Date: 2023-07-11
From: Spaulding Mountain Lean-to

To: ME 27
Miles today: 13.5

It rained all night - it didn't stop until 5 this morning, when I started to get ready to go. I chatted briefly with Plunger and Skippy. They were thinking of renting a car after they finish the AT - sounds fun! They left around 6, and I headed out around 6:30.The trail was a cascading stream of the rainfall heading up to Spaulding Mountain. Around 8:45, I got to a junction for a high water route that goes up to the Sugarloaf Mountain summit, then down to the highway. After rain all day yesterday, then all night, that was the route I should have taken, in retrospect. But it was not the route I chose, because I was thinking the high water route was for dire circumstances.I saw a view through the clouds as I descended to Carabassett River. The descent was steep and took me a while. I think I got down to the river around 10:30. The river was raging - high water level and a swift current. Plunger and Skippy were there, going up and down river to find a way across. They had already tried fording, but it got up to chest deep. Fording tgrough this river in the wrong spot could easily eesult in a slip and being carried downstream, out of control, and potentially drowning. They were thinking of climbing back up to do the high water route. I was not enthusiastic about backtracking and climbing up three steep miles.I also looked for a way across, heading a little further upriver. There was one spot with rocks, but the current was much swifter, and between two big boulders that would require a jump of desperation. That was not a risk I was willing to take.Over an hour had passed, and I returned to the footpath. I saw Plunger again. He was speaking with others who had since arrived at the crossing. They were thinking of bushwhacking downriver, where they think they would find two tributaries we could cross to eventually get to a golfing area near the Sugarloaf ski resort. Still wanting to avoid backtracking and climbing, I decided to go along with it.So, I, Plunger, Skippy, and three others started the bushwhack downriver. The ground was muddy, unstable, and even more poorly sloped than the trail. (At this point, that latter characteristic might seem hard to believe.) I lost my balance and fell several times. We continued at it for about 20 minutes. Then, I caught up to Plunger Skippy, and a Maine section hiker from the lean-to last night, who were waiting. The other two had continued onward, and were out of sight.The three were discussing what to do, and in step, Plunger asked what I was thinking. After all the crossing attempts and the slipping through the bushwhack, I was fatigued and wasn't sure what to say. I just went with what was in front of me. I told them I was not a fan of this bushwhack, and if I had to, I'd climb back up to the high water route junction to avoid wasting more time. To my surprise, my tired blather made sense to them -- or perhaps they felt similarly -- and we started to return to the trail.After about ten minutes of walking towards the footpath, Plunger spotted a small island in the river. It separated the river into two branches briefly. One branch was easily crossable on rocks. The other still required a ford, but it was narrower than where the river was at the trail crossing, and the current was not as swift. Plunger was intrigued and wanted to check it out. After he told me all that about the branches, I was just about sold as well. I followed him across the first branch to the island. He started folding the second branch. I watched as he crossed it. He made it!As he started to tie a rope to a tree, I decided to try out the second branch myself. I moved slowly across it, getting knee, then waist, then chest deep. I was about halfway across, and nearing the swiftest part of the current, when Plunger headed back into the river with the rope. I was reaching him, and he extended his hand. I took it, and he pulled. I was surprised at how well it was helping. The current might have toppled me without his help. I made it across successfully - drenched, but safe.Plunger had continued back towards the island and tied the rope to another tree. He helped the section hiker start across the branch. She continued across. I got into the water, held on to the rope, and when she got close, I held out my hand, and she reached for it. I helped her as we both clung to the rope. At one point, I asked her if she felt my hand was unnecessary -- thought maybe I was overdoing it, or that she was annoyed -- but she insisted that I keep holding on to hers. I did, and she made it across. I similarly helped out with Skippy. I knew full well that Plunger didn't need my help. Finally, we were all across! I was shaken after the ford, but it was also an exhilarating feeling, and we were all relieved. I was so grateful I was with them.We were about a half mile from the footpath. We got back to it, and it was about 2:30. We hadn't even made it to the designated campsite past the shelter where we stayed last night! Thank goodness I did not press on past the lean-to yesterday.We continued up the two Crocker mountains. After four hours of turmoil, climbing 1900 feet over two miles sermed like a relief. Still, I took a half hour break at the South Crocker Mountain around 3:30 because it was sunny and there was a nice view at the summit. The descent down, then climb up to North Crocker Mountain didn't seem bad at all - got there around 5. From there, it was a more gentle descent of 3000 feet over five miles to ME 27, where I arrived a little before 7.I had called the hostel where I made a reservation a couple days ago that I would not make the 4:30 pick-up time during my break, but they said to call anyway, because they still might be able to pick me up. I had also chatted with Plunger and Skippy about staying last night, but they didn't seem committed.  Turns out they wanted to just go into town, resupply, and head to the next campsite another couple miles in. That was doable for me, but I wanted to relax, especially after that harrowing river crossing experience. Anyway, a shuttle came by that they ended up using to go to a grocery store. A young lady from the hostel arrived around the same time. We bade farewell for the time being, and I hoped to see them again. For a thru hiker months into the journey, the Hostel of Maine seemed pretty posh for a $45 stay. Open kitchen with dinners and ice cream for sale; resupply store with snacks, a couple different bathrooms; and a large lounging room area with comfortable chairs, decorative tables, board games, and books. Fast Wi-Fi too. After checking in, I took a shower and opted for the laundry service. Then, after getting partly resupplied at the hostel, I headed to a nearby grocery store to get produce, some cold beverages, dinner, and more food for resupply.The same person picked me up from the grocery store on her way to picking up a couple more people from the ME 27 trailhead. What luck! I could use more of that.I spent the rest of the evening eating, uploading photos, catching up on journal entries, and lounging. Then went to sleep in a comfortable bunk with clean linens around 11.