Journal Entries

Descending out of the cloud that was tipped Camels Hump this morning. No views for us today.

This is a very easy part of the trail.

The summit of Camel’s Hump. Three bunk mates from last night and the caretaker from Montclair Glen Lodge.

Here we go...

Leaving Montclair Glen Lodge. Today’s climb: Camel’s Hump.

Day five: my morning view from my sleeping bag.

Arrived at Montclair Glen Lodge baround 5:30, staked a claim in the “lodge”, a 4 sided cabin with a door (vs. a 3 sided shelter), and cooked and ate supper on a tarp covered picnic table outside.

Apparently bears are a problem here so you can’t eat inside, because it leaves odors that attract them. So we added warming layers over our wet base layers, using our body heat to dry the damp base layers, filtered water (water, water everywhere!) ate outdoors, stored our food bags in the Uber-secure bear boxes and climbed into bed at 8pm.

Our cabin-mates, Long Trail nobos we’re already hunkered down for the night.

Sharing a dry shelter with other long distance, stinky hikers for the night is one of life’s sublime experiences that has to be lived to be understood. Shared sleeping space, camaraderie, shared goals, hiking trials (Lots of wet gear) and a deep appreciation for nature, bond strangers in the best of ways.

Still smiling... today’s hike was one of the most challenging I’ve done (this assessment was verified by 2 other AT thru-hikers, and one was also a PCT thru-hiker, we met enroute who said this section, in these conditions was as difficult as anything else they’d done) but I was still happy to be out here, we stayed injury-free and that was a win for me.

It was a great day in the mountains with the one I love and the person who’s always got my back, in life and on the trail.

Somewhere on the climb up Burnt Rock Mt. The easy part.

After this I didn’t take my phone out till we had safely “scaled”, summited and descended Burnt Rock man. Wish I had taken more photos, but I don’t take photos when I’m scared or especially stressed on the trail.

Burnt Rock Mtn was as hard as anything I’ve ever hiked before, which I was not expecting. The conditions were crappy and the exposed and slippery summit in the wind and fog and light drizzle was treacherous. And then came the rope and ladder... maybe @toesalad has more photos of this.

The umbrellas were very useful for light rainfall on not-too-arduous terrain. But the terrain was about to get arduous...

What’s this: a little creek? Nope, this is the trail. After last nights torrential downpour for hours in the evening water is running everywhere and one of waters easier courses downhill is on trails.

We walked through creeks, streams, little waterfalls, and standing pools of water all day.