Maine 27 near Stratton to Maine 4 near Rangeley

Sunday, September 22 -- Maine 27 near Stratton to Crocker Cirque Campsite -- 7.3 + 0.2 miles

On trail at Maine 27 about 9:45 -- gray, cloudy, warm and humid day. Some sprinkles now and then. Steady up toward Crocker summits (trail only moderately steep). Lunch 11:30 to 12:15. Talked to southbound hikers Foz and Bigfoot and saw some northbounders. Ran into Cougar Bon Bon and Idaho Joe after lunch, also OB. Good to see them again. Climb to Crocker summits boring; no view due to clouds (although there was partial sun). Not above treeline although elevation seemed to warrant??? New poles worked well -- texture of grips will take some getting use to, otherwise fine. Feel more solid and the additional length is a definite plus. Very steep rocky downhill coming off South Crocker to Crocker Cirque Campground. Cougar Bon Bon and Idaho Joe were the only other ones there. Rain expected. Felt good on ups -- kept steady pace.

Cougar Bon Bon, Idaho Joe, and Wu Li at Spaulding Mountain Lean-to

Early foliage

Monday, September 23 -- Crocker Cirque Campsite to Spaulding Mountain Lean-to -- 6.2 + 0.4 miles

Took it easy and left Crocker Cirque about 8:00. Had been expecting rain all night but nothing happened. Morning was gray like it could rain anytime, and there were occasional sprinkles. Down to stream, steady up other side up Sugarloaf, then eased off and in near-fog near timberline for a couple of miles. Lunch 11:45 near commemorative plaque (this was last stretch of AT completed, in 1938). Up to summit of Mt. Spaulding and down to Spaulding Mountain Lean-to shortly before 2:00. Seriously thought of moving on to Orbeton Stream, but tomorrow would have been tough. Could have saved a day, but at what cost? 12 miles over Saddleback would have been a bitch. CBB and IJ in shelter along with thru-hiker Wu Li. I was youngest of the four at age 56. Three other younger hikers slept out or in tent -- couldn't be seen with older hikers.

Tuesday, September 24 -- Spaulding Mountain Lean-to to Poplar Ridge Lean-to -- 8.0 miles

Cool evening. Down around 40º in morning. Left around 7:45. Down to Orbeton Stream (5 miles) in 3+ hours. Nice stretch of trail. Crossed stream and started up a bit, then had lunch in nice hardwood forest. Great day for hiking; sunny and around 60º. First views in a while from Poplar Ridge. Up to Poplar Ridge Lean-to. Lots of northbound thru-hikers passing thru, including the marvelously-named couple Phlegm and Snot Rocket, but only a few spent the evening. Cougar Bon Bon and Idaho Joe made it down from Spaulding Mountain shortly after I did. North-bound thru-hiker Walk in Glory started a fire and chatted up everyone. I gave her some Endurox. Another thru-hiker who spent the night was a Dartmouth student.

View back to Bigelow

Poplar Ridge Lean-to

Wednesday, September 25 -- Poplar Ridge Lean-to to Piazza Rock Lean-to -- 8.9 miles

Nice sunny morning -- up early and gone by 8:00. Up to top of Saddleback Junior by 9:00 -- good views (not yet hazy). Left knee, which I twinged yesterday, now decided to really act up. Also got ambushed by hornets near bottom of grade up to Horn -- got three stings all at once. Summited Horn about 11:15 and stayed for lunch for an hour with two thru-hikers and a dog. Slight breeze; needed shell for comfort. Hiked down to col and up to main summit of Saddleback -- nearly all above treeline -- there 1:30 to 2:00. Steep downhill, then gnarly rocks-and-roots trail to Piazza Rock Lean-to, which came with a uniformed caretaker. No rest for the weary -- could have used a nice smooth mellow path, but no.... Knee seemed to be feeling better by the end of the day. Some nice foliage views from top of Saddleback.

Looking up to Saddleback summit

Sign on Saddleback

Above treeline on Saddleback

Godawful trail after coming down Saddleback

Thursday, September 26 -- Piazza Rock Lean-to to Maine Highway 4 near Rangeley -- 1.8 miles

Visited two seater privy. Since I was alone at the shelter, I had no cribbage partner. Easy out in morning over good trail to road. Off trail for the night in Farmington.

Privy at Piazza Ridge Lean-to

Inside the privy

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... (Pam's cabin at Twin Pond Motel)