MOXIE BALD MOUNTAIN

AT Day 107: Sunday,  July 23, 2023

SOBO Mile 2083.7 – 2064.5

Distance Hiked – 19.2 miles/31 km

Total Distance Hiked: 1794.5 miles /2887 km

A:2963 ft / 903.7 m D: 1962 ft / 588.4m

I didn’t realize how exhausted I felt until I started to fall asleep in a rocking chair in our room at Shaw’s Hostel last night. . Hammer was the same, but so past exhaustion that he couldn’t get to sleep when he went to bed. 

The smell of coffee brewing downstairs woke me early this morning. I caught up on the blog while having my first cup sitting up in a comfortable bed. What bliss. . We had the big breakfast at Shaw’s and were back on trail by 8.30am. 

We headed south with a sense of energy and optimism. The optimism was reinforced by hiking with dry feet untill lunch time. Hoping to keep our feet dry longer we  crossed the gentle flowing East Branch Piscataquis  River in bare feet. Our feet stayed dry for another five miles walking upstream along the river. Quite a pleasant day, the sun was shining, the trail was drying out, it was just wonderful.  We were  getting excited about a change in the wet weather and finishing the trail. Although we know the Whites and the Presidential Range in New Hampshire  are still a big hurdle ahead. 

Our early morning energy and enthusiasm started to wain after lunch as the heat and humidity rose and the long walk along the Piscataquis River just went on and on.  

It was almost 4:00 by the time we made the second ford of the West Branch Piscataquis  River. This crossing was a little bit more of a challenge. It was deeper and split into two slightly faster flows.

It was so nice to hike away from the sound of rushing water and just have the sound of light  wind whistling through the trees for a change.  Hiking through quite woods didn’t last long before the trail started to  follow Bald Mountain Stream.  Noise of rushing water  was back.

A long section of trail through what looked like a dried out rocky riverbed made for very slow and challenging progress especially as we started to tire in the afternoon. The crossing of Bald Mountain Stream was no problem apart from wet feet. The water felt incredibly warm probably the warmest stream crossing we’ve had so far,  almost like bath water.

So with soggy wet feet we started the ascent up towards the summit of Moxie Bald Mountain. We made it as far as the North Peak Moxie Bald and decided to stop just as the sun was beginning to sink out of view. We had a campsite with a clear view of the  sky for the first time on this trail. And we can finally test out the new Big Agnes Hilton without the fly. It was wonderful to watch the nightfall to the sound of one bird singing nearby and the open sky above. One of the best campsites on trail so far.