Bigelow Range 8/19/13

[Guthook]

Posted this trip report day before yesterday of a fine (if hazy) hike up the Fire Warden's Trail and down the Horns Pond Trail. A few highlights–

-Ran into Horns Pond caretaker Ian, whom I'd met earlier in the summer when he was just starting, as well as a few years ago while he was a rotating caretaker in the Whites. He says he's packed out more than 1000 pounds of trash from the Bigelow Col campsite over the course of this summer, which had been left by fire wardens in the decades before the end of the fire watch program, including a lot of batteries and styrofoam. Kudos to him for going the extra mile (or many miles) as the Bigelow caretaker!
-I saw a TON of through-hikers. I often say that the AT isn't as crowded as its reputation says, but maybe in certain times of year I'm wrong. It seemed like an awfully big crowd. Nothing like Georgia in April and May, but still more than I'm used to in Maine.
-Of the non-through-hiker hikers that we ran into, I think I was the only one below 60. Pretty awesome! I didn't ask any if they're VFTTers... maybe I'll find out.
-The Fire Warden's Trail is much less difficult than climbing the Bigelows on the AT (although still pretty steep), and the Horns Pond Trail is surprisingly mellow. Great trip for a day hike!

Lastly, before starting the hike, we stopped at Ayotte's store in Carabasset and found that Map Adventures (who make the Long Trail Map, as well as several nice maps of the White Mountains) has a new map of the Rangeley Lakes and Maine High Peaks region. Very nice map, as is the case with all of their maps. It includes the AT from Andover to West Carry Pond, all of the 4000 footers, much of the Maine Huts trail system, a lot of other trails, and a lot of paddling access info for the Rangeley Lakes, Umbagog, Azicohos, and Flagstaff.

 

[peakbagger]

Thanks for the info on the new map. I expect when MHT builds the new hut in the Caribou Valley area and hooks up with Rangeley that the options for loop hikes will get interesting.

 

[Guthook]

Thanks for the info on the new map. I expect when MHT builds the new hut in the Caribou Valley area and hooks up with Rangeley that the options for loop hikes will get interesting.

Oh, the Caribou Valley is where they're aiming for the next one? That's pretty cool– I wonder if a trail up Redington would eventually result

Regardless, between the many huts, the AT, and the other trails between Saddleback and Bigelow, there's a heck of a lot of good hiking up there. And a lot of good wilderness to explore.

 

[peakbagger]

I dont think its official but I saw some MATC minutes awhile back that referred to MHT plans in the Caribou Valley area as MHT has to cross the AT. Given the current easterly end of the MHT at Rt 201, its logical to extend towards Rangeley as the next expansion.