Appalachian Trail SOBO Day 11 – Bigelow Mountain Avery Peak
6th August 2023
West Carry Pond Lean-to (165.4) - Bigelow Col Campsite (180.4)
Daily miles: 15
Total miles: 185.7
I wasn’t really ready to wake up but our shelter friend was up and about at 5am. I decided I didn’t need to get up that early (despite the big climbs) and drifted on and off until 6am. Despite being so close to water this morning was the first morning where my sleeping bag hasn’t been slightly damp to the touch.
Last nights shelter
I didn’t really eat anything for breakfast. Despite spending $40 at the Sterling Inn I had hardly anything to show for it.
I visited the privy and that privy could do with a bit of a poke because it’s getting very full. Gross.
I left the shelter first knowing that I would be slow and Cal would catch me up. The trail was ok, much less muddy than it has been, still filled with obstacles like roots and rocks though making progress generally slow. There were a few places where there were bog boards or boardwalks.
Bog boards
The first major climb of the day up to Little Bigelow began and I had already made it really bad in my head in the hope that it wouldn’t be as bad in reality – a tool I use most days! I leapfrogged a bit with a family who had one tiny baby in a sling and a toddler.
The sun shining through the trees
Cal passed me and said he was heading to the shelter to take a break. I was moving slowly. I’m not sure what part of my body was holding me back… whether it was my legs that didn’t feel like they had enough power… my feet hurt… my breathing was wheezy… not enough food… I was over heating… my heart was beating out my chest… or probably a combo of all of these things.
I decided to just take a rest and eat something at the start of the side trail to the shelter. I didn’t have it in me to go down to the shelter and back again, so I ate some crisps and pepperoni sausage.
Crisps (potato chips) and pepperoni snack bites
Loads of boys came up from the shelter, all speaking French. They said hello and moved on. I didn’t really want to get caught up with them.
The family caught back up to me and I had a conversation with the toddler which was too cute. The last thing he said was “see ya up there”. I love a confident kid. I heard him say “she is a nice lady” to his mum, which made me feel weirdly warm and fuzzy inside.
I plodded on and in places where the sun was out it got real hot. I was leapfrogging a bit with a few of the boys as they were stopping to pick blueberries which there were loads of. If they weren’t so low to the ground I would have probably eaten more of them.
The beginning of the climb
Cairns leading the way over the slab rock
It got hot as we got above the trees
The view over to the Bigelows
Quebecois summer camp – the boys
I slogged my way to the top, got a nice view and then carried on to the summit which was tree covered, but the trail popped out to the side for a nice view.
There was a small ridge walk before the descent. I had run out of water so I was keen to make it down to the next water source
Ridge walk
Some steep climbs
Little Bigelow summit
A little view through the trees
Ski resort
Unfortunately the next water source was just muddy puddles which I didn’t much fancy, then Cal caught me up. I wasn’t sure if he was ahead or behind for a while but I guess he took a nice long break at the shelter.
He was telling me about the group of French kids. They are on a summer camp and out here for 8 days. They aren’t allowed to know the time, and they aren’t allowed to look at a weather forecast so they have to be prepared. It’s a French speaking camp but not only for French speaking people. Non French speaking people use it to better their French. Also they aren’t French, they are Quebecois – an important distinction I learnt from my lovely Quebecois friends I hiked with in New Zealand.
Cal was out of water too so we had to take a 0.2 side trail to a camp site where there was water listed on Far Out. Some of the boys also came down there and no one asked us the time (very disciplined) so we made them guess! It was about 2:30pm and they guessed 3pm so not bad at all.
Very large rocks
Steep and rocky descent
Steep and rock ascent
The second big climb was 2000ft over a mile so it was steep. Cal went ahead and I absolutely didn’t expect him to be waiting at the top as it would take me a lot longer to get there.
I had to keep stopping because my heart was beating so fast so I kept having to give that a minute to slow down. And my feet were really sore, specifically the balls of my feet – I don’t think these shoes are the greatest.
I also had to stop to shovel in a few more crisps and pepperoni sausage. I had also eaten 2 Twix bars, one early this morning and one when we stopped to get water at that campsite, but that’s really not enough food for the day especially with all the physical exertion.
I just kept plodding along and eventually got up above tree line; honestly I was just trying to not be over taken by the kids! A guy I had see earlier caught up to me but declined my offer to pass and we walked the last 0.2 together.
Cal was there at the top. “How long have you been here, half hour?” I asked. “Probably 45 minutes” He replied. Which probably meant he had been there an hour!
It was nice weather up there and he was able to dry out his shoes and socks after slipping in the creek earlier in the day.
We stayed up there a little while which I probably wouldn’t have done if I were on my own. We chatted to the boys as they arrived at the summit and it was so nice to hear their joy. Some of them were saying they had never seen anything like it before and had never been in an environment like this and how incredible it was. They must be around 13-16, that kind of age.
Sometimes you forget where you are and what you’re doing, and it’s good to be reminded and not take it for granted.
Views on the way to Avery Peak
We think the haze is from the Canadian wildfires
Summit of Bigelow Mountain, Avery Peak
Hanging out at the summit
Sunlight coming through the clouds
Celebrating the summit
It was only 0.4 miles down to the campsite. Mostly steep rock jumping downhill. I walked with Cal.
We saw a guy who said there isn’t water at the camp site and we should get it now, from this spring in a box. Thankfully cal was carrying a scoop - the cut off bottom of a smart water bottle - because it would have been really hard to get otherwise.
A spring in a box
We came to the campsite quickly and it was a bit of a rabbit warren of trails which lead to wooden platforms. With the couple of people already there and another couple and all the boys on their way it would be a busy night. We saw a relatively flat bit of ground so Cal and I pitched up there and left the platforms for the others.
Cal has a trekking pole tent and one of his trekking poles has broken so his tent was a bit of a sad pitch. I leant him one of mine to get through tonight until he picks up a new one in town tomorrow.
I ate a packet of tuna and handful of crisps and that was it for dinner. I do have one of those backpacking meals but I couldn’t be bothered to heat the water. Besides, it’s probably gross. Town tomorrow so real food is calling.
Lying down before it’s dark
I was lying down nice and early, by 7pm, which would hopefully give my feet a good rest. They are currently throbbing and there are some stabbing pains in the areas where my toes join onto my foot.
It’s only 8 miles to the road tomorrow. Not the easiest 8 miles but still only 8 miles. Hopefully that will give me a chance to spend some time in town, spend the night in a hostel in a bed, and that might help my feet out. It has helped that they have been dry all day and they were dry when I got to camp.
It’s feeling a little chilly up here and tonight might be the first night where I can justify sleeping in my fleece even though I have slept in it pretty much every night so far. It’s just so cosy.
Two tents squeezed in to a dodgy pitch
My pitch definitely isn’t the best I’ve ever had. I’m on a bit of a slope down to the left but it will do. Just trying to find the will to get out of my cosy cocoon and have a pre bed wee…
