Vermont’s Tallest Peak – Long Trail Edition Part 6

Food, Food, Lots of Food

I’m sitting in the back of Kat’s truck watching the storm clouds in the distance. All I can think of is food and a smile comes to my face. Many people on the trail have told us about Waterbury Vermont. Of those many people we heard many different restaurants we NEED to try. 

Food is near!

The Stagecoach Inn

We get to the Stagecoach Inn, a historic inn within the town of Waterbury. Walking inside the inn I can’t help but feel like I’m walking in the past. The floors are carpeted with intricate flower designs something akin to the carpets my grandparents had. Walking up the stairs I can hear the creaks and groans of the building. The keys I was given for the room are long, massive, and outdated. Approximately 4-6 inches in length. We bring all our gear up to our room. I enter the shower, it’s my turn. I step into a small bathtub with 4 legs holding it up. As I enter, the shower head is lower than my head. At 5’8″ I feel like a giant. Loving this newfound height I just acquired, I enjoy the sensation of being taller and get all clean while crouching in the shower. Now it’s time for some grub!

The $85 Meal

I do this to myself I’m thinking, stuffed looking at a full plate of food. We decide on Prohibition Pig for lunch. This is a brewery and BBQ joint that people on trail were raving about. It did not disappoint. We go to the brewery first because the restaurant is closed and I order a BBQ pulled pork slider. The mix of the BBQ sauce and tenderness of the pulled pork melts in my mouth. I enjoy every morsel for the 2-3 minutes it lasts on my plate. Now that I had my appetizer it’s time for lunch. We head to the restaurant. We all sit down and order an ungodly amount of food and drinks. Since I don’t drink I’m only eating and washing it down with lots of water. I start off with mac and cheese and cornbread that Murph and I split. Oh the mac and cheese was incredible. The creaminess and breadcrumbs that coated the top layer left me wanting more. Then we ordered the entrees. I got a side order of fries and a half rack of ribs. It’s an understatement to say that I had my fill. Not to mention I already ate the pulled pork sandwich approximately 20 minutes prior to this meal. I regret all of it. I enjoyed one rib. One tender and succulent rib because my eyes were hungrier than my stomach. The fries I barely touched because I was so invested in the creamy mac and cheese. Then the corn bread. I mean that one was delicious so I gobble that down. All in all I ate about half of my meal. Then the check comes. $85 for everything I got. A big lesson for me on town food. I need to chill.

The delicious meal of regrets

Ben & Jerry’s

It all starts when Cool Trail Mom mentions Ben and Jerry’s factory near Waterbury. I mean it would be cool to see, but at the same time I love doing nothing in town. I could care less. Cool Trail Mom’s daughter was so excited by this side quest and wanted to see all the pictures from her. Eventually late into our zero day the sign was made. “Hikers to Ben & Jerry’s” and “Hikers to Waterbury” were written on opposite sides of the bag. We are doing it. To Ben and Jerry’s we go. After a little bit of dancing and goofing off while thumbing on the road a car stops. We hop in and we are off to B&J’s. The guy driving us is really intent on not using seatbelts. He tells us that in all his crashes having the seatbelt off saved him. Okay… sure, I think to myself. This is hitch life, by no means am I logically bringing an argument to this man. Before long we arrive at B&J’s!

The Graveyard & Ice Cream

We get to the ticket office and the man informs us we are unable to do the factory tour for 2 hours. Cool Trail Mom tries her best to persuade him on letting us in earlier, but we have no luck. Oh no, time to burn some time. Off to the place where flavors go to die. We walk through the graveyard and laugh at all the ridiculous flavors and to my surprise some of the good ones they sent off to the other side. Now it’s time for a little treat. We get in line to grab some ice cream when one of the girls behind the counter begins giggling. Cool Trail Mom yells over to the girls, “he is a good looking guy and single.” I’m taken back by what’s happening, but turn to Cool Trail Mom laugh and thank her for the compliment. We order our ice cream and the giggling girl is hidden deep within the shop. Now time to indulge in some amazing ice cream.

Cool Trail Mom’s sign is even in this picture. We are enjoying Ben & Jerry’s!

The Factory

The cowbell rings and the tour begins. I hear Asher, our guide, ring the cowbell. Like a child on Christmas I excitedly shout, “we need more cowbell!” Asher is a bit stunned and the crowd of people doesn’t seem into it. C’mon guys it’s B&J’s. We proceed in and I run up the stairs fully being in the moment and embracing the corny cow puns and jokes the staff loved. We watch a short informational video about the factory and company and then proceed into the factory. Back in Warren Vermont Ryan, our host at Tevere Hostel, shared they don’t make ice cream in the factory during tours. They were brewing up some cream! I watch in amazement as the assembly line system works its magic sending pints of ice cream through the quality control inspection. Then Cool Trail Mom caught it. “A pint is down,” she said. I watch intently trying to catch this happen. Shortly after she saw it Murph & I begin to catch the pints that don’t make it. The way the assembly line runs there is a way to clear the downed ice cream. This doesn’t interfere with the ice cream that successfully makes it through the packaging process. It was very cool and now time to head to our sample. “Marshmallow Sky will be our secret sample of the day,” Asher says. I cheer, audibly, and again everyone is probably wondering what is wrong with this kid. Then Asher asks where everyone is coming from. So without hesitation I shout, “we walked from Massachusetts!” Asher didn’t know how to respond. It was well worth it. We enjoy our free sample and before long it’s time to leave Ben and Jerry’s. We hitch back to town and a man in an old VW refurbished van scoops us up. He drives us to the highway he is hopping on. The van pulls over and we hop out. Now we are walking alongside the highway. It’s pretty busy with lots of traffic. We begin wondering if a state trooper will ticket us for walking on the highway. Then just like that a state trooper cruises right on by. We are in the clear! Now back to the Stagecoach Inn to prepare for tomorrow’s hiking.

Our lovely little Tramily

Murph and Cool Trail Mom walking the ol’ highway

Out of Waterbury

The scent of fresh scones and coffee fill my nostrils as I enter the lobby of the Stagecoach Inn. I’m packed up and ready to get back to trail. I sit down and enjoy a cheddar and chive scone with some fresh coffee and ensure my power bank is all charged up. Kat, our driver and owner of the Stagecoach Inn, tells us she can take us back to trail early. I’m excited and for some reason as much as I love town days I equally love getting back out to the trail. Here we come!

Washouts & Climbing

The day starts off with a little road walk. Before long we are turning on a closed road and walking through an underpass. As we continue along the road I start to see the road missing large chunks out of it. The locals mentioned a hurricane that had hit the town this year and the year prior. The damage was still here. I look in awe and then turn onto the trail. Time to climb Mount Bolton. 

The underpass before the washouts, unfortunately no photos were taken of the damage only videos.

Meditative Climbs

Straight up I go. It feels steep this morning and then all of a sudden a side trail comes into view. I take the side trail knowing a view is down this path. I sit down and it dawns on me. This is the perfect place to meditate. I listen to the Stoic Path. I listen intently while taking in the environment I’m sitting in with eyes open. I watch a couple daddy long leg spiders walking amongst the leaves and am fascinated by the way they can walk upside down between them. Nature is truly incredible. Shortly after my meditation ends I hear footsteps approach. I assume it’s Cool Trail Mom, but see it’s a girl I haven’t met yet. She introduces herself as Nemo and shares that she got a hole in her shin. Nemo is extremely enthusiastic. She is thrilled to meet me and shares her plans to hike to Saranac Lake which follows the North Country Trail. She has already hiked the Long Trail NOBO and was heading SOBO now. She asks if I want to see the picture of the hole in her shin. Of course I do. She shows me the picture and I’m blown away, but not disgusted by it. Then she highly recommends I take a wilderness preparedness course. She has a ton of energy. At this point Cool Trail Mom shows up. We all exchange hellos and introductions and then Nemo continues. I’m afraid of being caught out in a lightning storm. Cool Trail Mom knows this. Nemo proceeds to share some wild information she learned about lightening, but hesitantly. She asks if I’m sure I wanna hear it. Cool Trail Mom looks at me with a warning glare not to continue this conversation. Curiosity killed the cat and it’s gonna take me out too. I wanna know! Nemo says ground strikes. They can kill you. Now I’m baffled since I don’t know a lick about ground strikes. I’m gonna be thinking about this every lightning storm I encounter outdoors in the future. We say our goodbyes to Nemo and head up Bolton mountain with the plan to break for lunch at Harrington’s Point. 

Echoooooo

Keep on climbing, keep on climbing. I’m thinking of Nemo, the movie, now after running into the hiker Nemo. Then the view comes into sight. WOW! In the distance I can clearly make out Mansfield Mountain. The crown jewel of the Long Trail in my mind. I walk along the rocky cliff exploring by myself while I wait for Cool Trail Mom. I give a shout. The sound of my voice travels, vibrates, and repeats itself, once, twice, three times and before long a dozen times in the distance. I’m left grinning speechless from this little experience. Cool Trail Mom and enjoy some lunch upon her arrival and begin talking in British accents as Sir Harrington comes from the homeland. 

The echo from here was one I will never forget

Two British peeps enjoying a spot of tea on Sir Harrington’s peak

They Are Too Big

After finishing lunch Cool Trail Mom and I continue the climb up Bolton. At this point it is a grueling climb. I’m pretty wet and a 4,000 foot climb out of town isn’t ideal. Then I hear what sounds like a gunshot followed by laughter. I turn around and Cool Trail Mom is looking at her pack straps. “My boobs popped the strap! It’s broken, can you help fix it?” I begin laughing now and attempt to fix her strap. We work together for about 5 minutes before we realize this can’t be fixed. They are too big. Them tit-tays could not handle being compressed by the strap. We laugh at this ridiculous sequence of events. Honestly, gunshots would have been more believable. We’ve been hearing fully automatic AR shots fired all day. We found out that a national guard location is in the area. 

The Return of Some New Friends

The trail turned into a sloppy mess as we continue up to Bolton summit. It had loose rocks, tanneny water, and twigs laid out in no particular order with overhanging rocks to navigate. I arrive and am at the lovely wooded summit of Bolton peak. Ah, those Vermont views! I continue hiking down and reconvene with Murph at Puffer Shelter. When Cool Trail Mom makes it down we all decide to continue hiking on to Taylor Lodge. We made better time than anticipated for leaving town a bit later in the morning. 

The lovely puzzle solving trail of Vermont. Always a new challenge to face and maneuver.

The gorgeous views on Bolton Summit paired with some nice signage

My body is aching at this point and the jokes start coming out as we push towards Taylor lodge. I’m realizing a lot of our bonding surrounds the pain that we feel while hiking through Vermont. If you were any easier Vermont I’m not sure we would be as tight as we are. We walk along a beautiful beaver bog. I’m stepping on planks and rock to navigate the outskirts of the bog and then I see a woman with a tent set up. We approach her and she shares that a group of boys are at the shelter. I shout, “OH NO, NOT THE CAMPERS!” I know for certain there won’t be room in the shelter now. What will I do? My body is yearning for a spot to lay and rest my weary legs and aching feet. Shortly after this scream I realize I’m in spitting distance of the lodge. They definitely heard me. I approach the lodge and tell all the campers, “I’m sure you heard me, but I only meant that because we won’t have room in the shelter. I love you guys.” The campers make some space for Cool Trail Mom and I to set up our pads. A sense of relief fills me as I don’t have to set up my tent. Another lazy night of hiking, just how I like it. Murph chooses to set up his tent and have some quiet for tonight. These campers are awesome, I think, as this is the second time we’ve run into them. I walk down a side trail to get water and am blown away by the way the meadow opens up. I feel like I’m out west. There are no trees, just empty space, and tall mountains in the distance. I love this kind of sight. I continue down and find a waterfall off the side trail, sick! I fill up my water, free of tannen, and head back up to the shelter. I packed out a frozen burrito for night one on trail. The counselor, Ben, notices this and offers me the use of their skillet. A hot burrito night one, of course I’m in! Stoked at this new realization that I’m about to have a hot meal I throw my burrito on the skillet and enjoy this boujee meal for night one back on the trail. I enjoy this burrito in its entirety before getting ready for bed. Tomorrow brings the best peak on trail, Mount Mansfield.

Many Men Field

Today is a nice leisurely day. We all plan a 6.2 mile day to fully capture the beauty of Mansfield. We want to take our time enjoying each viewpoint and potentially get food at Stowe’s ski resort restaurant. Murph and I start the morning with a little side quest. The “rough” Clara Bow is calling our name.

The Trials and Tribulations of Clara Bow

Oh Clara Bow. As I approach your trail sign you tell me “ROUGH.” I’ve never seen a trail sign say rough on it. Why does that make me want to hike you more? Murph and I begin the trail to Clara Bow. It descends down into a rock face that turns into a cave. I walk my way up the rocks and approach the ladder down. I descend down the ladder and am in a cave of boulders. Murph follows shortly after and we exit the cave. 

Oh Clara, how rough can you be?

The descent into Clara Bow’s cave

We continue along Clara Bow’s trail waiting for her to be rough. The climb out is up some rock that was slightly slick due to rain. Then after ascending the narrow path up from the cave we were brought back to the long trail. Rough? Clara Bow you fool us. Murph and I both thought for sure that there was no need to have the word “rough” written on the sign to Clara Bow. Nonetheless it was an awesome side quest and fun little excursion with just Murph and I.

The ascent out of Clara Bow, maybe this is why they said rough? It was not bad.

Murph from above as he exits Clara Bow

Beaver Ponds & CTM

Murph and I shortly after exiting Clara Bow stumble upon a beaver pond. We hang here and watch the reflection of the still water. The trees are clear as day in the ponds reflection. We begin to see fish surfacing, jumping out of the water briefly, then returning to the depths of the pond. We question whether or not this pond was man made or beaver made. The actual dam gives us an idea that man helped in the process. There are plants growing out of the dam itself and a clear hole in the dam. We enjoy the peace of this sight and push on with hopes of catching up to Cool Trail Mom.

The captivating views from beaver pond

Murph and I approach a stream in a staggered fashion. I arrive first to the sight of Cool Trail Mom and sit with her. I tell her Murph is shortly behind me. We fill up our water and feel the excitement building for the climb up Mansfield. I can’t wait! This day is going to be awesome. Murph arrives and we all fill up and have some snacks. The climb can’t come soon enough. Before long I take off and find a nice sitting rock halfway up the climb. I snap a picture down the trail and hang for Murph and Cool Trail Mom.

Cool Trail Mom and I excited for the climb up Mansfield

A pristine sitting rock in the middle of the trail. I needed this break.

Butler Lodge

We finish the ascent towards the start of the climb to Mansfield. Then I see the side trail to Butler lodge. This is one of the lodges that was highly spoken of by many locals. I wanted to stay here one night, but that wasn’t in the cards and I accepted that. I did want to see the lodge in all its glory. I put my pack down and descend a couple hundred feet to the lodge. I pop out and see a structure sitting with minimal trees nearby and a beautiful view out at the mountains in the distance. It looks odd seeing a big wooden structure out in the middle of the woods. So cool and worth checking out!

Butler lodge perched up on the mountain side

Scrambling

The trail starts getting interesting. First we have to walk through the rock path of truth. Two boulders folded in on each other with a small space for one hiker to go through at a time. We each went one after the other enjoying these little unique moments on the trail.

You may enter the rock of truth

Shortly after we walk through the rock of truth the scramble begins. I am beaming with excitement. We all approach the start of the scramble and begin the climb. We are holding roots, using three points of contact, and even climbing ladders. Today is a fun kind of morning. We each call out good places for our feet and hands as we continue the climb up. Then we approach the needle. This may very well be the hardest point on the entire trail. This one small section. With one daring drop. Enter the needle.

Excitement is through the roof as I start this scramble towards the summit of Mansfield

Ladders are back! This time more than just one. Yeah I’m talking to you ladder ravine.

The Needle

Things get serious real quick. The rocky scrambles start to show us the first taste of exposure as we climb closer towards the needle. The exposure brings concerns, but spirits are high. I put one foot in front of the other and precisely place my hands in solid hand holds. This is the three points of contact zone. I make it to the needle when I hear Cool Trail Mom from above, “there is a good handhold up here, just keep reaching to the right.” I’m not thinking too much about it as I’m focused on the beautiful view that is directly behind us. I soak it in and turn around continuing forward. Then shortly after Murph ascends I understand what she means. I climb a slab of rock that is sitting on a 45 degree angle. At the top I have enough room for one foot and then it’s a vertical drop down approximately 30 feet. I reach my arm out, but don’t feel the handhold. I try a second time, but get nothing. I readjust my feet to try getting higher up the rock. The third attempt I have it. I nestle my fingers into the handhold and adjust until I feel like my hand is securely holding on. I pull myself up and take one look down into the ravine. WHOA. This is the sketchiest part of the trail. I swing my other leg around the rock and make it through. The needle had a surprise. Now to the Forehead of Mansfield. 

The trio squeezing in for a selfie on the small bit of rock we have available

The sketchiest part of trail. Murph ascends and to his left is an approximately 30 foot drop. The handhold is to his right on the rock above him.

Mansfield said, “we got ladders!”

Tom & The Mysterious Weather Tower

As I hike past the needle things mellow out. I constantly am looking behind me as the views are spectacular. I am shouting with joy and capturing dozens of pictures. Before long I’m at the top of the forehead alongside Cool Trail Mom and Murph. I take my last photo of the Forehead before we continue on towards the visitor center. 

The Forehead on Mansfield, and one of the dozens I have on my camera roll

As a group we walk through the very easy moving trail towards the visitor center. The weather tower comes into view. “Let’s check it out!” I tell the group in excitement. As we approach the trail it’s clear to see that the path to the weather tower isn’t traveled by hikers. I wonder what they are hiding up there? This is where the clouds of Vermont are made! Murph, Cool Trail Mom, and I have a conversation about all of the ridiculous things Mansfield Mountain has hidden in the weather tower. The only unfortunate bit is we will never know for certain. We didn’t go. My imagination paints a picture of a heavily guarded fortress below the weather tower. Armed guards man the 12 inch thick solid steel door that opens up into the mountain. The unexplored weather tower is something best left to the imagination. 

The weather tower hidden away behind the mountains. So many questions I have for you.

Before we know it we are greeted by the sign welcoming us to the visitor center. We walk up trail a bit further and run into a man with GMC gear on. He introduces himself as Tom. “Hey Tom!” Cool Trail Mom has been cooking up some great questions regarding Mount Mansfield. She fires one off at Tom. “Tom where are the many men in the fields?” Tom, somewhat puzzled, responds “that’s the first time I’ve been asked that.” She nailed it. We share our plan to hike down the cliff trail for some very pricey burgers with Tom. As we are about to depart from the visitor center Tom stops us. He shares that the cliff trail is steep. He recommends we leave our packs at the top before the descent. I brush it off and we continue the march to lunch.

Around the same location we met Tom. Welcome to the Visitor Center!

We are at the visitor center and wondering where the many men of Mansfield reside.

Day Hikers Galore

As we pass the visitor center, which is also a parking lot, day hikers start appearing in abundance. Many of them approach us and ask what we are doing. I share with a few we are doing the Long Trail and started in Massachusetts back on July 11th. They are impressed and cheer us on. I feel like a celebrity and proud of this feat I’m setting out to do. The trail at this point is a gradual climb walking along the ridge of Mansfield. Views are surrounding me and I’m snapping pictures of all the different angles. I stop to take a video and I overhear a group of four day hikers around my age. They are baffled at why people would camp. I can tell they’ve never done it. I chime in and share, “I’m camping out here, it’s incredible, you should try it!” The group turns to me and begins asking questions. I share my knowledge, which is limited, and tell them I’m hiking the Long Trail. They didn’t know people hike those kind of lengths. It was foreign to them. I say goodbye and wish the group well. It is rewarding educating people on this stuff. I think more so because I love it. That makes it so easy. If one of them ventures out and camps that would be so badass. If not at least they know more about the culture of thruhiking and camping. 

The views looking down to Stowe Resort

Day hikers in the distance. I like that rock.

An awesome cliff

Do I Want a Burger?

Cool Trail Mom, Murph, and I reach the cliff trail. I remember Tom’s advice, but disregard it as we begin the descent to Stowe. Burgers are near. The trail is steep. The rock is still slick. There are metal rungs & ravines!? Whoa, not the ideal way I want to spend my time approaching a piping hot meal. I remind myself burgers are near. This is my motivation. I approach a boulder with metal rungs on the top and over the other side of the rock to help hikers descend the other side. I step over the 3 foot wide crevasse carefully feeling the slick rock. I grab the rungs and swing myself over the boulder. Climbing down I’m thinking to myself, this trail is trying to kill me. Who in their right mind would want people coming down this. After I get through this crazy metal rung nonsense I’m greeted to another boulder problem. The two rocks have caved in on each other. There is space for an average sized human to squeeze through and continue the vertical descent. I get my booty in and begin to squeeze. I’m stuck. My bag is too big to make it through the rocks. I unclip my bag and begin getting us through these boulders separately. After I make it out I help my bag through and then hear two sweet older ladies offering me assistance. “I’ve seen everyone slide down this one on their butt,” one of the ladies says to me. Okay dokey. I’m gooch schooching. I sit on the rock that rapidly drops down the trail. I can see that there are about 6-8 feet before the ground. I slowly slide and make it to the bottom. Phew! That was a helluva side trail. I thank the ladies and find out they are waiting for their families. They didn’t want to bother climbing up this nonsense and I don’t blame them. I continue down and eventually make it onto a ski trail. I made it and oh I want a burger more than ever.

The ski trail that led us off the Cliff Trail

Burgers & The White Mountains

After climbing down that trail I don’t even want to think about going back up. I’m content with a long break. We all enjoy burgers in the Stowe resort restaurant. Pay a whopping $36 a piece per burger. It doesn’t come cheap out here. We head down to the picnic area to relax and stay a while. I notice a lookout point up a flight of stairs. I decide I want to check it out. I climb up and see a sign that indicates which mountains I’m looking at in the distance. The White Mountain National Forest is in the distance and a ton of their peaks can be seen on high visibility days. I look at the placard and follow the range in the distance imagining I’m looking at exactly the mountains that are presented to me. This is so cool. I’m in disbelief that a large chunk of the mountain range is in clear sight. A surprise that I’m grateful to have experienced. Now it’s time to go back up the torture trail.

I’m a tourist at Stowe Resort!

Old Friends, Great Views, & The Summit

The unforgivable cliff trail surprisingly doesn’t cause us too much difficulty going back up. Before long we had cursed, laughed, and climbed our way up and out of the cliff trail. We proceed onward to the summit. As we get close I turn around and can see almost the entire ridge we walked. The eerie weather tower of my imagination is lingering in the distance. A truly jaw dropping sight in the best way possible. I wish pictures could do it the same justice as the moment I experienced it.

The ridge walk. I’m blown away looking back.

As I continue up the trail I can see Cool Trail Mom & Murph are approaching the summit. Let’s go! As I arrive on the top I see some familiar faces. The campers! Two of them are hanging out on top. I cheer them on loud and proud in front of 30+ day hikers. No shame after being in the woods for this long. I talk to them a bit before I find a little piece of rock where no day hikers are. After putting my bag down I turn around. It’s Tom. Oh Tom, I should’ve listened to your advice, I think. I approach Tom and apologize to him. I tell him, “I’m sorry Tom, I didn’t trust ya, but now I know you’re the real deal. Could you forgive me?” Tom has no words when I approach him with this apology initially. He is taken aback. Then after a few moments he tells me the best place to get a picture on Mansfield and says yes to forgiveness. I pass off the phone to Cool Trail Mom and strike a pose.

When you see Tom trust his advice, wholeheartedly, he won’t steer you wrong

The gang summits Mansfield

Down, Down, Down, No Shoes?

Cool Trail Mom and Murph get a head start as I hang out a bit longer at the summit. This has been the best day on trail I begin thinking. I feel like I’ve said that multiple times now I realize. I proceed down the trail as it descends with minor rock scrambles. Then I hear Cool Trail Mom and Murph. I can’t see them though. I look over this boulder and it is straight down. Maybe 8-10 feet down. There is a little cut out in the rock for footholds, but if I get too much speed I’m tumbling off this mountain. I take my sweet time and join the crew for a snack. 

It was a pretty sick snack sight not gonna lie

Then just like that she appears. From below the rocks a woman approaches us. She is wearing a GMC shirt and hat. We greet her and get to talking. She asks if we are staying at one of the lodges tonight. We share that we will be staying at Taft. She informs us that the lodge already has 8 people there currently. It was at this point I notice it. She has no shoes on. No socks either. She is raw dogging her feet up this mountain. “Do you always hike with no shoes?” I ask her curiously. She tells me she has done this climb hundreds of times without shoes. Her feet are caked in mud and I am baffled at how she is managing to do this feat. See what I did there. Then it came time to nark.

The Nark

I don’t remember exactly how it was brought up, but in conversation Cool Trail Mom mentioned the campers joining us at Taft. She mentioned there are 10 of them. What, 10 of them? No! We don’t allow groups like that to stay in shelters for the security of hikers out on their own accord. I get it that makes sense. “Who told them that?” Questioned the mysterious GMC caretaker. Cool Trail Mom mentions that Tom might have talked to Ben, the camp counselor. She shakes her head in disbelief and seems to understand why Tom would allow this. She seems intent on getting to the bottom of this dilemma and is not happy in the slightest with Tom. Hey, I only have good things to say about Tom. I don’t trust this caretaker with no shoes. Tom gave me great information 2/2 times. I can’t throw all that away for a little head shake in disbelief at Tom’s actions. We say goodbye and begin the descent to Taft. I joke with Cool Trail Mom calling her a nark. She feels bad. She didn’t want the campers to not stay there, but she did the right thing in the moment. We push on and laugh as we have to slide our asses down tons of rock. Eventually we make it to the junction where the long trail diverts to the Adam’s Apple. I want to see this side quest so I say goodbye to Cool Trail Mom and Murph and head to the Adam’s Apple.

The Adam’s Apple in the distance

Adam’s Apple 

I took this side quest alone. The sole reason for that was because we knew 8 people were already at Taft. Cool Trail Mom and Murph wanted to make sure they secured a bunk for the night. There was no way we could hike on to the next campsite or shelter. Even though we have hiked just about 6 miles we are pooped. I trek up to the Adam’s Apple and get there within no time. I look up and marvel at the descent we just made off of Mansfield. Since I’m there I decide to explore a little further. I continue to hike on this side trail and come to another view on the other side of Mansfield. A small alpine pond comes into view with tons of greenery along the mountainside. This was worth every extra step. I make my way back to the Long Trail intent on giving my legs a nice rest at Taft Lodge.

The view from the Adam’s Apple shows the descent down Mansfield, what we just came down.

The alpine pond! Sometimes a little sidequest is worth the mystery.

Taft Lodge & Grandpa’s Cream

I make it to Taft Lodge and find Cool Trail Mom, Murph, some of the campers, Ghostpile, and 2 hikers from Canada. This is gonna be a fun night. The lodge itself is beautiful. It’s huge! Around 20 people can fit in here easily. Before long more campers are coming in and new hikers we haven’t met yet. A man from Seattle joins us. He is here on business and wants to camp out a night on Mansfield before his big meeting. Ghostpile is attempting the Long Trail and spending two months on trail because she needed to be in nature. Then the campers are going all out cooking their usual meal of delicious summer sausage and rice. Then I notice Murph hears a little voice. He picks up the jar of Grandpa’s cream and listens intently. “Yes, yes, grandpa, I’ll tell him.” “Grandpa wants you to relax.” Grandpa can talk? I pick up the jar of grandpa’s cream and hold it to my ear. “Yes, yes, okay, I’ll tell Murph.” “Murph grandpa says that we need to have an incredible dinner tonight to celebrate Mansfield.” This continues for the next 15 or so minutes before I can’t take myself seriously anymore. The remainder of the night is filled with laughs, camaraderie, and jokes about grandpas cream. This very well may have been the best day on trail so far. The imagination that sparked in me today with some help from Murph made some of these moments into precious memories I’ll soon not forget. I’m so grateful for these crazy humans I’m hiking with. Murph, Cool Trail Mom, and the campers. The people make it all worth it. The shared experience makes each day a new adventure to share and cherish. I feel and think all of this before turning in for the night. What a journey you’ve been so far Long Trail.

Where memories were created

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