July 10, 2006 - East Branch Lean-to to Sidney Tappan Camp
It was a brutal day of walking. I got up and left shelter after breakfast. I got a good nights sleep alone at this place. I
hiked to Logan Brook Shelter where I took a long break and got some great water. There was a huge food bag
hanging near the shelter in a tree and no one around. I had read that there was trail magic here in that form. I got
the bag down and started to rifle through it. I then read a note left in the bag that this is trail workers food and
please leave alone. I felt bad and put it back up. I also left a note in the trail register to let others know about this.
Man, this is like hanging bacon on your pack and walking through bear country! I still felt bad for looking through it! I
left Logan Shelter at 9:30 a.m. and headed to the next shelter. Wrong!!! This was a big climb and the thunderstorm
which was building meant I would be up on a big mountain with much lightning and rain. I had a miserable day
dodging lightning. It was pretty up on this ridge today but I couldn’t enjoy it for the weather. I really got tired too
getting off. It hailed on me twice too! Coming off I had a 800 foot decent and it was raining very hard as I slipped and
fell down the hill. The rain slowed down and I got to Sidney Tappan camp and decided to stay. This camp site has
everything overgrown around it. The water is good and it has a nice outhouse but the tent sites were terrible. I did
nick named this place the “tampon camp”. I slept badly on unleveled ground with many bugs. I did see another bull
moose as I got to the camp.
July 11, 2006 - Sidney Tappan Shelter to Carl A. Newhall Shelter
I slept well with no additional rain in the night here at the campsite. I had a stiff cup of joe and a quick bite to eat and
was out by 6:00 a.m. It only took me 90 minutes to get to this shelter, Carl Newhall. I decided to take it easy the rest
of the day and stay here. I will dry clothes today and repack my stuff and get a little more organized. A thru-hiker
stopped by and took a break and left going north. He was caught up with the trail miles and could not wait to be
done. Poor bastard! He just seemed to be miserable. Missing the trees because of the forest! I tired to cheer him
up a bit but I had no time to work on him. On the other hand I met a young woman out for a few days who had thru-
hiked the trail in 2003. She talked to me of the life on the trail she now misses. She was the exact opposite of the
other guy. It was neat to relate to another who loves the trail and the shelters as much as I do. She plans to hike
some of the Pacific Crest Trail one day, maybe next year. She would bicycle back from Washington when through
with the trail. Her trail name now is ClaireThe Bear. Her trail name in 2003 was different then and I don’t remember
what it was. Claire was parked on a side trail in the Gulf Hagus area and I was able to drop some trash off at her car
when I passed it. It is sunny here at the shelter and my knees are receiving the rest sorely needed. I will go 9 miles
tomorrow. I was alone here at this shelter and got great nights sleep.
July 12, 2006 - Carl Newhall Shelter to Chairback Gap Lean-to
I left the shelter at 6:30 a.m. and it would turn out to be a tough day of hiking. There were lots of steep ups and
downs, along with a big river ford. The first 4 miles were fairly easy but the next 5 were brutal. I had to ford the West
Branch of the Pleasant River. Somehow in this area a rope came loose on my camp shoes and they fell off. I used
these on river fords too. I did not go back because I don’t know where they fell off at. Later in the day Five Leaf
Clover came up behind me and gave them back to me. Man was I grateful. I was finally at the shelter and my feet
really hurt and I was very tired. Nine miles up here is like 25 in the south. I did not sleep well and it rained on and off
all night. This is a very old shelter right on the trail.
July 13, 2006 - Chairback Gap Lean-to to Cloud Pond Shelter
I was up at 5:30 a.m. For some reason I did not sleep well last night. We had a nice fire in the evening to help on the
bus and there were several south bounders through hikers here. Five Leaf Clover, Squeaky Clean, and others too. I
got up to Columbus Mountain, .5 miles away and 600 foot up and noticed I had not strapped my sleeping bag on my
pack. I dropped my pack and had to hike back down and get it. It took about 90 minutes to make the round trip. The
rain last night made the trail slow and dangerous. I fell two times today. I didn’t get hurt either time. I also slipped
twice and my knee locked and jammed and this made my knee very sore. I trudged on with a few nice views on a
clear day. I made it to Cloud Pond Shelter, .4 miles off the trail on a tough trail at that and grumbled all the way down
in a hard rain. When I saw the pond I changed my mind about the .4 off the trail. This is the most beautiful shelter
setting and the shelter sits op on top overlooking the lake with big rocks all around. If you thru-hike the trail or are
out for just a few days don’t miss this scenic area, it is well worth the climb down to it. I jumped into the lake and
cleaned up a little and got my water. Two other north bound hikers came in and left after a break. By 6 p.m. it had
cleared up nicely and it had cooled down. I got some natural bug repellent here and it smells good. It is Eucalyptus
and lemon scent. It probably would be good to mask a hiker’s stink too! Most people in this area going south are
about out of food. I bought some and picked up some and am in good shape. All the extra I carried is paying off now.
One other hiker stayed here last night. His name was Lock Jaw, or Scum Bag. He had gotten into some other hikers
food bag and the name was sticking. Captain Kangaroo gave him the second name. I met Captain Kangaroo at
Cooper Brook Lean-to.
July 14, 2006 - Cloud Pond Shelter to Wilson Valley Shelter-
I left Cloud Pond Shelter at 6:45 am. I hiked over rough but pretty terrain today and got great views too. Barren
Mountain fire tower {could not climb} and Barren Ledges were fantastic. There were lots of lakes down below and
very scenic. From the Ledges you could see the fire tower way back by now. Camp out by the ledges if possible. I
stayed at the ledges for 90 minutes and sunned myself like an old snake. I got to Long Pond Stream Lean-to and
took a break and decided to go on to the next shelter. It seemed to be a long 4.7 to me but I got to the Wilson Valley
Shelter by 4:30 p.m. I washed out a shirt and shorts and cleaned up a bit. I are well and drank some hot chocolate.
A man came here who works for the Conservancy, out on a personal trip, came in and we talked. He had Peter
Limmer boots and commented on my hefty boots too. He works in the Katahdin area for the state. This is a nice
shelter with a good creek nearby. I have a nice fire going here on a cool evening.
It was a brutal day of walking. I got up and left shelter after breakfast. I got a good nights sleep alone at this place. I
hiked to Logan Brook Shelter where I took a long break and got some great water. There was a huge food bag
hanging near the shelter in a tree and no one around. I had read that there was trail magic here in that form. I got
the bag down and started to rifle through it. I then read a note left in the bag that this is trail workers food and
please leave alone. I felt bad and put it back up. I also left a note in the trail register to let others know about this.
Man, this is like hanging bacon on your pack and walking through bear country! I still felt bad for looking through it! I
left Logan Shelter at 9:30 a.m. and headed to the next shelter. Wrong!!! This was a big climb and the thunderstorm
which was building meant I would be up on a big mountain with much lightning and rain. I had a miserable day
dodging lightning. It was pretty up on this ridge today but I couldn’t enjoy it for the weather. I really got tired too
getting off. It hailed on me twice too! Coming off I had a 800 foot decent and it was raining very hard as I slipped and
fell down the hill. The rain slowed down and I got to Sidney Tappan camp and decided to stay. This camp site has
everything overgrown around it. The water is good and it has a nice outhouse but the tent sites were terrible. I did
nick named this place the “tampon camp”. I slept badly on unleveled ground with many bugs. I did see another bull
moose as I got to the camp.
July 11, 2006 - Sidney Tappan Shelter to Carl A. Newhall Shelter
I slept well with no additional rain in the night here at the campsite. I had a stiff cup of joe and a quick bite to eat and
was out by 6:00 a.m. It only took me 90 minutes to get to this shelter, Carl Newhall. I decided to take it easy the rest
of the day and stay here. I will dry clothes today and repack my stuff and get a little more organized. A thru-hiker
stopped by and took a break and left going north. He was caught up with the trail miles and could not wait to be
done. Poor bastard! He just seemed to be miserable. Missing the trees because of the forest! I tired to cheer him
up a bit but I had no time to work on him. On the other hand I met a young woman out for a few days who had thru-
hiked the trail in 2003. She talked to me of the life on the trail she now misses. She was the exact opposite of the
other guy. It was neat to relate to another who loves the trail and the shelters as much as I do. She plans to hike
some of the Pacific Crest Trail one day, maybe next year. She would bicycle back from Washington when through
with the trail. Her trail name now is ClaireThe Bear. Her trail name in 2003 was different then and I don’t remember
what it was. Claire was parked on a side trail in the Gulf Hagus area and I was able to drop some trash off at her car
when I passed it. It is sunny here at the shelter and my knees are receiving the rest sorely needed. I will go 9 miles
tomorrow. I was alone here at this shelter and got great nights sleep.
July 12, 2006 - Carl Newhall Shelter to Chairback Gap Lean-to
I left the shelter at 6:30 a.m. and it would turn out to be a tough day of hiking. There were lots of steep ups and
downs, along with a big river ford. The first 4 miles were fairly easy but the next 5 were brutal. I had to ford the West
Branch of the Pleasant River. Somehow in this area a rope came loose on my camp shoes and they fell off. I used
these on river fords too. I did not go back because I don’t know where they fell off at. Later in the day Five Leaf
Clover came up behind me and gave them back to me. Man was I grateful. I was finally at the shelter and my feet
really hurt and I was very tired. Nine miles up here is like 25 in the south. I did not sleep well and it rained on and off
all night. This is a very old shelter right on the trail.
July 13, 2006 - Chairback Gap Lean-to to Cloud Pond Shelter
I was up at 5:30 a.m. For some reason I did not sleep well last night. We had a nice fire in the evening to help on the
bus and there were several south bounders through hikers here. Five Leaf Clover, Squeaky Clean, and others too. I
got up to Columbus Mountain, .5 miles away and 600 foot up and noticed I had not strapped my sleeping bag on my
pack. I dropped my pack and had to hike back down and get it. It took about 90 minutes to make the round trip. The
rain last night made the trail slow and dangerous. I fell two times today. I didn’t get hurt either time. I also slipped
twice and my knee locked and jammed and this made my knee very sore. I trudged on with a few nice views on a
clear day. I made it to Cloud Pond Shelter, .4 miles off the trail on a tough trail at that and grumbled all the way down
in a hard rain. When I saw the pond I changed my mind about the .4 off the trail. This is the most beautiful shelter
setting and the shelter sits op on top overlooking the lake with big rocks all around. If you thru-hike the trail or are
out for just a few days don’t miss this scenic area, it is well worth the climb down to it. I jumped into the lake and
cleaned up a little and got my water. Two other north bound hikers came in and left after a break. By 6 p.m. it had
cleared up nicely and it had cooled down. I got some natural bug repellent here and it smells good. It is Eucalyptus
and lemon scent. It probably would be good to mask a hiker’s stink too! Most people in this area going south are
about out of food. I bought some and picked up some and am in good shape. All the extra I carried is paying off now.
One other hiker stayed here last night. His name was Lock Jaw, or Scum Bag. He had gotten into some other hikers
food bag and the name was sticking. Captain Kangaroo gave him the second name. I met Captain Kangaroo at
Cooper Brook Lean-to.
July 14, 2006 - Cloud Pond Shelter to Wilson Valley Shelter-
I left Cloud Pond Shelter at 6:45 am. I hiked over rough but pretty terrain today and got great views too. Barren
Mountain fire tower {could not climb} and Barren Ledges were fantastic. There were lots of lakes down below and
very scenic. From the Ledges you could see the fire tower way back by now. Camp out by the ledges if possible. I
stayed at the ledges for 90 minutes and sunned myself like an old snake. I got to Long Pond Stream Lean-to and
took a break and decided to go on to the next shelter. It seemed to be a long 4.7 to me but I got to the Wilson Valley
Shelter by 4:30 p.m. I washed out a shirt and shorts and cleaned up a bit. I are well and drank some hot chocolate.
A man came here who works for the Conservancy, out on a personal trip, came in and we talked. He had Peter
Limmer boots and commented on my hefty boots too. He works in the Katahdin area for the state. This is a nice
shelter with a good creek nearby. I have a nice fire going here on a cool evening.
Barren Ledges
July 15, 2006 - Wilson Creek Lean-to to Leaman Brook Lean-to
I slept fine and left the shelter at 7 a.m. I had to ford Big Wilson Stream ½ hour after leaving. It was knee high water
and swift. I walked beside Little Wilson Creek and took a break at the falls. I plugged on and got to the shelter by 3 o’
clock. I washed out some clothes and while down at this little gorge I found a bath tub sized hole and sat in it like a
monkey and cooled off on this very hot day. I felt good after getting out of the hole. It was hand over hand to get
back up to the shelter. I got a fire going to keep the mosquitoes away and Sunshine and her dad came in and
stayed the night too. They are from Baton Rouge in Louisiana. They have 10 days off and are hiking around in the
area going where they wish and doing what they wish. I will be through the wilderness tomorrow!! I survived it.
I slept fine and left the shelter at 7 a.m. I had to ford Big Wilson Stream ½ hour after leaving. It was knee high water
and swift. I walked beside Little Wilson Creek and took a break at the falls. I plugged on and got to the shelter by 3 o’
clock. I washed out some clothes and while down at this little gorge I found a bath tub sized hole and sat in it like a
monkey and cooled off on this very hot day. I felt good after getting out of the hole. It was hand over hand to get
back up to the shelter. I got a fire going to keep the mosquitoes away and Sunshine and her dad came in and
stayed the night too. They are from Baton Rouge in Louisiana. They have 10 days off and are hiking around in the
area going where they wish and doing what they wish. I will be through the wilderness tomorrow!! I survived it.
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