Appalachian Trail SOBO Day 13 – Total wash out on Crocker
8th August 2023
Route 27 / Stratton (188.4) - S Branch Carabassett River (196.8)
Daily miles: 8.4
Total miles: 202.1
The rain was so loud on the tin roof of our cabin I had to rummage around in my bag and get my earplugs out because it was stopping me sleeping. I woke up in the with a really horrible cramp on my left calf and got up to go to the loo to try and stretch it out a bit.
The temptation to take a zero today was huge. It was raining. There was a big climb and it wasn’t due to stop raining until tomorrow morning. Cal had an interview at noon and was planning to hike out after that. If he had said he was zeroing I wouldn’t have taken any convincing, but I would have had to be someone else saying it, I didn’t want to make the decision.
I packed up my stuff to get out the tin shack where the weather sounded so much worse and went to sit in the red barn also know as the communal room; the rain didn’t seem quite as bad in there.
We ate the muffins Cal got from the grocery store yesterday for breakfast and I watched out the window as the puddles gathered on the ground.
At 08:30 I went to hitch a ride. The third car stopped for me and it turns out he was from Georgia and his son and daughter-in-law (or it could have been daughter and son-in-law) run (or maybe own?) the grocery store we were in yesterday. He was one of those people who knew exactly what you were doing which is why they stop pick you up.
Standing outside the Mountain View Motel and Campground trying to hitch a ride
As he dropped me back at the trail head (on the correct side of the road which I was grateful for) I saw 3 hikers who I thought were trying to get to town but it was 3 of the Quebecois boys group looking very, very soggy.
I began the long ascent to North Crocker mountain. I had my rain kilt on and my umbrella up. I rolled my sleeves up so they were above my elbows as where I was using trekking poles the water was running down my arms and off my elbows.
The boys said they were going to hang around the parking area to wait for the rest of their group but they were soaked to the skin and getting cold so they soon passed me on the way up as they were trying to keep warm.
2 minutes into the trail and there are huge puddles
For most of the climb I tried to keep out of the puddles. There is a difference to your feet being a bit damp from the rain and swimming in water from a puddle. I was doing ok but it was definitely slowing me down.
I got a bit of a sweat on as I went up. I leapfrogged with the boys a bit and, conversely to yesterday when there was hardly any water on trail, there was water literally everywhere; cascading down the sides of the mountain and flowing down most of the trail – which was now more a river than a trail. I checked the GPS a couple of times to make sure I hadn’t strayed off course but the white blazes pretty much kept me on track.
The weather was bad for the whole climb, but there were periods of very heavy rain and darkness and then moments where it brightened and the rain lessened, but it never stopped.
I was thankful to my past self for loading up my fanny pack with snacks because there was no way I was stopping to get anything out my bag.
I went very slowly up this climb. I tried to maintain a steady pace where I wasn’t getting too out of breath and having to stop often. Just slow and steady and consistent. I was also struggling a bit with the calf that had cramp this morning, it was so, so tight and felt like there was a massive knot in it, it also felt like it might snap if stretched too far so I was being careful about that.
The strategy worked and I got to the top where the Quebecois boys had tried to put up a tarp to eat lunch but there were all too cold so we all started to descend a short way and then make another short ascent to South Crocker mountain. Neither of these mountains had views, partly because of the terrible weather but also because the summits were covered in trees.
Summit of North Crocker Mountain
The boys trying to stay warm and dry
The weather took a turn and it really started a hammering it down at the top and going down the other side there were huge puddles with no way around so I started just walking straight through the middle of them. This actually made things a little bit easier because I wasn’t worried about balancing on rocks and slipping.
I expected to see a bunch of NOBOs today after what was said about the bubble yesterday, and the rain usually drives people to town. I saw 4 people on their way down as I was slogging my way up this morning.
The trail was basically a river after very heavy rain
Summit of South Crocker
Standing in the puddles is easier than slipping off rocks
The rain was SO HEAVY!
Next came a large descent. It was only 1pm so I thought I had plenty of time to do the next 6 miles to the shelter where hopefully there would be room so I wouldn’t have to set up my tent in the rain.
The descent was pretty treacherous. The rain kept going through cycles of being heavy and then light, but the rocks had turned more into boulders and there was more faith needed in foot placement and the rocks having a bit of grip and not being slick.
There was a viewpoint where there was a small break in the trees and you could see a tiny bit of mountain through the clouds. I continued to wade my way down the trail, and that’s no exaggeration, the puddles were up to my knees in some places.
Getting out of the trees for a moment
Some very slick wet rocks
The clouds were blowing through here – maybe a common occurrence judging by the tree!
Very windy up here
I was with one of the Quebecois boys when we came to the turn off for a camp site where they are planning to stay. It was too early for me to stop, only about 1:30pm, although it was tempting to get out of the rain. I carried on for about another hour and I came to a little stream crossing and then a camp site next to it.
A small stream crossing which I mistook for the river crossing
I thought that little stream was the river crossing marked on the GPS. I was a bit tired by now having not stopped, eaten only candy and chocolate (and cheese) and I needed a wee. I used the shelter of the trees to have a quick wee before I started the big climb the other side.
I walked about 15 meters down the trail and I was faced with a raging river, covered with white water, and a very very fast flow and strong current.
This is the river crossing.
The South Branch of the Carrabasset River.
This picture doesn’t convey just how raging this river was. Basically white water rapids
There was a plank in the middle and the water was gushing over the top of it and it was wobbling from side to side. I’m not sure how it’s actually still there. Maybe this is why I haven’t seen any NOBOs since this morning? The river is not crossable.
All of the rain last night and all of the rain today has turned the river into a monster. I had a look to see if I could see anyone in my position on the other side but I couldn’t see anything.
I looked at my photos from 2018 (the good thing about taking so many photos!) and the wooden plank was a good 2ft above the water.
I stared at it for about 20 minutes before resigning myself to the fact I would have to pitch my tent in that campsite which was very water logged and just wait it out. If I had been prepared to swim, I probably could have got across somewhere, but I was on my own and that definitely wouldn’t have been a sensible thing to do. I had already heard of a death on the AT this year, someone crossing a river in Vermont had got swept away, and it for me the situation just wasn’t worth the risk.
I hope Cal makes it here tonight and he can confirm the river is uncrossable, but if he isn’t the Quebecois boys will be here in the morning and I’ll see what they do. It might have even gone down a lot by the morning. The rain is forecast to stop in the early hours, or it might not and we might be stuck here!
I looked at Far Out and there is a bail out option. Not for people on the other side of the river. But on my side there is a dirt road which I crossed just before getting to the campsite, and that leads back to the road and to Carrabassett Valley which is a town in the opposite direction of Stratton.
I pitched my tent, fly first, and then just sat in there for hours. I pitched at 3pm and it’s now 5pm while I write this.
Pitching the fly only to try and keep everything dry
Of course all the bugs want to hang out under my fly sheet too. Thankfully most of them were happy in the corners and not bothering me. Mostly flies and tiny flies and no mosquitoes, which was surprising.
I didn’t stay bone dry but I could be described as damp at worst, apart from my feet which are once again little white soggy prunes.
I put on my fleece and hope that my body heat will help to dry out my top. Although that may be pointless if the river crossing is possible tomorrow I might be going for a swim!
Trying to stay warm
It was so wet that even my hands have gone wrinkly today
I didn’t want to pitch the inner or get anything else out and get it wet. I pitched on a slight incline as it was the only spot which wasn’t waterlogged, but I’m now waterlogged all around my tent where the rain has been running off and soaking the ground around me. I put my rain jacket on as well because I was feeling the chill a bit and where it was raining so hard the water was bouncing around all over the place so I wanted to protect my dry clothes.
Every time I hear something I poke my head out to see if it’s a NOBO managed to cross, or if it’s Cal arrived in camp.
I really should have taken a zero today!
Around 6pm it seemed to have stopped raining and it started heavily raining again around 7pm. I have now resigned myself to another night alone on the trail.
I started to get really cold, even though the thermometer said 17°C / 62°F it definitely didn’t feel like it, so I put the inner of my tent up and got only the necessary things out my bag.
I’ve got my waterproof coat over my sleeping bag to offer an extra layer of protection. I’m really thirsty but I don’t want to drink because I already have a faint need for a wee and I don’t want to get out of the tent in the rain for a wee.
Settled in for the night and trying to stay as dry as possible
I ate a couple of snacks and a handful of crisps for ‘dinner’.
The river is raging. It’s really loud. I’m doubtful that it will be crossable tomorrow. I have a feeling we may be walking the road to town.
