Solo Peak Bagging South & Middle Carter

It wasn't long after I awoke and saw beautiful blue sky that I realized I need to get out on the trail. I spent thursday hiking Liberty and Flume, Friday went for a 25 mile bike ride, and Saturday running errands.

I had orginally made plans to head to Sugarloaf Mountain in ME to help search for the missing thru hiker, Geraldine "Inchworm" Largay. However, waking up at 3 am to drive 4 hours to search for someone would have been exhausting. With all that has been going on with this Search, it has consumed a huge part of me. Not because someone is missing, but a solo woman hiker. No sign and no trace of her.

With that aside, I packed up my pack and headed to the trail head of 19-Mile Brook trail. I arrived roughly at about 9:45am. It's a little later than I normally would start, but given the circumstances of had previously been on this trail I knew it would be a breeze to get to the ridge. I checked the radar- all was clear.

I hit the trail at 10:00am. 

1.9 miles to go until the first junction. I did this in 35 minutes. For me, that's pretty darn fast. The trail itself is a fairly easy grade for the most part until you hit the junction of Carter Dome Trail. As I hiked along 19-Mile Brook, I couldn't help but enjoy the sound of the brook running right by me in the opposite direction. It was only me and the brook. The sound of the water echoing through the rocks, splashing against and washing away what may have been.

After trekking it as fast as I could for the first 1.9 miles I finally reached the first junction! I could not wait to eat my apple. Here I ran into what appeared to be a father and son heading to the Hut & Wildcats. They seemed very nice and hope they enjoyed their hike!

Onward to the Carter-Moriah Trail. 1.7 Miles up. Here the trail starts off gradual and then quickly gets steeper. With the use of switch backs on this trail it makes it managable. Before you know it, you are quickly gaining lots of elevation, actually the majority of your elevation. Towards the end I was ready for a bite of my sandwhich. I have come to the realization I can hike about 1 1/2 miles before needing to stop and refuel for energy. I can feel my body screaming at me. So, before I knew it, it was here. The moment I had worked so hard for. Nope, not the summit. the next trail junction before an easy journey across the Carters.

Here is where I quickly refueled and got back onto the trail. I was looking forward to hiking this section of the Appalachian Trail.  From here to South Carter, were some of the most beautiful sections of trail I had ever been on.

After falling the great white blazes along a beautiful ridge I started to finally hear that I wasn't alone anymore. I could hear voices in the distance. As I cam up over one last climb, there was a group of hikers at the summit of South Carter. I asked if this was it, they quickly said" yes!" and pointed me to the summit marker. Which was a unique one might I add.

After taking a couple photos, I asked where everyone was headed & they replied with "North Carter." One man in the group had recognized me from my FB Posts, which was refreshing to know people do read my blogs and my posts! It's always great to finally meet all of you! We quickly said our goodbyes and I headed up the trail to bag Middle Carter. With them shortly behind me. I scurried my way up the rest of the ridge, over bare rock and ledges with some beautiful views. I finally came to a section of trail of which the summit is kind of hidden off to the left (if traveling north bound). I stopped here and examined my map to see if this was it. If this was the actual summit. How disappointing, it was.

There it was. Nothing but a stick in the ground. I sat here for a few minutes trying to get a signal in hopes of checking my radar. I knew it was all down hill from here but, it started to drizzle on me as I came up to Middle Carter and I wanted to be safe than sorry. After a few minutes I heard some small rumbling in the sky. I packed up quickly and hit the trail as fast as I could to get to lower ground. I wasn't sure what was moving in, and I wasn't going to stick around long enough to find out.

I passed through more sections of bog bridges that were just a sight unlike any I have ever seen this high up in elevation. I started to run into a few more hikers that were headed south as I was north. I warned them of some potential severe weather moving in and to stay low if you hear any thunder. Also, I ran into a very nice thru hiker, of whom which I had just read her blog the day before. I hope to see her on Mount Washington in the next few days! After hauling ass, I finally reached the junction for the North Carter Trail.

Still in great spirits, I quickly decided after this photo that it was probably a good idea to get out the rain gear before I got drenched! Boy was that smart. As soon as the rain gear was on and my rain cover for my pack was on it started lightly raining, then came a little rumble, then came down pours for the rest of my trek out. I finally reached the next junction of the Imp Trail. From here, it was 3.1 miles out and another 1 1/2 road walk back to the car.

I quickly was trying to decided if I should try and wait it out or just go for it. Either way, I was going to get wet so why waste time. I continued to try and haul ass down for 3 miles. It just isn't that easy in the rain. The trail became a stream, the rocks became slime, and my boots quickly because engulfed by puddles of mud and water. 

In this 3 miles, I managed to only slip and fall once- and slip 2 other times but catch myself. While in the midst of trying to maneuver my way around ever rock and deep puddles that looked as if they would just swallow me up if i stepped in them, I couldn't help but to think what it must have been like to be a thru hiker who does this all the time. I couldn't help but to come of with ideas in my head of what could happen to someone who is alone out in the wilderness in these kinds of rain storms. So, I quickly started to plot in my own head what things I could learn from this.

I did not make any mistakes on this trek, I was well prepared and I actually had a lot of fun in the rain.

However, I've learned that for my own sake if someone had to find me always have PLANS! Plan A, B, and C. I don't usually hike solo, but when I do, I go out prepared to get lost, and I leave all of my plans with more than one person. Some who know my hiking capabilities and others who know my thought process alone. Needless to say, I had an awesome day on trail and first time experience in the pouring rain! 

At the end of the day, who says you have to still be a kid to play in the rain? It was just as fun at 25 as it would have been at the age of 7. Besides, nothing feels better than a hot shower when you get home and a pair of sweats on the couch at the end of a rainy day on trail!

**My thoughts & prayers are with the friends and family of Geralding "Inchworm" Largay**

Hike Safe & Keep on Trekking.