hugged the east bank of the Little Rock Pond for about a half mile. A light fog hung over the cool water. No moose going for an early morning swim today. After leaving the pond it was a steady climb for the next couple of miles. There were lots of rocks and roots and they were still wet from the rain. I quickly worked up a sweat in the thick air. It was slow going over a series of ups and downs. Getting traction and finding a rhythm were difficult. Plus, I just felt a little sluggish. The trail eventually rose to a manmade Rock Garden (cairns). From there the trail started a long descent to Bully Brook and then across Russell Road. Then came the climb up Bear Mountain. The 1,200¢ over 1.8 miles took a toll on me. My Dad once said, ¢Some days you get the bear and some days the bear gets you.¢ Well this bear certainly got the best of me today. It¢s all good training though. The trail started to mellow a bit as I came down Bear mountain and through Patch Hollow. It was neary 2PM when I stopped at the Minerva Hichey Shelter to eat lunch. I had only covered 10 miles to that point. There was a short climb after the shelter. I got cell signal towards the top so I called to check on WW. Between the lunch break and hearing WW¢s voice, I was finally starting to find my groove. It helped that the trail softened considerably and the sun had dried any remaining rock obstacles. The trail started a long descent to Clarendon Gorge. A suspension bridge at the bottom of the gorge crossed over the Mill River.It was a bit of a scramble out of the gorge. However, a cool north breeze was being channeled through the canyon walls. Ahhh, the trail provides. The high point coming out of the canyon is called Beacon Hill. Yes, there is a beacon (FAA signal tower) on top of the hill. After reaching the top, I descended about 400¢, crossing a couple of gravel roads and streams. The last road/stream crossing was the Cold River Road. From there it was an easy three mile push to the shelter. The trail followed the sect moving Sergeant Brook, gaining 600¢ in elevation. For the most part the trail was smooth, just what the feet need after 10 hours of hiking. On the way up I passed a sign on a tree that indicated that it was 500 miles to Katahdin. Wow! It seems so long ago when WW and I reached the 500 mile mark from Springer Mtn. Closing in, but still a lot of challenging hiking in front of me. At least 200-300 of the remaining miles will likely be the hardest on the AT. I reached the shelter at 1830 and saw no one I knew. Tent sites were scattered all around the area. I found a secluded spot and set up camp. This is the first time in a while that I set up the tent. As I pitched the tent, it dawned on me why I had been subconsciously opting for the less cozy shelter lately. WW loved sleeping in the tent and we always set it up together. It makes me a little sad every time I do it on my own. The day got off to a sluggish start, but the second half went well. Looking forward to a good night¢s sleep. I will need it for the climb over Killington Peak in the morning.Peace & Blessings - NSElevation Data:Ascent - 4,610Descent - 4,570Grade - 8.9Weather:Day - 72 / SunnyNight - 51 / ClearOver The Horizon: Killington Peak, VT