Sunday, June 9, 2013

The Bigelows (3 ME4Ks)


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06/09/13 the Bigelows: Avery Peak, West Peak,  South Horn (NEHH list),  & North Horn (not on a list but the best views)

Wet,  muddy,  murky , muggy day.  -

Rest of trip report: Unfortunately I didn't write this until  ~3 weeks later so I don't have a real good memory of this hike. That is actually why i write these reports so i can remember what they were like. - Not for you, for me!


Pictures: some captions still TBD
My original plan was to drive and sleep a few hours at Sugarloaf
ski area in their skiing parking lot (like i did at saddleback). But I had trouble finding it. I did however run across a baby moose drinking from a puddle in the road. I tried to take his picture many times but my camera wouldn't focus with the flash in the dark. The best picture i got is below with just his eyes.  I was almost tempted to get out of the truck and take a closer pic, but then I realized that momma or pappa moose were probably close by.

I ended up sleeping  for few hours on Straton brook rd in an area a bit before the Appalachian trail crosses it. The trail head for
 


tough  river crossing, only if you were trying to keep dry boots.


this seemed like a perfect spot to seee moose ., but none



 Registration box set up by Maine Appalacian Trial Club , who maintainmost of the trails in Maine.

Moose skat. Saw a lot this hike but still no moose. Since finding the moose shed antler on the last hike I always slow down when i see a lot of signs of moose and look around in the wood sfor another shed.

getting muddy.

moose falls campsite half way up to the col with a welcomed outhouse



part of the trail was stone steps, but a lot of water coming down them.






fog and rain started on the way from the col to Avery Peak


Avery Peak , Bigelow

old stone foundation near Avery peak

Survey markers inside the foundation

Back down to the col and up to West Peak - still misty and fog
fog starting to lift, sharp drop offs after W. Peak

high winds on the ridge, narrow trail with steep, drop off

fog strting to clear giving views of  TBD lake






Bigelow South Horn, my third 4,000 footer for this hike


Bigelow North Horn, not on any of my lists but the views were worth the extra half hour. That's west peak behind me.