Carry Place Camp

[lightingguy]

First time on this site.

I hiked the Maine portion from Rt. 2 near Gorham to Caratunk, way back in '76 or so and fondly remember the Pancake Eating Contest that summer at what my fading memory tells me was a place called the Carry Place Camp, or Carrying Place Camp. This camp was a few miles (I believe south) of the Pierce Pond Lean-To, the last shelter before the Kennebec.

My Google searches as well as Google Earth tells me that there are 3 ponds just to the south of Pierce Pond and that there's a sportsmans camp called Pierce Pond Camp. I don't believe that's place, however.

I also found an on-line journal from an' 83 thru hiker named Gonzo, who mentions the pancake breakfast.

So does this place still exist ?. Or am I crazy.

Thanks in advance

Steve B.

[hopefulhiker]

I stayed at Pierce Pond Camp in 05. They fed me a big blueberry pancake breakfast there the next morning.. The couple was really nice...

[rickb]

In 1983 Carrying Place was a .3 mile hike from Pierce Pond Lean To.

They were a traditional place to stop for breakfast.

Perhaps just a name change?

[lightingguy]

In 1983 Carrying Place was a .3 mile hike from Pierce Pond Lean To.

They were a traditional place to stop for breakfast.

Perhaps just a name change?

I recall the Carry Place Camp dining room/building overlooking a rapids on a river, so am thinking it wasn't the Pierce Pond Camp, which I believe is NW of the PP Lean-To, which Google Earth seems to show on the west shore of Pierce Pond.

My memory says the CP camp was S of the AT somewhere, which alomost makes sense as the 3 Carry Ponds - are south of Pierce Pond.

It was also 30 years ago....

SB

[woodsy]

Nowadays known as Harrisons Pierce Pond Camps, just north of PP lean-to.
It's the only place i've heard of that feeds hikers a full course meal at breakfast. Don't wanna miss it if you're in the hood!

[lightingguy]

Having read a few more on-line journals of fellow hikers, I'm pretty sure what you describe is the same place, especially as they've had a history of serving pancakes to hikers for decades now.

A Google Earth AT overlay shows the approx. location of the AT near a building on a river on the outflow of Pierce Pond, on the SE end of the pond. I'm guessing, from what I see on GE that this is the place and the descriptions of other hikers seems to confirm this. What got me confused is there seems to be a facility of some sorts on the west side of the pond at the end of what GE says is Cobbs Camp Road.

One thing I found interesting was that while Harrisons has been serving breakfast to hikers all these years, the summer I passed thru it was actually a contest for hikers to see who could eat the most pancakes at a sitting. The record that year was 49 (in mid Aug.). Seems the camp would serve up as many as you could eat for $4 or so.

I vividly recall sitting down to a plate of 9 or so, smothering my pancakes in syrup and butter, digging in and about half way thru the first stack, having another plate of 9 placed on the table. Then hurriedly working thru the first stack, barely starting on the second stack and - plunk, another stack of 9 is delivered. A glance to my left into the kitchen showed another stack of 9 warming alongside the stove, with more being cooked.

I knew it was all over at that point and that there was zero chance of my beating the record. I did manage 28.

I spent the rest of the day at PP Lean-To, skipping lunch.

SB

[rafe]

I missed this stop. Dang. But I do remember Pierce Pond shelter as one of the nicest on the whole AT. Not the shelter itself, but the site. Beautiful.

[Footslogger]

Nowadays known as Harrisons Pierce Pond Camps, just north of PP lean-to.
It's the only place i've heard of that feeds hikers a full course meal at breakfast. Don't wanna miss it if you're in the hood!

=====================================

Hiked past it on my thru in 2003 but this past August my wife and I made the stop on our section hike from Rangeley to Monson. Sure was hard to start hiking again with that belly full of pancakes !!

'Slogger

[TJ aka Teej]

Perhaps just a name change?

Yup, same place. Back then you could phone Caratunk to arrange for a boat ride across the Kennebec after breakfast too.
: Lightingguy!