Virtual AT: The Hundred Mile Wilderness (Part 1)

"Beans here...and ready for, what has been called, the toughest part of our adventure...."

The name Hundred Mile Wilderness sounds vaguely Pooh-ish...like A. A. Milne's 100 Acre Woods, of Christopher Robin's Adventures.

Not so much.

There are warning signs at the trailhead (see above)

For the next hundred miles there is no available supplies...no Friendly Foods or Publix...if you don't pack it in....well...you won't have it...okay?  Break an ankle or a leg...you're gonna spend many hours with that broken bone (and its pain) until you are rescued.

Thru-Hikers are advised to bring at least ten days worth of food..

Realtime this section takes 7-9 days.

(...since we are doing this virtually...we will be crossing in two...)

Our goal for today is Chairback Gap.

We outfitted yesterday and our pack is probably the heaviest it has been since we started the trail. 10 pounds of the weight is just food! At least 1/2 pound is a large wedge of peach pie that I snagged for the road...er..trail...lol

Thankfully, water is not an issue in Maine. It is available everywhere!!!

Starting out this morning we are lucky...the White Blaze App. confirms that the unseasonably warm temperatures are still with us...it is 44 degrees now but should top out in the high 50's today.

Overcast, sunshine later in the day!

And we're on our way...

 Leaving the Boarding house after eating a big meal, and a slice of hot apple pie...for luck...

 The First Few Miles

It is eerily quiet here in the morning mist...with only a few bird sounds and the shuffling whisper of our feet through pine needles.

And a lot of beaver dams.

The beavers here an industrious lot...although rather reclusive. Evidence of their work everywhere, although there was not one beaver to be seen.

The real first site we discovered was Wilson Falls....a slate falls

Which was heard  before it was seen...and beautiful!

Take a Listen for Yourselves

Wilson Falls

https://youtu.be/b7DrfS9P8i0

Down Big Wilson Cliffs

to the first ford at Wilson Creek

(...ford just means hiking through the water...no bridge...)

Pants rolled up..water-shoes on...only about 60 feet across...water at its deepest about knee high...but sooooooooooooooooo cold.

Up some railroad tracks on the other side. Quite steep.

 To Wilson Valley Shelter

Where we build a fire...get warm...and put on proper hiking gear again after our water crossing.

No idea how many fords we will have to do in this wilderness.

(...hopefully not many....)

After leaving the shelter we engaged in some PUDS (pointless ups and downs)
for quite a ways...and a few small steams low enough to rock hop across.

Rock Hopping.

Finally reaching Long Pond Stream.

and the Long Pond Stream Shelter

Thinking how peaceful it must be to sleep here, listening to the streamwater babbling over the rocks all night

But we have miles to go.

Up again...this time 1200 feet to Barren Mountain.

View From The Top of Barren Mountain

Also at the top an old lookout tower in varying stages of decay.

Although one of our small herd decided to climb it...it was a hard pass for me...with rusted metal and splintered wood on the ground below.

More muddy ridge walking and we finally reach Cloud Pond

And our first moose today.

We seemed much more interested in it..than it was with us.

Onward we press.

Really wasn't expecting the kind of elevation we are seeing here...or the string of PUDS. So many the mountains here barely have names...the Third Mountain...Columbus...The Fourth Mountain..you get the idea...

Most have little to no view...just tree-line.

Third Mountain treats us with a bit of a view, finally.

And at last we reach Chairback Pond

And hike our way up to Chairback Gap Shelter...where we'll be stopping for the night.

It is early enough to put beans on to simmer...they will be good with some of the cornbread I brought from Monson and that wedge of Peach Pie!

Until tomorrow,


Love, 

"Beans"

Today's Progress