Day 17/April 17 -- next to last day in Connecticut

Miles hiked: 11.31 in 4:17

Start: Macedonia Road, Kent, CT

Finish: Route 4, Cornwall Bridge, CT

Elevation gain: 2,470'

Another beautiful and warm day for hiking. As usual, it started with a climb, this time up to Caleb's Peak:

Besides a nice view down the valley and the town of Kent, the sign was fairly impressive with the moss growing so well on the north face of it. 

Met one other hiker who was doing a 100+ mile section hike. He was carrying a Hyperlite Mountain Gear pack, so I had to chat with the guy. An older man, and a bit overweight, he was doing about 10 miles a day and was expecting to get to North Adams, Massachusetts, in ten days. His pack was loaded with lots of food, and "more water than he really needed." 

There were plenty of day hikers on the trail, and everyone of them was way overdressed. One woman who was climbing up a very steep, rocky section was beet-red and her flushed face was as bright as the waterproof rain coat she was wearing. Even her husband suggested that she might take the jacket off. This couple was part of about a dozen folks, presumably a local hiking club.

Once past these hikers, I spotted this long rock face, part of the St. John's Ledges, which is popular with climbers, but there were none on the rock today:

That face was at least 100' tall, very impressive, but I only had to pass below the cliff on the trail. A bit lower there were some steeper but shorter climbing routes and a dad was out belaying for his two kids.

The trail wound its way down and traveled along the Housatonic River for 4.5 miles of almost perfectly flat terrain, but, alas, the final 1.7 miles of my hike included a steep rocky climb up Dawn Hill, just to the west of Cornwall, on a south-facing slope. The climb was 755' in 1.2 miles, so it was hot and difficult.

One other note. Since starting the AT thru hike, my weight has dropped from 146 to 142.4 pounds, despite my eating very well every evening. Since I'm still carrying a bit of fat, I would expect to lose more as the hike goes on.

Tomorrow I will hike from Cornwall Bridge to Lime Rock Road in Falls Village. That segment will complete my AT hike in Connecticut.

Route from my Suunto.