Monday, October 7, 2019

Vitual AT: Maine State Line to Grafton Notch State Park

"Beans..back!!!"

We've made it to Maine.



 Can you believe it???

Our final state...Mount Katahdin awaits us only 281 miles to go!!!

We've GOT this.

Usually 281 miles in this wilderness takes nearly 20 days...

Virtually we hope to reach the summit in 7 or less.

Maine is not nearly as well mapped out as the last 13 states have been. So I am relying a great deal on the above map and a list of shelters along the way...as well as the White Blaze App.

In short...we may be screwed!

Still we persist!

The first mountain before us is The Goose Eye 

There is still Fall color here...but it is less and less as the leaves die and pile up on the trail. A rustling accompanies our footsteps.

Goose Eye is about 11 miles from the Maine State Line across 2 and has an elevation of 4367 feet.

Near the top we find the Carlos Col Shelter nestled in fir trees.


 White Blaze App shows the local temperature at 55 degrees...but the nights are falling into the mid-30's here, already.

Climbing along Wright Trail we near the Summit.


And the view from The Summit


Five miles further in we find Full Goose Shelter





Where we will stop and catch our breath...then start the trek down...

Down to Speckled Pond and Shelter

Speckled Loop Trail



 and Speckled Pond only 6 miles further...


 Up Bald Pate Mountain



 Western Peak Trail.




And up close and personal over looking Grafton Notch



Descending again...to Grafton Notch






And into Grafton Notch Park...to Screw Auger Falls









Which still has a lot of beautiful Fall color! It must be staying warmer down here. The only color on the Mountaintops tends to be the green fir trees and brown fallen needles.





And not much further near the park (9 miles) our home away from home...an off the grid rental cabin...




Fully furnished with a wood-stove for heat!

A BED!

And no other smelly, snoring hikers.

A quick side trip into Rumsford for dinner supplies since we have a stove to cook over tonight!!! Maybe a steak!!!

See you tomorrow!

Love,

"Beans"