Appalachian Trail Day 172 - Crocker Cirque Campsite to Maine Route 27 (Mile 2,002 to Mile 2,010)

I went to bed so freaking early last night that I was wide awake at 4:00 a.m. I stay for a while in my hammock listening to the pitter patter of raindrops. The rain started about 3:00 a.m., but it isn't heavy - just a steady sprinkle. 

I get up and start organizing my things and brush my teeth and get my food out for the morning. First Light is also awake and getting packed up. We are both as quiet as we possibly can be, trying not to disturb the sleeping hikers. The good thing about camping near young pups and being an early bird, is that they can sleep through World War III, so I don't think we'll disturb them much.

At 5:30 I leave the campsite by the light of my headlamp. I make a privy stop, thankful that I can't see around the privy in the dark, and since I'm not worried about getteing seen, I leave the door to the privy open while I do my business. 

I stop at the spring and fill up a cup of water for my morning electrolytes. First LIght passes me while I'm doing this and I wish him a good journey before heading up to Crocker Mountain. Soon there is enough ambient light that I put away my headlamp. 

Crocker is not a very difficult climb, but it is steep and rocky. I don't have to stop once to use my hands - I'm able to stay upright the entire time, which is a really nice change of pace for mountain climbing around here.

The trail traverses a narrow rock slide but the cairns and paint on the rocks are easy to see. The rain has stopped and I can see the clouds drifting across the mountain tops obscuring the summits.

As I near the crest of Crocker the wind picks up, so I put on my gloves and raincoat as a wind layer to guard against the chilly breeze and damp morning air.

The top of Crocker is mostly tree covered. I don't bother to take the little side trail to the view since there won't be anyone anyway with all the mist. The short spruce trees are shrouded in fog.

I descend down 500 ft and then up the next Crocker peak without much ado. I'm thrilled to not have to rock scramble this morning especially with the recent rainfall.

I go over the second Crocker peak and then start downhill.  The first 2 miles are steep, but thankfully the rocks aren't too slippery and I can find dirt to step around most of them. The next 2 miles are tedious; the ground is relatively level and it's on the edge of the hill and eroding, so I step carefully on the edge around a lot of big rocks but it's relatively flat.

I get a little complacent with this easy hike because the last mile down to Route 27 becomes decidedly steeper and rockier, and with the recent rain mixed with the falling leaves and the spruce needles coating the rocks, the trail is quite slippery.

Dad picks me up and we go to the hotel. I am in desperate need of a shower and he takes my clothes to launder them at the local laundromat. 

I get a text from a dear friend, Melissa, that her family is in Caratunk, finishing up their annual family vacation. I Google Map the address and find that it's only 20 minutes from my hotel!! 

Dad and I drive to the lodge and restaurant that is owned by her nephew.  We spend an hour with Pat, Melissa, and one of her daughters, and get to meet her extended family. Everyone congratulates me on making it this far and wishes me a happy hike. I am so thrilled that I get to spend some time with such wonderful people! 

Today's Stats: 7.4 miles, 1,939 feet gain

Trail Stats: 2,010 miles, 413K feet gain
Miles to Katahdin: 184