.July 19, 2006
One advantage of hiking the AT in little tiny sections is that you can somewhat hike around the weather. I have been waiting for perfect weather to climb Bigelow and it is here. I usually save my local AT hikes for Saturday, but the weather for this Wednesday is too good to pass up. Thanks to Don, my boss, who let me have the day off at the last minute, I will enjoy one of my best days on the trail. I could do the entire Bigelow Range in one day being crewed, but I have heard the area is so breathtaking that I have decided to do it in two sections so that I can really explore. Today I will be focusing on 'The Horns', Bigelow West Peak, and Avery Peak. Here we go....
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Up a log staircase
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I crossed Dick Brown's Bridge. This was a treat since there are very few bridges along the Maine section of the AT. The bridge is in memory of a man who diligently maintained a 3 mile section of the trail in the Bigelow Range for over 23 years.
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The first couple of miles were relatively easy. I went by the Cranberry Stream Campsite and then the climb started. Up, up, and up as the trail became much more strenuous. I reached Beaver Pond and then the junction with the Bigelow Range Trail which starts in Stratton. The trail became a pile of rocks and boulders with some
scrambling required. What trail???
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I reached a side trail for a view point so I decided to check it out. This would be my first view of the day with a look over to Sugarloaf Mountain.
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The view was great, but I know the views at the top will be even better. I found another view point which was just a few yards off the trail. It offered an excellent view of 'The Horns' with Horns Pond in the foreground. The AT will drop down to the pond and then up and over South Horn.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Horns Pond Trail Junction
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A couple of tenths of a mile more and I reached the Horns Pond Campsite. Time to do a little exploring. I followed a stone staircase down toward Horns Pond.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here's Horns Pond.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ There were plenty of tentsites in this no fee campsite as well as two leantos.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ This sign was quite informative. Usually a sign this deep in the woods only references a couple of places
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Did you notice the sign for the spring above? Well, here it is. Pretty fancy considering most springs just bubble out of the ground around rocks. The wooden box built into the ground would make it quite easy to filter water and fill bottles. I should have plenty of water for the day, so I continued on.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ After this I began the very steep climb up toward South Horn. About 3/4ths of the way up I came across the side trail that goes to North Horn. There was no sign here but this was the only trail my map was showing in the area. Earlier in the day when I looked across at 'The Horns' the summits looked wooded so I wasn't sure if there would be a view at the top. The peak is not on any peakbagging list that I know of and wasn't sure whether I should take the side trip, but since the name of my website is Eric Explores, I decided I better check it out. It was .2 miles to North Horn and well worth the extra effort. Just at the top, the trail comes out for nearly a complete 360 degree view with just a few trees obstructing the view to the north. I had a great view of South Horn, Flagstaff Lake, and here's a shot of the West Peak of Bigelow. As you can see, it's still a ways away.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I retraced my steps back to the AT and completed the steep climb up to South Horn which is on the list of New England's 100 highest.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Although only 11 feet higher than North Horn, North Horn doesn't make the list, because there is not enough of a drop between the two summits. So South Horn gets the glory of being on the list, but North Horn definitely has the better view. Although there was certainly nothing wrong with this view of Sugarloaf from South Horn.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I descended South Horn and entered back into the covering of the trees. There were lots of small ups and down for the next couple of miles. I was hoping once again that today would be the day to see a bear but no such luck. Today's wildlife would consists of hundreds of toads which were constantly hopping around the path and a few small snakes like the one below.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I came out from the trees and begin my ascent toward the rocky summit of West Bigelow.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I met a section hiker at the top named 'Fire Bug'. She took this picture of me on the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Firebug had a beautiful large black poodle who was very friendly and playful. Here's their picture. Her dog's name is Coal. Gee, I wonder why?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking ahead to Avery Peak
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The views here were just terrific. On a clear day like today, you can make out Mount Katahdin to the north and Mount Washington to the south. I believe I made out both peaks in the distance, that is if my calculations and bearings were correct. It is amazing to be able to see both mountains from the same point simple by turning around, especially considering that they are separated by about 330 Appalachian Trail miles. There was also a great view of Flagstaff Lake.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I began my descent into the
col between the two peaks where I met a southbound thru hiker named Allison. She gladly accepted an apple I offered her stating that it seemed like forever since she has had a piece of fruit. I continued down into the col and passed the Fire warden Trail. I'll be taking that trail out. There is a campsite in this area. This would be a beautiful place to spend the night. You could watch a sunset on either peak and still have time to get down to camp before it was completely dark. I then began the climb out of the col up toward Avery Peak.
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Here's a look back at the West Peak from the summit of Avery.
Both the Avery Peak and the West Peak are on my list of New England 4,000 footers. I am up to 39.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Another view of Flagstaff Lake
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ There's an old lookout cabin next to the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ On a nearby boulder, I found a plaque in memory of Myron Avery who the peak is named after. The original proposed northern terminus of the AT was Mount Washington. He is largely responsible for the AT being built through Maine ending at Katahdin.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I wanted to get a couple more miles in before heading back so I began the steep descent of the Avery Peak, but first I hid my pack behind the boulder so that I could freedom hike. It was a little discouraging knowing that I would have to come back this way in order to hike out. In about a half an hour I came to the side trail for 'Old Man's Head'. It was only 1/10th of a mile so I decided to take it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I was in for more great views. I had a view of Flagstaff that matched the views from the peaks. I also could look ahead to Little Bigelow although I will have to save that hike for another day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here's a look back at Avery Peak.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I made my way back to the AT and decided to head a little further down the mountain. As I neared the bottom of the mountain, I passed some boulders that were enormous. The one below was so big that I couldn't get the whole thing in the picture. I put my hiking pole next to it to give it some scale. I have a small arrow that I inserted showing where my pole is.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A few more minutes and I reached the junction with the Safford Brook Trail. That's far enough for today. I will have to complete this section another day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Time to begin the long steep ascent to the top of Bigelow, again. I passed a couple of hikers coming down. They had passed me before when I was coming down and they were going up. I could tell they were very confused about why I would be heading back up the mountain. I finally made it back up to the top. Somehow the view seemed even more astonishing. I guess having climbed to the peak twice I had a greater appreciation for it. I headed back down into the col where I met up with the Fire warden Trail. The next mile would be extremely, extremely steep. It drops 1300 feet in just .7 miles. But I was in for a surprise. Most of this section had wonderful stone staircases making it much easier. In fact, I came across a trail crew who were diligently working away.
Several crew members were positioning stones and several were in the woods digging the large stones out of the mountainside and dragging them across to put in place.
"So this is how these stone staircases get here," I said.
"This is how," one of them responded.
"They don't just grown there, huh?"
"I'm afraid not. There placed one heavy rock at a time."
"Thank you so much for all your hard work."
"Your welcome. You're the first hiker to use some of these staircases."
The staircase below must have just been built. I could tell from the loose dirt on the rocks. We had heavy thunderstorms yesterday and any loose dirt would have been washed away.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I continued my descent down the stone staircases and the trail nearly leveled out. I went by Moose Falls Campsite although I did not see or hear any waterfalls in the area. I made my way to Stratton Brook Pond where I got one last look at the two peaks of Bigelow.
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The Fire Warden Trail then follows along Stratton Brook Pond
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The trail ends here at a small parking lot. I saw the van and trailer that belongs to the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. I am still almost two miles from my truck so I began the walk down the dirt road. After about a mile the road intersects with the AT. I got back on the AT and followed it for nearly a mile until I got back to my truck. This was one very long day. The hike took me 11.5 hours. On the drive home there was someone by the side of the road signaling to slow down. I slowed down and looked ahead. There were no accidents. Then I saw a moose cross an intersection. I was so exhausted from my hike I didn't get out to take his picture but took his picture through the windshield of my truck so it is not that clear.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It is so ironic. I spend nearly 12 hours in the woods. I see no wildlife bigger than a squirrel and then see a moose on the way home at a fairly busy intersection. Notice the sign in the picture. Apparently this moose can read.
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