Deuce Bigelow
July 1, 2010 9:16 pm
Date: 7.1.2010
Location: Bigelow Mountain Range, Maine
I was stopped for lunch and caught up with Mother Goose and Conner and Clara yesterday when the subject of the upcoming Bigelow Mountain Range came up. I hadn’t read to far ahead in the data book and have just been rolling with whatever comes so I dind’t know what was ahead.
Mother Goose said “She misses the Bigelows like a bad hernia operation” That was my first clue something significant lay ahead:) She talked about the ups and downs, false summits and the “bouldering”
After hearing the word “bouldering” I had flashbacks of Katadihn and the difficulties I had with bouldering there. I immediately jumped up from lunch, said goodbye and headed back on the trail anxious to get as much done before the Bigelows as possible.
I managed to get within 4 miles of the first of the mountains Little Bigelow and camped for the night.
I looked at the data book to see what lay ahead. The Bigelows were a series of peaks with 2 rising over 4000′. There are campsites between Little Bigelow and Bigelow Mountain as well as the 2 main peaks of Bigelow Mountain. Most people would split the range up into 2 days and camp somewhere in the peaks.
It’s been cold here in Maine at night, dipping to the low 40’s and I have had some trouble staying warm as I was not expecting it. Having a hammock doesn’t help either as your back is exposed to the cold air. Needless to say I wasn’t excited at the idea of camping at altitude. Not to mention the crowds at these campgrounds.
I contemplated the possibility of covering the entire range in one day. It would mean over 18 miles total, 4 peaks total, lots of bouldering, topped by a 5 mile run into town. It seemed nearly impossible but I woke up at 6 to hit the trail and give it a shot.
I started out heading up Little Bigelow early. I reached the summit by 10:30 with little trouble and had some new found confidence in my improving physical condition. I looked across at Bigelow Mountain. It was certainly the highest mountain I had seen since Katadihn and the bouldering looked formidable.
I tried to estimate if I could cover it all in one day and thought I probably could. All I could do was try and if I couldn’t finish I could suck it up and camp at altitude. As I headed through the pass between the 2 peaks and came closer to Bigelow Mountain I saw the enormity of it and my new found confidence was wavering.
I pressed on just focusing on the task ahead. It was a physically difficult climb to the first peak of Bigelow. There was plenty of bouldering but it was not what I would call technical. I handled it well and summitted around 2.
It was amazing up there!!! The views were stunning. It was freezing cold and the winds were very high. I looked across to Bigelows second peak and realized there was another peak past it I would also have to summit to get out to town.
I headed out to the west peak. It was a long greulling up and down but I managed to summit the West Peak and the South Horn peak and headed down and the 5 miles to highway 27.
Once at the highway I called a number of a hotel I had been given and got a ride in and a room. I am in Stratton, Maine and in time for Saturday’s Germany vs Argentina World Cup game!!!:) I think this could be the best game of the event so I am very excited.
I am sore all over but after doing the Bigelow range on one day I’d say I might be getting in decent shape! Now if I could stop falling on my but in the rain.