POLLYWOG CREEK

AT Day 104: Thursday,  July 20, 2023

Cooper Brook Campsite –  Pollywog Stream Campsite

Mile 2142.5 -2166

Distance Hiked – 23.5 miles/37.8 km

Total Distance Hiked:1742.8 /2804km 

A: 2582 ft /787.5 m D:2516 ft /767 m

The morning was very still. The sound of the rushing creek, near which we were camped,  masked everything except the buzz of a few hungry mosquitoes. We were on trail around 6am for what promised to be a flatish trail day except for a steep climb over Nesuntabund Mountain towards the end of the day. 

We went past Antlers campground around 8:00 a.m. There was only one tent still left standing.  It was a beautiful campsite right on the lake,  the water was sparkling in the morning sunshine but there were thousands of mosquitoes just waiting for the tent to open so they can have a feast. We had to move on didn’t even stop to take a photo.

It was a beautiful morning hiking, despite a few spicy creek crossings which took a little while to navigate safely. The absolute highlight of the morning was getting our first view on Mt Kathadin. A lot less peaky then I imagined. The top was shrouded in a fog. It looked quite magestic standing all alone. 

After lunch we followed Nahmakunta Stream which was wet and boggy in parts. This joined onto Nahmakunta Lake where the trail came out onto a gravel beach. It was beautiful clear sky day and such a joy to be the water. 

A late afternoon climb up Nesuntabund mountain was tough and felt unnecessary as the trail could easily have wound around the mountain at a lower level. A side trail on the summit provided fine views of the lake below and Mt Kathadin in the distance.

It was a relief to get this climb finished before descending towards Pollywog Creek where we stopped for the day.