Saddleback Mt. and The Horn

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BWright100

New member
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
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Location
Maine
6/15/13
The weather today was too good, to not go after a 4000'er or two, so that's what we did. We started from the base lodge of the ski resort, grabbed a trail ,from the lodge got our bearings and headed up. My hiking parnter today had never done a 4000 and was questioning her ability the whole way up. She put on a couple pounds over the winter, but this didn't seem to slow her down. We started up the Gray Ghost trail which is the recommended way according to the map. The trail is wide and the views get better with every step. Which makes a slow hike up really enjoyable. We encountered one very large bear track in the mud, along with some moose tracks, but no wildlife other than Nick Inez's faithful cockapoo.
Once on top I decided to let Inez in on the plan to go to The Horn. This didn't come as a surprise to her, as she knew I wouldn't climb all this way and not get in a second peak. I think she is on to me, and my wicked ways. The hike to The Horn was more up and down than I had anticipated. We had to help Nick up and down in a couple of spots, and I think Inez was plotting to toss me from the summit once we got back to the peak of Saddleback. Thank God she was so relieved to make it back, that she forgot how hard a hike she thought it was. "It wasn't really that bad", her words, honest.
The weather couldn't have been any better, the views were simply fantastic, we met one through hiker, who didn't speak a word, one day hiker from RI and one from NH who both took the same route up as us, and another couple who came in from the AT. We figure we hiked 7.4 miles. All together with eating lunch taking pictures, celebrating Inez's first 4000' with a Michelob Ultra, it took us 7 hours. I think we're ready for big bad Baxter. BRING IT!

Happy Trails
 
Nice Report- good info.

.....we met one through hiker, who didn't speak a word....

I always wonder what they look like after all those miles, and what's on their minds as they get towards the end.
 
Well Dream Farmer, this one was headed South and he looked like Rip Van Winkle. his beard was touching is belly button and he looked like he was wearing clothes that belonged to someone else, maybe a size or two to big. And to think he's just begining is journey. Perhaps he hiked North last year and was just now hiking back. I have encountered many through hikers in the 100 mile wilderness, just short of Katahdin, (the last leg of the AT in Maine) and most look fresher and better kept than this one. I think you must have been sleeping in the woods all winter, and just woke up.
 
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