Spaulding and Sugarloaf 10/07/16
Beautiful day for a hike! Unfortunately Dixie was unable to make it North this weekend because we were celebrating a beautiful wedding. After dropping off Caribou Valley Road, birch trees were popping their beautiful fall yellow as we marched our way up the Appalachian Trail. I got us pretty much immediately by going off an app called All Trails which showed the trail crossing the river 5 times. After a bit of a bushwhack and realizing that the trail wasn’t going to cross back, we rock hopped back down to the AT in the only place the trail actually crosses it (after pulling out my topo map and cursing technology). Water was low so it was easier than whacking back through the woods. Unfortunately a spare pair of socks was needed after a little slip on the rocks.
The trail climbs steeply from the river and drives up towards Sugarloaf. The steep ledges allowed for gorgeous views of the foliage as we climbed. At the junction with the Sugarloaf Side Trail we continued on the AT towards Spaulding to knock off the further peak. There is one fantastic view point on the left side of the trail that offered views toward Abraham and out to the rich reds and yellows below. After reaching Spaulding we broke for a late lunch and made our way back over to Sugarloaf. The Sugarloaf Side Trail was steeper than it appeared from Spaulding, but we made pretty decent time and were able to enjoy the 360 degree views for a few minutes before heading back into the trees.
As we climbed back down the AT towards Caribou Valley Road the sun crested over the col between Redington and South Crocker, deepening the red across the valley below. Headlamps went on at the river crossing and we made our way back out the car as night fell. Another gorgeous day in Maine.
#63,64