Day 82: New Pack, Same Old Me

Summary
Aug 7th

Velvet Rock to Trapper John Shelter

NOBO mile# 1764.3

Tolmann’s daily mileage 15.2

Tolmann’s total mileage 741.6

Yesterday afternoon, a couple came in to camp with their toddler. They set up right next to me, so it was clear I would not have an uninterrupted sleep. But they were good people and their son was pretty cute. Still, it was a long night. I also had a hard time falling asleep, as well. So it was hard getting up this morning. 

I finally rolled out of bed around 7am. I had to relearn the packing up regime for the hammock, but I wasn’t trying to be particularly fast.  

The morning’s hike was ok. Since the shelter didn’t have water, I was a little anxious to get to a water source to top off. Mid morning I came to a brook, and was able to chug a liter or so to make up for the deficit. 

Then there were a couple of field crossings before the first serious climb up to Moose Mountain. As I started across one, I saw a skunk a few feet from the trail in the tall grass. He was facing me, but I kept on moving so as not to become a threat. Still, if was a little nerve wracking. 

Climbing Moose Mountain was not too bad, but as I got closer to the top, I was running out of steam. There were a number of day hikers on the trail, both going up and down. When I reached the Southern Peak, there was a SOBOer there laid out in the shade, obviously enjoying his mid day rest. We talked for a little while before a couple I had passed coming up got there. They had a pair of poodles with them.  

The view from the south peak was beautiful, if restricted. I sat for a while before moving on. 

My first goal for the day was Moose Mountain Shelter, which I arrived at around 1pm. It seemed too early to stop for the day, so after a short rest, I moved on. 

Trying to get to Trapper John shelter meant getting to the north peak, then descending Moose Mountain, then climbing to the Holt Ledges, which was a more serious climb than that of the morning. But it was only 5+ miles, so seemed doable. 

The climb down was ok, but I could feel myself tiring. At the road crossing, I met up with Cool Breeze, who had stayed at Velvet Rocks, and Apache, who had stayed at Moose Mountain, and was taking it easy today. They both said they were going to Trapper John, so I said I’d see them there. 

The climb up away from the road seemed pretty decent at first; fairly level and within view of a beaver pond. 

But it soon started up hill, and then I really felt how tired I was. My pace slowed to a crawl. I kept an eye on the time, to make sure I was going to be ok. Finally, the slope moderated, and I was able to pick up my pace. 

I was keeping my eyes open for the ledges, since it looked like I would start to descend the last half mile to the shelter after them, and I was concerned that the ledges might turn out to be difficult walking. It turned out the trail turned just before it reached them, but there was a great view of them and looking out to the northeast. 

Then it was a fairly easy down hill trek until I reached the side trail to the shelter. It was a long .2 miles which continued to go down. Even when I could see the shelter through the trees, it felt like a long way. 

Today I feel like the NOBO bubble is catching up to me. There was a steady trickle of folks showing up through the late afternoon and evening. The young hikers lit a fire, and folks sat around it until relatively late. There was a young guy with his Martin Backpacker guitar; he was quite good, fingerpicking in an old-timey way. Made me miss my own guitar something fierce!

I set myself up in the shelter, since rain was forecast. I hope it allows me a decent sleep.