We had a light rain during the night, but it had stopped by the time we got up, so we were able to pack up fairly dry. Our weather apps showed rain approaching, so we threw on pack covers and started hiking, hoping to cover some miles before it got too heavy.
Within minutes, it was lightly raining, and that continued for a couple of hours. It was never heavy enough to soak us or get our socks wet, just keep us damp. The temperature was right around 70, so we were comfortable hiking, but when we had a break, it felt good to get moving again, because we'd get a little cool. This is a refreshing problem!
We had a break in the rain, but the threat was there all day, keeping it overcast, foggy, and cool. We had one major climb today, the highest point in Vermont, Mt. Stratton, but with the overcast skies it didn't look like we'd get a view from the fire tower on top. It was about a 3.6 mile climb up, and when we summited, we were in a cloud. The only view I got from the tower was mist as it blew over the fir trees below, which was still pretty, but not ideal.
We hiked on down the mountain to the shelter at Stratton Pond. Actually, the pond is still a half-mile away. We will see it in the morning. We set up camp early, and rain is moving in once again. If it gets nasty, at least we have a shelter close by that we can move into.
The woods today were gorgeous. As we climbed, it changed from a beautiful birch forest, to spruce, and then firs on top. The smell was divine - just like Christmas potpourri.
The green of the forest just seemed to glow today from all of the rain, and the spruce forest always has the bright green moss on the rocks and logs along the trail, highlighting it's beauty even more. Today's trail was just really special. We passed numerous beaver ponds, some built just a level above others. We never saw a moose, but are on the look out for them, and porcupine as well.
This did not turn out in focus, but he was a Sobo named Huck, and his dog is Finn. Finn was a large black shepherd, so shiny, you just couldn't resist petting him. He loved hiking so much (carries his dog food in his own backpack), that he would whine to keep moving because we were talking too much, delaying them. He finally sighed loudly and plopped down under the trees til we finished talking.
- Steady and F100
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