Less than a week before I head off on a little walk I’ve been planning since last year. As most of my grand adventures seem to, this started out as a crazy idea I didn’t expect to actually do, but these things take on a life of their own sometimes. After being dropped off where the trail crosses the highway near Stratton I’ll be heading north on the AT with food for 15 days and almost 200 miles to cover before my family meets me up in Baxter State Park on the other side of Katahdin.
I broke the trip up into sections to make mapping easier, but I’m not planning a tight schedule to follow. I have definite start and end dates which are the only timing concern. In between I’m hoping to relax and enjoy the hike as well as some time hopefully catching some fish. There are a few mountains along the way, but also a lot of rivers and lakes so gear for catching and cooking fish will definitely be in my pack.
This elevation profile only goes as far as the summit of Katahdin and is missing the descent to Roaring Brook. It also isn’t very accurate in terms of mileage as the official distance for this section is listed at 188, not 177. GPX files often do this as they only reflect points along the trail as opposed to the actual line walked, but on a long trip like this you can really notice the difference.
The other thing I notice when I look at this profile is that there is a big climb on both the first and last days. At the start I’ll be carrying a very heavy food bag and by the end I’ll likely be starving to death and mad with cheeseburger desire so it will be an interesting challenge on either end of the trip. In between those two days there are a few pointy bits, but it is what you can’t see on this big scale that will pose the real challenge. There is a lot of small up and down bits that don’t show up here. They make even the sections that are relatively level hard work at times due to what some call PUDs or Pointless Ups and Downs. I actually like the variety as opposed to the miles long slog up a big mountain that can get old sometimes. Still I know the toll those little climbs can take as they accumulate, especially on a scale like this.
New this year for long distance hikers entering Baxter State Park via the AT is this lovely green Hiker Permit. You can find more info on the park website (link goes to .pdf) about who needs a card and how to get one. We took a family trip up to the park a couple of weeks ago and stopped at the office in Millenocket on our way up where I signed up and received my card. It is free and the only information they required was my trail name and my real name. I’m guessing they are going to use these to track both entry and exit for distance hikers to better monitor actual numbers and their impact on the park. Since the card is required for access to The Birches site and can be picked up right on trail at Abol Bridge from the BSP steward stationed there or even at Katahdin Stream Campground I’m thinking folks may actually comply with this small intrusion on their free spirited hike, though I’m sure the usual malcontents will cry about The Man holding them down 🙂
Sunrise on the Knife Edge as seen from the Lunksoos shelter on the IAT. This is a view of the side of the mountain most thru hikers never see. I’ll be heading down this side, via the Knife Edge weather permitting, to a reunion with my girls at the Roaring Brook campground. They are bringing a big cooler full of food in hopes that I won’t eat them. They are also bringing me some clean clothes and deodorant in hopes that we can sleep in the same lean to. Then the next day we’re going to go on a hike and have a picnic because I’ll probably want to stretch my legs a bit.
I camped on the same knob above the river as last time, but with the snow melted it looked a very different place. The established ad hoc site was clearly visible with its rarely used fire ring and frequently used sitting log. LNT says use what you find so I set up there and then spent a while trying to find the spot I’d camped on the last trip. I finally found it the next morning on my way out by recognizing the little tree that took a bite out of my Patagucci pants, but there was no trace that anyone had camped there.
The late afternoon sun was lingering later just a few weeks further into Spring and certainly appreciated. The bug house was up, but only a few random flies were around. Later I would put the roof on to keep a chilly breeze out as the night dipped into the 20s. I brought both quilts along which was overkill, but very snuggly that night.
In the morning it was time to go find that mountain. Passing through the new growth of the Stillwater area there were occasional glimpses of Carrigain waiting for me up ahead. The trail through here is all very flat right up until you start the actual climb which I find amusing. It sort of sneaks up on you and then you find yourself on the mountain.
Well, I guess there is some warning. The name of this trail has always appealed to me, long before I dared to think about climbing it. I recall wishing I was the sort of person who could do that but the elevation profile scared the heck out of me. Now here I was coming back to use this climb to test out how well my boots were breaking in. 
The crossing at the base of the mountain was really low for early May. I like easy crossings, but I’m a bit concerned about how dry this year is going to be. My plans have me traveling mostly to other areas this year so I’ll have to keep an eye on other folks trip reports to know how water supplies are holding up since I won’t be seeing the Pemi nearly as much this year as last.
Then it was time to head up. For most of the climb there are views of the Vose Spur off to the east which I like to use to gauge my progress. I know it stands a bit lower than where I’m headed so as long as it is above me I shouldn’t get my hopes up I’m almost done.
The first thousand feet or so of climbing was done on relatively dry trail. It was a nice cool morning which is my favorite for going up mountains and I was really enjoying the day.
If you are going to go to all the trouble of climbing mountains it should be on a day with views like this. There was a little haze, not perfect, but Washington in the distance looked pretty clear to me.
Then I hit the ice! There are no more pictures of the climb because I was too busy to look anywhere but my feet. So long as the trail has some flat spots walking on ice isn’t that hard provided you have your spikes on. It was the more vertical sections that posed the real challenge. Even without ice there are some really steep sections that make you work for every foot of gain on this trail. With the ice there were a few spots that scared the crap out of me heh. At one point I became stuck on the middle of a section that seemed more wall than floor and found myself wishing for an ice axe. After carefully sliding down about twenty feet I stopped on a ledge and found a different route up. This was, at least as far as I’m concerned, some pretty serious stuff.
The summit was of course worth the effort. Despite my dislike of climbing towers I raced right up to the top this time. With a seriously chilly breeze blowing up there I didn’t stay long. Not much winter snow left on the high peaks, but I bet there is still plenty of ice up there. 
I love this perspective looking back over most of the Pemi from the top of Carrigain. So often I am somewhere else out there looking at this peak, I’ve even spotted the tower from the Bonds. I’m going to miss this place this Summer. Last year allowed me to really explore this place, but other trails are calling.
Never having seen the other side of the mountain I’d planned this trip as a loop so I could do some exploring outside the wilderness before turning around and heading back in. The view looking back up at the tower as I descended Signal Ridge shows this side is pretty steep too, but the trail was much easier with switchbacks easing some of the vertical. There was still some serious ice and I had to put my spikes back on several times.
Looking down from the ridge I could see the notch far below. After descending to my right I’d be heading back to my left climbing up that notch. Seemed like a lot of work still to be done, but I comforted myself with the thought that I’d finally redline that missing mile or so of Pemi trail I needed on the Carrigain Notch Trail.
Besides it was a beautiful day for a hike and I was on virgin trail I’d never trampled before. So I’d hike down only to go back up. What else is new?
These fancy signs make it clear we’re not in the wilderness anymore. Wide groomed trails with clear signage are nice, but I was glad to be headed back into the Pemi rather than out to the highway with the day hikers. Sorry to say the camera crapped out on me at this point so no more pictures. Thinking I may need a new trail camera, but if you’ve ever shopped for photography equipment you know the dilemma of deciding between spending too much money or buying cheap crap. If you’ve found a good middle ground solution I’d love to hear about it.
The actual climb is about 2500′ via the Desolation Trail and the good or bad news is it is only about 2 miles to the top, depending on how you feel about climbing.
Not sure the .gpx matched up correctly with the satellite picture in this image, but it gives you an idea of the route at least. Travel was counter clockwise around the loop. You’ll want to bring a real map with you if you go rather than relying on this 🙂
Since my last trip there had been a pretty good snowfall. It had melted in the sunny spots down low, but there was still some lingering. It seemed odd because there was no snow at all at this elevation just a few weeks prior.
The sky was an amazingly clear blue. No haze or stray wisps floating about. Just that beautiful Spring air and sunshine, though the birch buds were being cautious. Can’t blame them for not wanting to be fooled after all the false starts Spring gave us this year.
A littler farther on the snow was more than lingering on the Wilderness Trail. There were spots where it was six inches deep in the places where the sun was hard pressed to reach.
After the previous trip spent in spikes for much of the time it was nice to just bare boot my way through the snow. One or two minor slips, but I never felt any need to reach for traction.
Home sweet home! The chilly nights on the early April trip made me decide to bring both quilts along this time. I was super warm both nights as this combo is good below zero and the nights were only around 20°f.
The days were getting longer and it was still quite light out when I decided to move the party indoors. I sat there for a couple of hours with my legs under the quilts and watched the light fade.
Morning came with another clear sky. I enjoyed breakfast and coffee from my perch above the brook below. As the sun and coffee warmed me I began to shed layers and pack up.
The Carrigain Branch crossing was amazingly low for April. Most years I’d be worried about crossing with it filled from snow melt, but with no snow there was no melt.
The Stillwater crossing seemed to be missing a few key hopping rocks this year even with the low water level. I eventually found my way across and headed up towards Shoal Pond.
There are some interesting growth patterns along this section with older and newer generations of forest competing as they recover from the clear cutting done here years ago.
It was a bit cool following this notch up towards the pond and there were multiple crossings of Shoal Pond Brook to deal with. The sun was able to reach down into the open areas, but the shadows were filled with snow.
The light had that special Spring quality to it; Something about the color tells the brain that even though you see snow Winter is not coming back.
The icy crossings were a definite challenge though. The water wasn’t all that deep, but you’d hate to fall in. It was hard to tell which rocks had ice on them so I took to tapping with my stick to check before making my next hop.
Not certain if this spike came from a bog board or the old logging rail lines. Either way it counts as an artifact now so I took a picture without disturbing it and moved on.
Did I mention the ice water crossings? This area took me some time to navigate as the first couple of attempts ended mid stream with only questionable next steps.
Finally I reached Shoal Pond where there was no sign of ice. I stopped for some serious snacking and to soak up a little sun. By now the temp was pushing 40°f but it felt nice be out of the trees for a while.
Looking back towards Stillwater gave a nice view of Carrigain beyond. From here it looks quite dramatic and it is a bit hard to imagine the Desolation Trail going pretty much directly from bottom to top. (Insert ominous foreshadowing music here…)
Soon after the pond came the Ethan Pond Trail intersection. I only had a half mile to enjoy it, but this flat, wide section is a rare thing of beauty in the White Mountains.
This view is from the footbridge looking down stream towards Thoreau Falls. After all that time in the wilderness it seems like such a luxury to come upon this little wooden bridge and I always enjoy the crossing.
Soon it was time to leave the well manicured Appalachian Trail behind and then it was on to Thoreau Falls. The fresh snow since my last visit gave it a very different look. I spent quite a while here soaking up sun, soaking up snacks and of course taking too many pictures.
I never get tired of this spot. You can’t camp here or everyone would and it would be ruined I’m sure. So you stay as long as you can and take as much of it with you when you leave as you can carry.
This view towards the Bonds never gets old. Snow, greenery or Fall colors, it always makes me stop and say “Oh, that is pretty!”
This time of year with at least a moderate flow the falls were pretty as well. Much of the year they flow more than fall, but they had a bit of a roar going this time.
One last look and then it was time to move on. I was a bit concerned about following the trail as the snow was pretty thick in this area and there had been no foot traffic. Then, as soon as I leaped across the falls I was amazed to find a fresh set of footprints in the snow. Someone had walked out to the falls and turned around so they’d done the hard work of trail finding for me! Wilderness trails come without blazes so when you can’t see the ground due to snow or leaves wayfinding can be a real challenge. I was really stoked about these footprints!
Late afternoon along the North Fork. Another few miles on and I set up my camp for the night. I got in early for a change and had a long time to enjoy dinner, soak up some extra water and just relax and watch as the light faded. I was just dozing off in my tent as darkness began to settle in when I heard something that made me sit up. It started out like a coyote but then faded with more of a howl than the coyotes I knew out west. It called three times in quick succession and then fell silent. Not sure what was out there, coyote, banshee or hellhound I opted to zip up the bug net on my tent. I’d planned on sleeping with it open to increase air flow and cut down on fly frost, but decided it was better to close it in order to prevent whatever was out there from licking my face while I slept. As any good woodsman would, I fell asleep a few minutes later without a care as to what demon stalked the night 🙂
Morning dawned chilly again, low 20s so I fueled up and hit the trail. Soon I reached my old friend, the Thoreau Falls Trail bridge. I know they want to pull this bridge and they don’t want to replace it, so every time I pass through I appreciate it while I can. With it gone I’m not sure I’ll be able to come this way any longer and that makes me sad. This river is nothing to mess with though even above the North Branch.
Walking across this old beauty is even more magical than looking at it. The tilt from the broken stringer varies as you cross and there is just a hint of a wobble in the middle. I think they should build a modern duplicate to replace it with that same twisting sag and some old weathered boards under foot, but I don’t think they care what I think heh.
Snack break at the Cedar Brook/Eastside/Wilderness intersection. The Bonds and Guyot visible through the leafless birches. Always bittersweet to be here…almost time to go get that cheeseburger, almost time I have to go home, always really happy to be done climbing this hill in either direction 🙂
The East Branch was looking mighty low for this time of year. Normally the melt would still be going strong up above or even at this elevation and the river would be roaring.
There were plenty of patches of snow among the trees though the temp was around 50°f as I set out just after mid day. The trail had plenty of squish to it in spots and the small flows were burbling so it felt like Spring.
I’m including this picture because I have a good sense of humor and very little pride. You’ll just have to take my word for it, but I’m really not pregnant. The tight pack belt combined with the shadows and my leaning forward posture makes it look like I might be though heh. You can really see how dry the forest floor is in this pic. The lack of snow left the leaves looking more like Fall than Spring.
Speaking of falling springs…I cobbled together this gravity system out of an old Sawyer Mini and a couple of Platy bags I’ve had for years. Ordered a new full size Sawyer to use later, but brought the old one in case I forgot to sleep with it and it froze. Really liking the lack of effort involved in filtering water this way, but I think I am going to get a zip top bag for easier filling in standing water.
With the sun sinking behind the ridge early I decided to camp relatively low, just past the second brook crossing if I recall correctly. My first real trail day in the Limmers had resulted in some pinkie toe discomfort so I was glad to put on my camp shoes along with my fuzzy camp clothes. Recently added to the fuzzy camp clothes collection was the ibex Meru with the snazzy Trailspace stitching.
At this elevation the snow was more abundant, but still patchy. It had gotten down to around 20°f overnight so I was glad I had some sunshine pretty early in the day.
My tube of olive oil had turned into olive slushie. Note the kettle is on the stove there in the background. Getting that on was a definite priority.
Don’t think I can go back to instant now that I’ve been enjoying the good stuff. More Trailspace swag; both the Innate insulated mug and the GSI coffee screen are part of my mess kit in any weather, but a real favorite on cold mornings. 
Day two took me higher up and onto a track that was still covered in hard packed ice in most places. Definitely a good time for traction and I was glad I had my Hillsounds many times over the next few days.
The weather had been alternating between rain and hard freezes for a while so there were lots of interesting ice sculptures to be found. 
The early Spring light had a wonderful sparkle to it. It was tempting to stay and watch it in spots like this, but I had some climbing to do.
Well, OK, this spot had to be appreciated for a few minutes. It was an ice flow from the steep slope above the trail that was decaying as it was exposed to the sun.
It didn’t take long to reach the rock face that signals the base of Bondcliff. You can see I’ve tossed my poles on up so my hands are free for the climb. I took off my gloves not to use the camera, but to scarf down some dark chocolate espresso trail mix. Just the motivator for scampering up a cliff with a 35lb pack.
Actually this was my real motivation. This cliff is a pretty darn neat place to be most any day, but if you can get up there on a clear day like this it makes the effort seem a small price to pay.
Lincoln and Lafayette rising up beyond Owls Head still seemed to have snow on the peaks and in the chutes, but I’m pretty sure that is all hard ice. I wasn’t headed that way this time, but I sort of wished I was.
Hancock and Carrigain looked mostly snowless. Very different from last year when I was trying to snowshoe up Cedar Brook and breaking through waist deep snow in spots as it came apart under my snowshoes.
Each time I come up here it seems the same, yet very different. The ice and snow made interesting contrast with the rock, but what I really noticed was the different color of the sun this time of year. Even though mid day was approaching it was a gentle light that brought out colors rather than blinding. Well except in the icy and snowy sections heh.
Lincoln, Lafayette and Garfield just barely sneaking in the picture on the right. Can’t help but remember walking that trail last fall, though that day was cloudy and gray.
I am a big fan of giant holes in the ground and have visited many in my travels, but this is one of my favorites. The empty space is almost palpable and I’m always reminding myself not to reach out too far to touch it when I’m up there.
Out beyond that space Flume and Liberty mark the beginning of the Franconia ridge. Again it is hard to look at those mountains without recalling climbing them. I especially remember the col between them and how I was annoyed going down knowing I’d have to go right back up 🙂
Speaking of going up…time to head up to Bond Summit. The exposed areas were mostly ice free so I did this section bare booted. Once I got up into the scrub closer to the summit I had to put the spikes back on or risk violating the family “No Breaka You Neck” rule.
Of course at the summit I was met by the local Gray Jay contingent. Oddly enough I also met a human up there. He arrived from West Bond on a day hike and headed out onto the cliff leaving me and the Jay alone.
From here on the summit looking over West Bond you get a better sense of the size of the ridge in the distance. The same spot, yet very different from my visits here last Summer. The wind on the summit was brisk so I certainly didn’t stay nearly as long this time.
Well, long enough to get yet one more pic of the big Presidents. I guess some day I’ll have to go over that way, but admiring them from here seems a lot easier than climbing them heh.
The trail on the north side of the summit was snow rather than ice and I’ll admit I took advantage a few times to buttslide in the steep spots. 
Arriving at the Guyot camp in the middle of the afternoon I had the place to myself. The view from the shelter porch was pleasant enough and I spent a few hours soaking up snacks and rehydrating.
The bear boxes were just poking out of the snow down below in the cooking area. Don’t think the bears were a worry this time of year, but I was hoping there weren’t any shelter mice.
Of course there were a couple of Gray Jays hoping I’d let them steal my food, but I know better. They seem cute, but they are fearless and will take the food from your hand on its way to your mouth.
If I look pretty happy to be sitting on the porch in my fuzzy clothes it is because I was. Those little chairs weren’t very sturdy, but to have some place comfortable to sit out of the snow seemed pretty great to me. Surprisingly enough I had two separate hikers toddle in over the next few hours. Pretty sure each of us had expected to be there alone, but we managed to share the shelter and survive the night.
Morning from the front porch was cold, but worth getting up for. Thankfully it wasn’t the solstice so I didn’t feel I’d needed to get up early and shoot and video 🙂 I shot this and crawled back under the quilt for a few minutes before getting up to make coffee.
This Gray Jay was looking pretty fat for the time of year, but the lack of snow cover had probably helped him find food. Some from the ground and probably more from hikers heh. He was getting none of my breakfast cereal that day I can assure you.
This sight made me a little sad. The friendly host long gone I had no one to share afternoon coffee with on this trip. Good memories though 🙂
Again the morning light was fantastic. As I made my way up Guyot towards the Twinway I kept stopping to look at the peaks around me. I knew soon enough I’d be in the trees so now was the time to enjoy the views while I could.
There was some snow in the scrub trees along the ridge, but most of the Twinway was covered in hard ice, much of it wet with melt. I was hanging from my spikes and using my poles for all I was worth to keep myself stuck to the ground on the steep sections.
In between exertion and terror there were of course these amazing views every few minutes. It was a bit hazier on day three, but still there were some far horizon lines. I always love seeing the far ridges beyond the other ridges that are beyond the ones in front of me. Comforting to know you won’t run out of mountains any time soon I guess.
All this time, about three hours, I had yet to see another soul. This was a Saturday and the weather was astoundingly clear so I’d expected to run into throngs headed up the way I’d come from on this trail. Maybe it was the ice, maybe they were all climbing Washington in the nice weather, but I was really enjoying the peace.
No idea if it was crowded up there, but again, a lot easier to look at it from here. Certainly worth looking at from pretty much any angle.
You can sense it is time to head down from this shot I think. No more pics for a while because going down this icy trail took all my attention. In some ways it was easier because the rocks were all buried, but even with spikes, walking down steep hills covered in ice uses up a lot of energy.
Reaching the crossing just before the Zealand Hut just before lunchtime seemed a good sign. I snacked there for an hour, chatting with the hutmaster as he started greeting his guests for the day. There were some hikers here heading up as well. I was glad my hard work was done for this trip and my spikes were tucked away.
After a few easy miles on the Ethan Pond section of the AT, I made my way down to Thoreau Falls. Listening the roar as I approached started to worry me and at first glace I wasn’t sure I wanted to try crossing. Then I remembered the rocks I’ve used before and hopped over with no issue other than a pounding heart.
Definitely another one of my favorite places to be. I didn’t have much time to enjoy it on this trip because I knew I had a few hard miles to cover before I’d get to where I wanted to camp that night.
This is where I’ll leave you as far as pictures go. If you haven’t seen it already check out the waterfall video below. The rest of the trip was mostly about stomping my way back to the scoot. The legs are feeling pretty strong considering what felt like a lazy Winter season. As usual keeping the body happy is the biggest challenge and I really need to focus on drinking more water I think.
Less traveled by 