I spent the night in a tent at Shaw’s Hiker Hostel in Monson and it got quite cold! Somehow, I wrapped myself in enough layers (sleeping bag, long johns, blankets) to get some sleep... When I woke up (0630), I found myself surrounded by more than 30 hikers who were eagerly awaiting the big breakfast spread that started at 0700. The food (eggs, bacon, homefries, pancakes) was awesome! It’s been almost eight years since I last stayed at Shaw’s and the business changed hands in the interim. The new owners have expanded tremendously and the entire vibe is great. I ran into several hikers I’d previously met (in the Whites, near Sugarloaf, etc.) and there was a good mix of NOBOs & SOBOs. Several folks were starting the HMW and I decided to join them. I paid for my room and the breakfast at 0810 and then packed up my car. From town, I followed Elliotsville Road north and, after crossing Big Wilson Stream, used Bodfish Valley Road to a parking area I’d used when I was in the area with my dad in August. Starting at 0845, I hiked up Long Pond Tote Road until it intersected the AT. Temps were in the low 40s but the sky was clear again. I started NOBO at that point and immediately had to ford Long Pond Stream, which was knee deep and had a strong current. Fortunately, I came prepared (brought my crocs). It still took a little while to prep for the crossing - longer, in fact, than walking through the river took… Back in my boots, I started a long climb up the west slope of Barren Mountain. Along the way, I saw three separate markers for “100” (AT left to go) - this was appropriate because I passed that milestone today! But I still had work to do and couldn’t really celebrate. Like so many of my AT hikes in Maine, the constant rocks, roots and mud made for slow going. At some points, however, I passed viewpoints with stunning views of Lake Onawa and Borestone Mountain. I encountered a father and son who were trying to reach the Barren Slide and hiked with them for a short time. After we parted ways, I kept on steadily slogging up the steep slope until I reached a plateau - this was a welcome break from the climb. But then the trail started steeply uphill again… Eventually, I reached the main summit (2670’) and got even better views - I believe I could see all the way to Sugarloaf. There was a fire tower there that looked like it had seen better days. Since the climb had been so hard, I decided to try to get some more mileage to avoid a revisit on another day - I continued north for another mile until I reached the Cloud Pond Shelter. By this point, the wind had made it feel colder and I was forced to layer up. I ate a snack before starting my backtrack but then tried to pick up the pace. I made it to the Barren Mountain summit pretty quickly and encountered two middle aged guys who were hiking the same basic route that I was. The main difference, however, was that they reached the AT via the Otter Pond Trail (close to the Long Pond Stream Shelter). After listening to their description of the route, I decided I’d use that trail to get back to Bodfish Valley Road. On the way down the mountain, I passed four NOBO Thrus but didn’t chat with them long. I found the access trail and used it to get back to the gravel road. From there, I returned to my car with about two miles of road walking. The temps had risen into the low 60s by then and I really enjoyed the marvelous Fall afternoon… When I reached my car (1615), my pedometer said I’d walked over 14 miles - that may be true because my body sure felt like that distance. Since the weather was forecasted to be nice tomorrow, I drove back to Monson. On the way, I stopped at AMC AT Visitor Center and got LOTS of maps and information. After my nice conversation with the caretaker there, I returned to Shaw's. This time (probably because I was early), they gave me a semi-private room, with a screen separating me from the living room. I also got some free beers from the Shaw's desk clerk and a Trail Angel. Dinner was leftovers and snacks. For the rest of the evening, I visited with hikers (most of the same people from the previous night, plus others I'd met at Hostel of Maine). The evening was filled with great trail stories, good beer (I passed on partaking in stronger stuff) and a roaring campfire. I went to bed at around 2200 - it’s been a great AT Hiking season! Now just need to decide what kind of hike to do tomorrow… AT Today = 4.9 miles / Grand Total AT = 2088.3 miles / AT Left = 97.0 miles
