Miles hiked: 16.43 in 8:55
Start: Big Branch Shelter, Danby, VT
Finish: Routes 11/30, Manchester, VT
Elevation gain: 3,734'
A long day with a 24.5 pound pack--ugh. First up was a long gradual climb to Baker Peak, elevation 2,762', then a long descent to Griffith Lake, followed by a long climb to Styles Peak, elevation 3,379.
View from Baker Peak, looking west to a quarry near Route 7:
The final half-mile up Styles was a bitch, but I finally met another thru hiker: New Year, aka Cole Farnum. He started on, yes, you guessed it, New Year's Day at Springer Mountain. He had some tough winter weather at the start of his hike, but looked strong now:
I will say that he looks a lot younger on his blog at Appalachian Trials, than in the photo above. Nothing like a hiker beard. :-)
I must say that meeting another thru hiker is uplifting, the next mile or so seemed to fly by. And then lightening struck twice--another thru hiker encounter. This is Just Mike, aka Mike Juste, aka as Salisbury Steak, since he lives in Salisbury, Connecticut:
Yes, he smokes. But, he switched to the American Spirit brand because they were hard to find, so that way he'd be smoking less. :-) Mike is doing a multi-year hike, since he had to get off the trail due to a hernia and subsequent surgery. Looks like he's on track to finish soon!
I knew someone was staring at me--just took a minute to find the culprit(s).
Colette drove up from Lee, Massachusetts, to join me for the evening and the next couple of days. That means that I'll be able to slack pack for a while.
Route from my Suunto.
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