Still slipping and sliding in the Camden Hills

8 mile loop hike from Carriage Rd. trail head

The day was dry, but the footing was often wet, but I made it up and around with nothing more than wet feet on today’s training hike.
The mandatory picture from the top of Mt. Megunticook shows the remains of snow along the edge of the plowed Mt. Battie Road.

Enough Said

Two miles of trail from Ocean Lookout back to the top of Megunticook and then down the Ridge Trail to Jack Williams Trail (JWT) is still covered with appreciable snow, and even ice floes on the descent to the connector to JWT. I didn’t have traction devices with me and had to switchback along the untrodden snow to get down from the ridge.

It’s a mixed blessing to be walking in the Park this week, with more snow predicted tonight, April 12.

Birthday present: Walking eight miles in the rain over snow

In the wee hours of the morning ( 4:12 AM), I realized that the weather would not compel many friends to accompany me on my birthday walk in the Park today:

First This !

I don’t work on my birthday. At least one day of my life should be scheduled to be free of responsibilities to the economic machine!   Tonight will also feature a  full moon, plus today is the anniversary of my setting foot on my first National Scenic Trail thru- hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2007.

Marcia got up to make me a birthday breakfast, along with providing a few cards and gifts.  She’s the best.

Double espresso, eggs, croissant, presents!

I knew that I would be going it alone today, but hoped that I’d have some company in the Ski Shelter that I rented for tonight in the Camden Hills.

I’m fortunate to live here, where I can look out two big glass windows and take in a view of the valley and assess my destination today, up and over the sloping back side of the Camden Hills.  After breakfast, I put on my Patagonia Specter rain jacket, shouldered my loaded pack, slide my hands into the rain mitts and under the straps of my Leki poles, and  proceeded to walk across town, my own march to the sea.

I started walking on the crumbling snow coating the abandoned Proctor Road. It’s slippery underfoot, but I tried walking without traction devices on my feet and it seemed good. I’m getting used to walking again with a full pack. It feels familiar, but a bit uncomfortable, like a draft horse in a dry old harness that both need to loosen up a bit.

After I walked through some mud at the other end of the Proctor Road I wind my way down through Lincolnville Center. It’s been easy going so far, mostly downhill. Now the climb starts, first up the Thurlow Road, where it gets sketchier on an abandoned section that eventually crosses Youngtown Road, where it  dumps me onto a snowmobile trail that heads up the back side of Cameron Mtn.  This time of the year the terrain appears foreign, primarily due to the lack of leaves, so the tunnels seem lighter, longer, and more desolate. It’s cold, spitting light rain from the sky, and as long as I’m moving,  I’m comfortable but I’m getting tired.  I’ve been moving steady and at a good clip for two hours straight.

I forgot to pack snacks. I  turned left at the base of Cameron and planned to take the downhill to link onto the Multipurpose trail. If you are following the map, I am right at the “4″ mark.   I take a brief rest,  reach into the pack,  eat one of the lemon-filled cupcakes that Marcia made me for my birthday, and drink a pint of water from Tiki-man. My lower abdomen still is uncomfortable, residual healing from the hernia surgery from 5 weeks ago. The doctor tells me to walk through it, and assured me that I am healing well.

I really hope that more healing is done by the time I leave for the CDT in 16 days.

Two of my friends, Karl Gottshalk and Pat Hurley came by after 4 PM to  spend the night in the shelter with me.  Pat and I  grilled up steaks out in one of the grill stations, and then we ate cake, provided by Karl. !

La, La, la!

I plan to put in 9 more days of hiking, alternated with 9 rest days. I’m following the conditioning program favored by Ray Jardine, where I hope to culminate on a 12 mile day over these hills with 35 pounds in my pack. That should do it.

Join me in the Camden Hills Wednesday night

Join me in the Camden Hills, on March 27, the anniversary of my first night of my 2007 Appalachian Trail hike, and also my birthday.

I’ve rented the Ski Shelter for the night, with 6 bunks available for any hikers or bikers who want to spend the night.

Ski Shelter

My treat. The cabin is insulated, with a wood stove, and ample dry firewood to warm the space. It’s 2.9 miles, and about an hour’s walk on the Multipurpose Trail from Lincolnville side parking lot, so even those who have to work on Thursday morning (that would be me) can work this out. Walking from the Route 1 side is even shorter miles) . A clean outhouse awaits you ( with toilet paper!) , with fresh snow melt water available from the stream nearby. Bring your own food, etc. and a headlamp or light. It’ll be dark inside without them , but the full moon should help illuminate the event.

Occupy Bald Rock Mountain !

Tenzing and I celebrated our last full moon campout in the Park in December of 2011, when we stayed on top of Bald Rock Mountain, where close to 20 people stopped by the fire to say hello.

I’ll be hiking the Camden Hills in the daytime and plan to be in the shelter  by 5 PM.

Hope to roust up some company. If you’ve never had the chance to spend the night in the shelter, this is the best deal in Camden !

Eleven miles- not exactly a walk in the State Park

Super pleased with walking 11 miles today over snow and/or ice.  It’s now been 4 weeks since my hernia surgery and I still am under wraps, with two more weeks of restricted activity before I’m cleared to add significant weight to my backpack.  I had 10 pounds in my pack today, and a couple of extra pounds under my belt, after the Polish food fest that the three Jamrogs and V8 put on last night.  Here’s the main course, cooked on the wood stove, of course. Serious kielbasa, sauerkraut, and 4 types of pierogis in action:

Seven of us spent last night at the Ski Shelter, which is located between the words Brook and Valley at the bottom of the map photo.

My brother Roy, and my traveling partners Tenzing and Pat left the shelter at 9 AM and did the toughest stuff first.

Here’s where we went.

• Ski Lodge Trail to Zeke’s
• Zeke’s to Cameron Mountain Trail
• Cameron Mountain Trail to Sky Blue ( my favorite)
• Sky Blue trail to Ski Lodge Trail
• Ski Lodge Trail to top of Bald Rock Mt.
• “Unmarked Path down to Frohock Mt. Trail
•  Frohock Mt. Trail to summit of Frohock
• Backtrack up to top of Bald Rock
• Bald Rock down to Ski Lodge Trail–>Return to Ski Shelter

We left the shelter at 9 AM and were back by 3 PM.  We all had on various types of traction devices strapped to the bottom of our feet. 

There were numerous sections of trail that were solid ice, and there’s just no use taking chances on a fall.  Hiking poles helped.  It was cold all day, never breaking freezing, and in the afternoon, a northerly breeze felt like someone left the refrigerator door ajar.  I feel fortunate to be living in an area where I get to walk over refrozen snow, and also to do a bit of afternoon postholing.  Why?

There is a piece of the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado that has a couple hundred miles of walking up over 12,000 feet, and I expect to be on snow for all of that section.  This Maine trail is nearly constantly treacherous, with refrozen pits and holes from previous travelers scattered all over the path.  It’s a great workout for strengthening the ankles, if you don’t sprain or break one yourself.  Here’s a picture of Roy on the Sky Blue Trail, where we encountered an ancient fieldstone wall, one probably set up from 1830-1850, when the trees had been harvested

and the land was likely populated by sheep.

Coming back from Frohock Mountain there were three decent hills we had to get up an over.  Here’s Tenzing leading Roy up the sometimes obscured trail. 

And in the morning, we used plastic sleds to help lighten the loads on our backs.  Auntie Mame pulled lead up the hill out of Spring Brook. 

Everyone member of this group pitched in to make the whole weekend a non-stop party.  The hiker kind of deal.

Training in 2013

Since posting the my first Continental Divide Trail entry last week, the outdoor conditions here in midcoast Maine have dramatically, but not unexpectedly, ramped up. In the past week, we’ve experienced unseasonably low temperatures and 18 “ of snowfall.

Good morning!

It’s made for challenging training conditions.

There are hikers who believe that the only preparation for hiking is- well, to hike. On the other hand, some folks actually “plan” to show up for a thru-hike out of shape. They start really slow, generally grunting through less than 10 miles a day, and allow themselves to shed weight and build up mileage so that they’re in decent shape by week 4 to 6. I don’t want to be in pain and suffering when I’m just starting out, so I train. I don’t escape the discomfort and strife, but spread it out over a longer period of weeks, rather than add additional stressors at the of start of a long hike.

This week, I’ve re-read Andrew Skurka’s recommendations on training for a long hike. <—Recommended reading.

I’ve also revisited Ray Jardine’s Trail Life, specifically Ray’s excellent chapter on physical conditioning.

25,000 miles of Trail-Tested Know-How

My ultimate goal is to follow Ray’s recommendation to work up to walking on rugged terrain for 12 or more miles with thirty-five pounds on my back. I have a setup with a 50 pound barbell plate that I strap to an old Trailwise pack from the 60’s that I’ve put into rotation before. The Camden Hill State Park is a superb terrain to do backpack. I can see the top of those Hills from my kitchen window.

At his point of my life I train every other day. I find I need to rest in between, – ok, maybe I do walk two or three miles in between.

This week the training has been snowshoeing and mountain biking on the snow. Both are difficult. For a glimpse of my most training episode on Thursday night- check out this blog entry.

One aspect of training that is not often spoken about is training for mental toughness. My wife believes I have a “Polish suffering gene”, and the following article from 2008 National Geographic Magazine gives strong evidence that she might be correct.

On my next entry I plan to introduce companies and individuals  that have agreed to help me out with gear and supplies.

Why Leki trekking poles rule the market

Way back in 2007 I purchased a pair of Leki Makalu aluminum anti-shock poles after I encountered treacherous ice, steeply descending into The Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina on what turned out to be a successful Appalachian Trail thru-hike.
Since my purchase I’ve used these poles on 6,000 miles of backpacking trails.
They’ve saved me from falling hundreds of times, helped power me up climbs, and secured my safety while crossing hundreds of streams.

Unfortunately, I still fall, and have broken the poles 5 times. Replacement has never been a problem. I carry at least two bandannas with me when I hike. One was a freebee from Leki, which has a raft of imprinted information about how the poles work, along with a toll-free number for customer service.
Each time I call, I am able to speak to a friendly service person, who assists me in determining my exact needs. They make many models. I’ve never been grilled about any of my requests for new pole sections. They have shipped immediately, at no charge.
After five years, the poles had a catastrophic breakage that I felt was my fault, and called them again. This time I asked to purchase two replacement sections, but was requested to send both poles in for service and review.
Yesterday, my poles were returned to me. They could not be repaired. My old friends were cooked!
However, There was more something else in the box, wrapped up in paper. A brand new set of Leki Khumbu antishock poles, Superstrong series, with the new Speedlock adjusting system!

Yeah!

Unbelievable!

[NOTE: Leki has a lifetime breakage warranty on their aluminum line . The carbon fiber pole breakage is limited to one year breakage replacement. ]

Day 4 at Baxter state Park- Wassataquoik Stream Trail

Frigid cold greeted our exit out of the park today.

The loud drops of rain that I heard falling on the bunkhouse last night had turned the upper elevations white, with the snow line starting at 2,900 feet. I’m not sure there would be many hikers who would be heading unto the top today in these conditions.
We decided to head back on an alternate route, the Wassataquoik Stream Trail, where there are actually two fords. The color was still holding up, with much of it painting the ground below our boots.

Looking up, the northern peaks of Baxter were mantled with snow.

The first stream crossing is obvious and less treacherous than the crossing on the Russell Pond Trail up stream. It has slower moving water, and the bottom is smoother. I went across first and went up to my crotch. The others aimed for a grassy hummock a bit downstream and didn’t get as wet.

We put our boots back on and then headed down the trail, only to find a second ford that could not be avoided right close to the lean tos.

Damn! Off with the boots, on with the Crocs, off with the Crocks, on with the boots again!
This route used to be called the Tracy Horse Trail and is usually a faster route than the Russel Pond trail as it is almost entirely an old logging road that used to transport sports from Roaring Brook to the old Russell Pond fishing cabins.

To our west was the snow capped vistas of the double cirques of Katahdin.

The sun was bright and low as we moved along to the sound of water until we rejoined the Russell Pond Trail for the final section out. At this point Pat and I diverted to the Sandy Stream Pond Trail where we were successful in spotting a moose of the far shore.
We reached the cars at Russell Pond in the early afternoon when we dove to Millinocket where we all had an excellent home- cooked meal at the Appalachian Station Cafe.
Katahdin never fails to deliver.
Next- checking out the hiking and night time accommodations at and around the Park’s newest acquisition- Katahdin Lake.

Day 3 at Baxter State Park- Green Falls

We’ve got the bunkhouse for one more night. Today Marcia and I hiked 6.4 miles round trip out the Wassataquoik Lake Trail, linking the Russell Pond area to the western parts of Baxter Park.

My 1985 Katahdin guidebook describes Wassataquoik Lake as “perhaps the most outstanding body of water in or around the Park”. Although small ( 1 1/2 x 3/4 mi.) it’s crystal clear water, gravel beaches, and surrounding tall peaks have no peer in the park. “
On the western side of the Lake, we reached our destination of Green Falls, a superb cascading falls coming out of a deep cleft above.

We ate our lunch and then headed back. I remember being here before, when the trail followed the western shoreline all the to the Falls. The reroute of the trail obscures the constant scenery show that used to accompany the shore scramble. Now, there are only occasional partially obscured glimpses of South Pogy Mountain behind the Lake. If you do this trip, stick to the shore for the views. You will find Green Falls marked by an entrance tagged with a blue blaze.
We took our Crocs with us on this hike, where drinking water was no problem, and the Crocs were not needed. The were several water crossings including one beaver dam.

The 6.4 mile hike ended up growing to 8.6 miles after we headed the wrong way out of the campground and later added extra tenths of a mile accessing the spring behind the Ranger Station. Who cares? We successfully dodged the rain today. It was supposed to rain tonight, with a 70% chance and a temp drop into the 30′s.
Could make for an interesting exit tomorrow.

Day 2 at Baxter State Park- Russell Pond

We were up and at ‘em sometime around 6 AM when Team Canada lit up the place and downed huge bowls of Captain Crunch before they headed  up to try and reach Baxter Peak, traverse the Knife Edge, and then hobble back here to Katahdin Stream campground.  Wish I knew how it all played out for them.
What an enjoyable and easy seven mile hike we had today!  We had light rain just at the start, for about two miles, but the rain worked with the colorful leaves to draw our attention to the mottled landscapes that surrounded us. The ground was coated with reddish maple and yellowed birch leaves.  There were many streams to cross, and greasy puncheons to test our Slip and Slide skills.

We stopped for lunch, where I fired up my stove.

Spicy Chorizo!

I was very pleased at the taste and quality of my newly found Campbell’s soup packet, plus there is no can to pack out.  Pat and Marcia are great hiking partners. Pat has a keen eye for wildlife. He spotted this spotted salamander partially hidden by the fallen leaves.

On of two we spotted on the hike

Even Martha didn’t complain much when she slipped, fell, and drenched her butt in a cold puddle.

When we reached Whitten Pond, there was nothing but fog in front of us.

Whitten Pond

No moose sightings here.
We passed three massive boulders left behind by the retreating glaciers some 12,000 years ago.

Big boulder

The biggest one was “house-sized”,  for sure.
Two stream crossings of the Wassatiquoik were deep enough  that we  switched out hiking boots for Tevas and Crocs, and just plough through the rushing waters.

Big Wet on the Wassataquoik

The cold freshness felt good on my feet and lasted a surprisingly long time.
Marcia was impressive on point in moving us along at a steady 2.4 mph clip, despite the rain-lubrication layer covering the ever present bare root and lichen-encrusted granite pathway below.
We reached the Russell Pond Campground by 1:20 PM; a  superb start to day 1 of our Columbus Day Weekend.  It was no longer raining, and we threw our packs down at the weighing station.

Whoa, 42 pounds!

Both Pat’s and my pack tipped the scales at 42 pounds.  How the heck did that happen?

Dock at Russell Pond

At Russell, we were checked in by Brendan, the ranger, who lives near us and has been working here for 21 years. He let us borrow a bow saw and led us to a recently fallen dry maple that provided us with firewood for the bunkhouse. He came over later and visited with us after it started raining again.  It was tough to hear that there was a cache of dry split firewood locked up is a big plywood box on the bunkhouse porch that was being saved for upcoming  winter season. If I had known that there was no firewood for sale here I would  have packed in my axe that is sitting in my car back in the Roaring Brook lot.
Marcia cooked our supper of steak, fresh zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes on top of the wood stove here. I made up a aluminum pie tin filled with no-bake Cherry Cheesecake for dessert.
The other party of four renting out the second 4 bunk sleeping room never showed up so we had the whole bunkhouse to our selves for the rest of the weekend.

Propane lights illuminate the main room

Pretty sweet.

The Approach Trail by Justin Lichter (Trauma) | via Section Hiker

Section Hiker is an excellent source for backpacking information for both experienced and beginner hikers.  I subscribe via Twitter feeds, and generally read the whole content.

Today and tomorrow I am going to post two blog entries about selecting  gear for backpacking.

Today’s entry is especially good- written by Trauma, who has hiked and written extensively about hiking since his initial steps on the AT with a grossly overloaded pack.

Check out this entry from his first day on the Appalachian Trail, from way back when:

Day 1: The Approach Trail by Justin Lichter (Trauma) | Section Hiker.