Maine August 2016 Rangeley-to-Caratunk
I am planning to return to Maine in August, where I left off last September, at Rangeley, Maine, and hike for a little less than two weeks, to Caratunk. I would love any feedback, input, suggestions, hints, or constructive criticism of our plans. Feel free to post here or PM or email me. As things stand now, there are two of us, but I anticipate perhaps one or two others will sign up. If anyone here on WhiteBlaze is interested in joining us for this hike or any portion of it, or just meeting in town for dinner, please don't hesitate to speak up.
This is a very tentative schedule so far--
8/21 Sun - fly from Nashville to Boston (stay with family)
8/22 Mon - afternoon bus to Gorham, stay at White Mountains Lodge & Hostel (we love that place!)
8/23 Tue - 3.6 miles Hwy 4 (Rangeley) to Eddy Pond (after shuttle from Gorham)
8/24 Wed - 7.1 mi from Eddy Pond to Poplar Ridge Lean-to
8/25 Thu - 8.0 mi from Poplar Ridge LT to Spaulding Mtn LT
8/26 Fri - 6.2 mi from Spaulding Mtn LT to Crocker Cirque Campsite
8/27 Sat - 7.3 mi from Crocker Cirque CS to Hwy 27 (Stratton)
Subtotal - 32.2 miles
8/28 SUNDAY - ZERO day in Stratton (if needed)
8/29 Mon - 5.1 mi Hwy 27 (Stratton) to Horns Pond LT
8/30 Tue - 5.3 mi Horns Pond LT to Safford Notch Campsite
8/31 Wed - 4.9 mi Safford Notch CS to Little Bigelow LT
9/1 Thu - 7.7 mi Little Bigelow LT to West Carry Pond LT
9/2 Fri - 10 mi from West Carry Pond LT to Harrison's Pierce Pond Camp
9/3 Sat - 4 mi from Harrison's Pierce Pond Camp to US Hwy 201 (Caratunk), shuttle and/or bus back to Boston
Subtotal - 37.0 miles
TOTAL - 69.2 MILES in 10 actual hiking days
9/4 Sun - Fly Home from Boston to Nashville
If any of those days during the first half prove too difficult for us, we'll shorten them, then either skip the ZERO in Stratton or double-up on two days toward the end of our hike, when the days should be much easier.
And, not to be morbid, but I acknowledge we will be going right by where Inchworm (who lived just a few miles down the road from me here in Nashville) went missing.
We have Bruce Feige lined up to shuttle us to Rangeley, but nothing arranged yet to get from Caratunk to Boston. Suggestions? Our flight home from Boston is mid-day Sunday, September 4th, the day before Labor Day.
Thanks in advance of all suggestions and critique! The AT community is awesome!
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