WHITECAP MOUNTAIN
AT Day 103: Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Carl Newhall Lean-to Campsite – Cooper Brook Campsite
Mile 2120 – 2142.5
Distance Hiked – 22.5 miles/ 36.2 km
Total Distance Hiked:1719.3 /2766 km
A: 4050 ft /1235 m D:5323 ft /1623.5 m
The rain continued through the night. It was nice to wake up this morning to silence. It was a beautiful morning, very still and silent. The birds were twittering and at one stage we had a bit of a clearing in the tree canopy and we could see the sky – patches of blue and pink in the clouds.
A steep climb up Gulf Hagas Mountain was soon followed another climb up West Peak. We hiked for what felt like hours through Middle Earth. Some diseased and dying pines with thick moss ground cover. Shards of sunlight breaking through wherever there was a break in the canopy. It felt quite surreal.
It was a tough and very slow couple of hours before we reached the open top of Whitecap Mountain. It wasn’t a particularly clear view but on a better day it could be stunning and well worth the steep ascent. The descent off Whitecap Mt was steep and slow going.
We stopped for lunch and to dry the tent at a fire services road at the bottom of the descent and a couple of miles before the E Branch Pleasant River crossing. Not sure how last night’s rain will have affected the water levels. Most of the SOBOs we met today crossed the river yesterday before the overnight rain.
The crossing was nothing like it’s description. We expected a wide riverbed with slow moving water like the west branch we crossed yesterday. Where the AT crosses the river is narrow and a section was mid-thigh deep and fast flowing. Slowly inching our way across we made it without any problems.
It was such a relief to get this crossing done. From here we had one last big climb for the day, Little Boardman Mt. It was longer and steeper climb then our map suggested.
The next few miles were some of the nicest hiking we’ve had in ages. Mostly flat and passing through piney woods which gave off a most wonderful scent in the late afternoon sunshine. Just to be hiking in late afternoon sunshine was a joy.
We camped on the banks of Cooper Brook. We ran out of energy to make it to the highly recommended Antler Campsite. I guess we’ll see what we missed when we pass through in the morning.