amstony
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- Apr 24, 2004
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So, there I was awake at 2:30 AM on a beautiful Saturday morning and then heading up the Interstate to Maine at 3:00 AM to do the Bigelow peaks for my continuing quest of the New England 67 peaks. The best part of this ride up to Maine from NH was getting in with a convoy of 20+, 18 wheeler trucks on I-95 in Portsmouth. They flashed me in with head lights and I was off to Maine! We hauled up the Interstate through the tolls and all the way to Auburn in record time.........65 minutes! Last time I did something wild like that with a convoy was in the early 80's through PA! At 6:00 AM I was in Farmington sitting and watching the beautiful sunrise, drinking a Dunkin Donuts coffee. Ah hiking life is great!
At 6:50 I pulled into the easily found trailhead (finally, there's a Maine first for me.......), suited up, and went up the Fire Warden trail towards Avery peak, the first stop of the day. It promised to be a sunny day, despite the morning fog. This was a great trail. I found it pleasant, and as I gained elevation I could not help but keep looking back at the view, it was so nice! You could see Saddleback, Spaulding, Abraham and more as you gained height. Then before you know it, I was at AT and Avery tent site! It was a good, steep trail, but enjoyable. I saw no one on this entire stretch of trail.....
So off to Avery and 4K #63. Finally I saw people and they were at the peak lounging. A group of teenage girls from Quebec, who were nice enough to take my pic (jpg 35), and I took a few of them. They had spent the night at the tent site and then gone to Avery Peak.
With the pic done I was off to West peak, the highest peak in the Bigelows, (pic #36) and a steady pace brought me there quickly. I took a few self pics and left quickly (4K # 64). Here I met a good natured section hiker from Texas as I came off the summit. The conversation went like this: I said "Hi Man, you through hiking"? "Kind of" he said, "So where did you start" I said? he said, "Springer Mountain" and I said "cool, when did you start....?" And he said "1991, I been on the trail for awhile" in a Texas drawl..... So I could not resist, I said, "Buddy, your looking good for a guy who has been on the trail 15 years.
)" And he laughed, and said "yeah, been talking my time, broke my leg on the Kinsmans a few years back, that kind of hurt, took me off the trail, but I'm gonna finish........" So we talked about the Kinsmans, and he fell exactly where I fell 3 years ago............but thankfully I got up and was none worse for the wear! So we laughed, and talked about my peakbagging since he'd never heard of it. I gave him some extra Power bars, exchanged pics (#42 is his pic of me) and we wished each other luck. So, in a good mood and talked out I continued off of West Peak, the highest peak in the Bigelows and onto South Horn Peak, one of the NEHH peaks.
The trail over to South Horn was wet, muddy but enjoyable. I met 2 day hikers who said hello and kept trucking on. South Horn was a nice peak, with great views south into Maine. I met a day hiker there from Rangely who took my pic too (51). And after some conversation I headed off towards the Horns Pond trail. I passed through Horns Pond tent site that was deserted. I was at the tent site and pased through quickly and then it was off to the Horns Pond trail and back to the car. Horns Pond is a great trail- nice views, an easy descent and just a pleasant trail!
I arrived back at the car at 2 and after a nice 6.5 hour hike, was ready for some coffee and food. After a quick stop in Auburn, ME I was onto the ME turnpike and home. Though the trip back without convoying with truckers took a little longer!
This is an awesomee hike! I plan to go back there this year or in 2007, hike up to Avery tent site, watch the sunset, spend the night and then get up and watch the sunrise! The views were spectacular in all directions.
This is #63 and #64 on the New England 67 list for me, and 70, 71, and 72 on the NEHH list
At 6:50 I pulled into the easily found trailhead (finally, there's a Maine first for me.......), suited up, and went up the Fire Warden trail towards Avery peak, the first stop of the day. It promised to be a sunny day, despite the morning fog. This was a great trail. I found it pleasant, and as I gained elevation I could not help but keep looking back at the view, it was so nice! You could see Saddleback, Spaulding, Abraham and more as you gained height. Then before you know it, I was at AT and Avery tent site! It was a good, steep trail, but enjoyable. I saw no one on this entire stretch of trail.....
So off to Avery and 4K #63. Finally I saw people and they were at the peak lounging. A group of teenage girls from Quebec, who were nice enough to take my pic (jpg 35), and I took a few of them. They had spent the night at the tent site and then gone to Avery Peak.
With the pic done I was off to West peak, the highest peak in the Bigelows, (pic #36) and a steady pace brought me there quickly. I took a few self pics and left quickly (4K # 64). Here I met a good natured section hiker from Texas as I came off the summit. The conversation went like this: I said "Hi Man, you through hiking"? "Kind of" he said, "So where did you start" I said? he said, "Springer Mountain" and I said "cool, when did you start....?" And he said "1991, I been on the trail for awhile" in a Texas drawl..... So I could not resist, I said, "Buddy, your looking good for a guy who has been on the trail 15 years.
)" And he laughed, and said "yeah, been talking my time, broke my leg on the Kinsmans a few years back, that kind of hurt, took me off the trail, but I'm gonna finish........" So we talked about the Kinsmans, and he fell exactly where I fell 3 years ago............but thankfully I got up and was none worse for the wear! So we laughed, and talked about my peakbagging since he'd never heard of it. I gave him some extra Power bars, exchanged pics (#42 is his pic of me) and we wished each other luck. So, in a good mood and talked out I continued off of West Peak, the highest peak in the Bigelows and onto South Horn Peak, one of the NEHH peaks.The trail over to South Horn was wet, muddy but enjoyable. I met 2 day hikers who said hello and kept trucking on. South Horn was a nice peak, with great views south into Maine. I met a day hiker there from Rangely who took my pic too (51). And after some conversation I headed off towards the Horns Pond trail. I passed through Horns Pond tent site that was deserted. I was at the tent site and pased through quickly and then it was off to the Horns Pond trail and back to the car. Horns Pond is a great trail- nice views, an easy descent and just a pleasant trail!
I arrived back at the car at 2 and after a nice 6.5 hour hike, was ready for some coffee and food. After a quick stop in Auburn, ME I was onto the ME turnpike and home. Though the trip back without convoying with truckers took a little longer!
This is an awesomee hike! I plan to go back there this year or in 2007, hike up to Avery tent site, watch the sunset, spend the night and then get up and watch the sunrise! The views were spectacular in all directions.
This is #63 and #64 on the New England 67 list for me, and 70, 71, and 72 on the NEHH list
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