Monson, ME to Baxter State Park

Day 3, Sunday, September 3

Chairback Gap Lean-to to Logan Brook Lean-to, 17.1 miles

I’m up and hiking at 7 AM. It is a beautiful morning with the temperature in the high forties and the sun shining brightly. The views from Chairback Mountain are great. I can see White Top and what may be Katahdin in the distance.

It is a relatively easy 4 miles down to Katahdin Ironworks Road and the stream crossing at the West Branch of the Pleasant River. There is a small sign at the road crossing inviting hikers to join the Price Family BBQ this weekend, but I’m a day late again.

I reach the river by 9 AM. I make a quick necessary stop and then wade across the river. The crossing is only mid-shin deep. It’s not bad, although pretty slick and the crossing is about 50 yards wide at this point. I meet “Joe”, an AT Ridgerunner on the other side. I stop and talk for a few minutes while I’m putting my shoes back on. “Joe” tells me the weather forecast is calling for rain late this afternoon and evening into the night. Not the best of news.

The AT is a great trail up to the Gulf Hagas Trail. I meet five thru-hikers, “Jellybean”, “Shasta”, “H-Bomb”, “Mouse”, and “Jangles” at the junction. They are part of a group of six hikers that have been together almost the entire hike. They had stashed their packs in the woods and hiked out the Gulf Hagas Trail to the waterfalls this morning, and I meet them as they are returning to the AT. We talk for a few minutes before they hike on. I fall in behind them, but they soon leave me in the dust.

I reach the stream in front of the Newhall Lean-to at 12:15 PM. “Shasta” is getting water from the stream, so I stop to talk and fill up as well. We walk on to the shelter and find the other four at the shelter finishing lunch. They head out shortly and I follow them a few minutes later. Seven more miles across White Cap Mountain this afternoon. I’m excited because White Cap is the last major climb of the trail until Katahdin.

The first climb up Gulf Hagas Mountain is steep, but I’m on top by 1 PM. Then it’s one peak an hour as I reach West Peak at 2 PM, Hay Mountain at 3 PM, and finally White Cap Mountain at 4 PM.

It starts to rain climbing Hay Mountain and by the time I reach White Cap at 4 PM the top is socked in by the clouds and fog. The wind is blowing about 30 mph and it’s cold. I cross the rocky top and don’t stay too long exposed in the storm. I reach the tree line on the other side and pound down the mountain trying to stay warm in the cold wind and rain toward Logan Brook Lean-to. I reach the shelter before 5 PM, but the thru-hikers have already pushed on. I have the shelter to myself for the night.

I eat a pack of crackers first and then eat a cold Lipton Noodle dinner. Even though I let the noodles soak for an hour, they aren’t very appetizing. There isn’t going to be any place to get a fuel canister on this hike, so I’ll just have to make do. Either eat cold food or build a fire to cook. Everything is too wet to try that tonight.

Cold rain falls most of the night. I climb into my bag and it takes a while to get warm.