Awoke feeling very happy that my move this summer makes it much easier to reach the AT hiking zone in Maine! It’s been almost six years since I even got so far north and I was rusty on the navigation. Fortunately, I woke up within about 45 minutes of an AT trailhead this morning. Upon further review, though, I decided to drive a bit farther north so I could find a section that wouldn’t kick my ass or discourage further hiking through the weekend. I was also hoping to be able to take a look at AT sections I'd skipped in central Maine during my hiking trip in October 2014. Along the way north (via US-2), I stopped for Breakfast at Burger King in Farmington (0925) and located a place to stay for the evening. I then continued driving (US-2, ME-27 and some back roads) until I reached an area in Somerset County (Carrying Place Township) near Flagstaff Lake. In that zone, the AT crossed Long Falls Dam Road (paved!). Even though it was late (1045) when I got my hike started (SOBO), I was pleasantly surprised to be alone. The sun was shining but there were some clouds - this, along with the latitude and elevation, made the temps (mid 60s) very pleasant. I climbed over a little hill and was soon able to see the (eastern) end of the huge lake - even through the trees, it was a spectacular view. Had to navigate a huge number of rocks and roots and avoid slipping in some serious mud. Felt good that my old man body held up, for the most part... There was almost no noise at all. I was expecting to see a moose (plenty of warning signs) but none appeared. Passed a group with two dads and two young sons and, later, a solo Thru hiker. Otherwise, I had the trail to myself. The walk near the lakeside was quite pleasant (wished I had my kayak). When I reached East Flagstaff Road (gravel), I explored the AT Parking Lot (for next time) and walked a short distance to where the AT went back into the woods. Decided that my bones and muscles would do better with flat surfaces so backtracked by road. Picked up the blacktop after a while on the gravel and made good time back to my car. Finished at around 1315 after almost six miles. After injuring myself a few weeks ago, today proved that I could rest and hot-water-soak myself back into hiking firm. Feeling good, I decided to check out some of the nearby roads that would hopefully allow me to access the AT to the north and east. Started with Boise Road and soon discovered that Maine gravel roads aren’t maintained nearly as well as Vermont or New Hampshire gravel roads. Was going to give up but then encountered a Mainer who was doing a similar exploration in the woods. He gave me good intel about which roads I could (and could not) use to access the AT. This saved me a lot of time! We chatted for a while (he showed me where I could get a really good “overview” photo of Flagstaff Lake) but another person eventually came upon our meet-up and we had to move. I checked out some other roads nearby, getting a feel for location and quality, and took a look at the area near the dam. By 1445, I was on my way south again. As I passed the AT Trailhead that I’d used earlier, I found some other hikers had gotten themselves stuck there. They asked me to call AAA for them when I finically reached mobile service again (about 10 miles to the south) and I agreed. Unfortunately, all three of my calls dropped after over 10 minutes (each) of holding. Was worried for them until I noticed a fire truck (lights flashing) headed in their direction (hope they got help). All day long, Google Maps was very helpful - I am convinced I never would have found anything in the area without some sort of assistance... Decided to continue my Recce mission in the afternoon, looking for AT access in the Carrabassett Valley. Just like this morning, the search took me to a hiking zone I’d completely missed when I was in Maine back in October 2014. Using ME-16, it was an easy matter to reach ME-27 (at the busy little Trail Town of Kingfield). I continued northwest until I reached the Sugarloaf Ski Resort. Due to the elevation changes required, threatening storm clouds and lengthening shadows, I decided against trying another hike. Instead, I drove around the area looking for the gravel access roads on my map, querying locals and collecting trail resources (like shuttle driver contact info). With the lifts closed for the summer (due to COVID-19), I concluded it would be very difficult to access the 4000+ foot ridge. Actually, all the high ridges nearby were difficult to reach by road - there were lots of side trails that could be used but ugh! After my explorations so far, I’m beginning to wonder if I’ve got the time, energy and dedication to make a dent in all the remote Maine AT mileage. Wistfully, I drove a short distance to the west to see the actual AT crossing there and then tested a few more gravel roads nearby (they didn’t get too far into the remote sections, though). Decided to head back to civilization (staying in Farmington) to regroup and brainstorm. Picked up dinner at Taco Bell in Farmington (1730) and checked into the place where I'd made a reservation (Colonial Valley Motel) in the morning (1735). Spent the evening resting up for another day of hiking (got to bed by 2200). It was a very beautiful, exciting but also very humbling day... AT Today = 2.84 miles / Grand Total AT = 1633.80 miles
