After an amazing night of sleep at the motel, we got some breakfast at Dunkin’ and bought much needed bug repellent. Around 9 am we hit the trail.

We were right where we left off yesterday, tough stone ridges and very technical climbs. Which is fun for a little while! But it really goes from climb, to climb, to climb. This is hard!

Feeling like an animal again, and loving it

We arrived at the most beautiful waterfall! We just had to take some time here, enjoy the views and soak our bodies. Yesterday we had a shower to feel human again, this was to feel like an animal again. We loved it.

After this lovely break, we hiked on. The bath had little effect on our hygiene, because it’s 92 degrees and we’re sweating like pigs and panting like a dog. You can feel the heart rate in your throat. We have to take it easy, even though the terrain is still kicking our ass.

Eating a big New York humble pie

The longer we’re hiking here – if you can even call it that with all the hands over feet climbing – we’re wondering why we haven’t heard more about New York. Everyone is always warning us for how tough the White Mountains in New Hampshire are, but New York is already pretty insane!

Pennsylvania has the jagged foot stabbing rocks, but New York has the steep constant up and down technical climbs. Usually you have a relatively relaxed section after doing something hard, but not here baby! It’s consistently very hard.

We saw CBS and RatPack again. They were going through it too. They’re very experienced hikers, so even if you don’t take our word for it: take theirs. This section is no joke. By far the hardest we’ve done so far.

Squeezing the lemon

Because of the later start and pace killing terrain, my dad and I decided to cook diner at the parking lot at 6 pm. We know it’s going to be late before we’re in camp, and nobody wants to cook dinner anymore at 10 pm. Dreamcatcher wasn’t feeling hungry yet and hiked on.

Almost at the end of a long day, we encountered the Lemon Squeezer: a narrow passage way you have to navigate with pack and all. It wasn’t too bad, but the rock wall after is ridiculous. It goes straight up! You actually have to find crevices for your hands and feet and rock climb it. I have to say, I liked the challenge. It’s cool. I get why people rock climb. But, you really shouldn’t feel like you have to do this one if you’re not comfortable with it. No shame in taking this blue blaze.

Well, just get up there I guess

Everything goes wrong

We’re definitely squeezed alright. The energy level is down the drain, especially my dad is running on fumes, taking short breaks after every hundred steps or so.

It’s dark, I’m hiking in the front and we enter an overgrown swampy section. That’s weird, but we are still following the blazes. The only problem: they’re the wrong color! My dad pointed out that the blazes are light blue, not white. My colorblindness usually isn’t a problem on trail, but these light blue blazes are very hard to distinguish for me, especially in the dark.

Wrong color!

I’ve got to be honest, I was not happy and lost my cool. I’m very tired, it’s late. On top of it, I had some miscommunication with Dreamcatcher through text on where we are and would end up for the day. There’s no reception anymore, I don’t know where she is and we still have some miles to go.

At the shelter, Dreamcatcher wasn’t there. But, we finally had some reception and she’s camping a few miles back. We’ll rendevous tomorrow. 

 

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