AT Days 125-127

Little Bigelow Lean-to to Pierce Pond Lean-to, 17.3 miles

The day started off with an easy descent down to Rocky Beach, right on the shores of Flagstaff Lake. The trail follows close to the shoreline for the next couple miles, providing easy and scenic miles. It was 70 degrees and sunny outside; my ideal hiking weather. Today was to be a much more mellow day of hiking compared to most other days in Maine, thanks to the minimal elevation change. I climbed and descended two small, unnamed hills before returning to flat terrain, which remained flat for the remainder of day.

There was certainly no shortage of water on today’s hike. In addition to Flagstaff Lake, the AT leads directly to the shores of West Carry Pond, East Carry Pond, and Pierce Pond; all large, crystal-clear lakes perfect for swimming, lounging, and camping. Halfway through the day, the trail led me to a sandy beach right on East Carry Pond, and you couldn’t ask for any better break spot than this. I wasn’t surprised to see Jackrabbit already there hanging out, practically half-asleep by the time I arrived.

I spent well over an hour at the beach eating, swimming, lying down, and talking to local day hikers who offered refreshments.  What a perfect way to spend an afternoon here in the remote backcountry of Maine. For the first time in a loong time, it felt like I was just simply on a backpacking vacation, enjoying everything this section of trail has to offer, much like one would do on a section/weekend hike. I could’ve stayed at that beach forever, but I slipped my shoes back on and walked the remaining flat six miles to the Pierce Pond Lean-to, situated literally right off the shores of the large Pierce Pond.

It was only 3:30 and I wasn’t feeling tired from the predominately flat 17 miles, but in order to arrive at the canoe ferry service to cross the Kennebec River the next day between their hours of operations, camping here made the most sense. I pitched my tent close to the water and fell asleep that night to the sounds of the resident loons doing what they do best.

Pierce Pond Lean-to to Bald Mountain Pond Lean-to, 22.8 miles

Located a short .2 mile hike away from the shelter is Harrison’s Pierce Pond Camp; a small, off-the-grid cabin that cooks breakfast for hikers for a small fee. The breakfast feast provided excellent fuel and I quickly walked the flat three miles to the bank of the Kennebec River. The trail crosses the Kennebec River, but since the river is deep and over 400 feet wide, the ATC provides a free canoe ferry service across the river, between 9 AM and 2 PM. Jackrabbit and I were the first to arrive at 9, and were the first ones taken across the river. For me, the Kennebec river has always signified that the end is very close, so this was a pretty iconic moment for me, as it is for most thru-hikers.

Almost immediately after the canoe ride, I arrived at US Route 201, that leads close-by to the tiny town of Caratunk. The Sterling Inn right down the road also operates as a general store, so I went there to resupply before returning to trail. The trail after Rt. 201 remains very flat, and I was able to cruise at over three MPH for the next several miles. A short but steep climb brought me to the summit of Pleasant Pond Mountain, followed by a long descent down to the base of Moxie Bald Mountain.

I was feeling really strong and had great energy today, and I easily made my way to the large, open summit of Moxie Bald Mountain at 2,600 feet. I soaked in the 360 degree views before following the rock cairns off the mountain, down to the Bald Mountain Pond Lean-to, yet again another shelter situated very close to the shores of a large lake. I will never get tired of camping by the water, and decided to make it a goal to do so for the few remaining nights I had on trail.

Bald Mountain Pond Lean-to to ME Route 15, 17.9 miles

I knew that rain was predicted in the forecast for the evening and the following morning, so I opted to sleep inside the shelter. Shelters really come in handy during rain, because it is so much easier to pack up your things in the shelter and hit the trail when it is raining, compared to breaking down your tent and packing up your pack in the rain. It wasn’t the heaviest of rainstorms when I hit the trail that morning, but it certainly was coming down.

The elevation profile for the 18 miles to Route 15 looked almost entirely flat, minus one small hill to climb at the end. I popped my headphones in and cruised down the flat trail, having no desire to stop much in the rain. Some sections of the trail were very rocky and rooty, while others were completely smooth. The trail follows and crosses many streams/brooks, and makes its way through plenty of pine forests. I didn’t mind hiking in the rain, knowing I would have a shower waiting for me on the other side. I would be spending the night at the iconic Shaw’s Hiker Hostel, located in the tiny, hiker-friendly town of Monson.

Shaw’s is a popular destination for hikers since it is typically the final town stop for hikers before summiting Katahdin, and also acts as the first sign of civilization since Abol Bridge for Southbounders. Monson acts as the final resupply option before the 100 Mile Wilderness, so almost every single hiker stops into Monson. I would be taking one final zero day at Shaw’s to get some things organized for my final section through the 100 Mile Wilderness. I also wanted to zero for the same reason I did back at the Maine Roadhouse; I wanted to hang out with my hiker friends in town for one last time, and appreciate the simple hiker lifestyle before it’s all over.