Days 5-6 “Plan C”

The plan was… arrive late, hike 2 hours to Spruce Ledge Camp, next day to Corliss Camp, then hike to the car staged on Codding Hollow Rd, re-stage to Hwy15, and complete the section.

Running with the Devil

Devil’s Gulch is one of the most beautiful hiking areas so far. A bit of a Jungle Gym, but not excessively difficult. Well, i lost my Z-lite pad probably going trough the cave. In Candomblé religion, the Devil is represented by Exu, who is more a trickster than an evil spirit. That should teach me against strapping a pad on top of my pack… Thanks, Exu…

Devil’s Gulch

Next Camp ?

I arrived still really early at the first camp. It was around 14h00, and could not convince myself that i would stop until 05h00 tomorrow. I decided on plan B which was to continue hiking very slow, trying to manage distance vs pain, and hike until around sunset. The ultimate goal would be to make it to Corliss Camp, but should i want to stop before, i am hammocking. I just need 2 trees.

Well, i hiked and hiked, i was pretty tired but i was trough some kind of swampy area, full of ferns and mosquitoes. No fun for hammocking. I crossed my fingers and hoped that at least should i make it to the Butternut Mtn summit, i would at least get a breeze and a clearing. No such luck, i was disappointed but everything was downhill from here. After a very very long 9-mile day, i made it to Corliss Camp, which i was supposed to reach only the next day.

Butternut Mtn summit. This is the valve used by GMC to inflate the mountain.

Bad night

I had the Camp to myself. I put my hammock near the shelter, and tried to relax. Sleep would not come. My neck was bothering me a lot (read background). Of course, being in the middle of the woods by yourself makes you hyper-vigilant to any sound. I heard the wind veer. I figured i had 4-5 minutes to bring everything inside before the rain. I am glad i did because it poured heavy rain all night after that. Never trust a weather forecast in the mountains…

Plan C

I was awake 8 hours in my hammock, basically waiting for the sunrise. It felt nice to have my legs up all that time, but without any sleep i did not see myself re-staging the car and pursuing to Hwy15. I had the same kind of event after Jay Peak, forcing me to turn a trough hike into section hiking. I could not use my headlamp as it seemed unserviceable for some reason. I packed and ate at 04h30, and at 04h45 was on the trail for a gruesome 2.5 mile climb of Mt Laraway.

The climb was long, but on the other side of the summit i was glad to have a view of Mt Mansfield, just before the rain. The descent on the south side was steep, but the trail was very beautiful. I made it to the car around 08h30 completely soaked from the still pouring rain.

View of Mt Mansfield / descending Laraway Mtn

Lessons learned, lessons re-learned

– Anything strapped or clipped to your pack is at risk;

– A shelter is a valid destination, even when hammocking;

– Never trust the weather forecast;

– Check headlamp before leaving;

Good practices

– hiking to my car;

– Eating only cold snacks;

What’s next ?

I think that next week or the following one i will finish the 7-mile stretch between Codding Hollow Rd and Hwy15. However, i am following a 3-month cycle with cortisone injections and am now overdue. I will likely have to wait until end-of-July or August for an appointment, so i am planning the Mt Whiteface / Madonna Pk section probably in September. More to follow,

Cheers and 73,

Sly the Navigator