The 100 Mile Wilderness has been a bucket list item of mine for a long time now. When I was approached about joining the Wilderness Walk for Warriors for this trek, I was honored—and immediately said YES! Our team of 8 strong would be honoring Maine’s heroes who were KIA in Korea and Vietnam. This was meaningful to me, as my grandfather served in the Korean War, possibly alongside those were were honoring on our hike. I was also honored to carry the flags of Patriot Rider Stephen Gilman and Captain Jay Brainard for the duration of this trek. Jay’s godparents are so extra special to me. It meant the world to me to have him by my side as I experienced the hardest and most incredible thing I have ever done in my entire life. The flag of MSG Gary Gordon from Lincoln, Maine was also present alongside us for our 10 day adventure. 

I was struck down by blisters on my pinky toes on day one and day two…do we even really need those toes? Seriously! And then right out of the gate on day two, I stumbled on a water crossing, fell, hit my knee, shin, and eyebrow (and bruised my pride in the meantime). These slight injuries (and the weight of my pack) slowed my pace exponentially but I was finally able to find a way to tape them/reduce the pain with a little vitamin A—Aleve. But my pack still felt as though it weighed 5000 pounds and kept gaining weight, not losing it. I was so frustrated that I couldn’t hike my normal pace in those first few days. I sat down on a rock halfway up White Cap and was so overcome with emotions that we were close to halfway, everything everywhere on my body hurt, and I seriously questioned why I was doing this…and I cried silent tears of frustration, joy, and pain. But as each day progressed, I found that I was feeling stronger and my body was adjusting to the challenges I was facing. I kept reminding myself of our mission: Hike a hike worthy of their sacrifice. That kept me going day in and day out. Well, that and the endless supply of snacks in my snack pack that I know Captain Jay would have approved of! 

I have learned I can wear the same outfit for over a week and survive…and most days it will still be damp when I put it on in the mornings. Everything I need can be carried on my back. I can bathe in a river or brook or lake fully clothed or in my underwear. Laughter is the best medicine. Smiles not miles. Trail magic is beautiful. I can drink water that I’ve filtered myself out of mud puddles or frog infested lakes and not die. Warm, dry clothes and a soft, warm bed are truly a luxury. And I really enjoy running water. Cold, running, tap water…or hot, scalding shower water. 

I journaled every single evening of the trip…highlighting the challenges and the triumphs. What follows is from those journal entries and my post-hike reflections. 

Day 1: Route 15 Monson to Little Wilson Falls, 7 miles

The day began with a support/escort with motorcycles and jeeps from right around the corner in my hometown of Bangor all the way to Monson. I said good bye to my mom and dad (after making a few last minute ditches of articles of clothing from my pack) and headed off. My stomach flipped as we passed the town line for Monson. Everything was real and really happening at this point! We were treated to a BBQ with burgers, hot dogs, chips, and sodas (including Moxie!). After a ceremony honoring the 8th annual Wilderness Walk for Warriors, we headed to the trailhead. I went all fan-girl when I saw the official famous 100 Mile Wilderness sign and already ended up at the back of the hiking pack because I wanted to take a photo of this official sign (and…a selfie. Because I just HAD to). Those were the ONLY photos I took that day! This isn’t like me at all! Today was filled with what we call pointless ups and downs (PUDs). There really weren’t any true visual vistas anyway…we saw a lot of woods walking today. The trails were beautiful, but two words describe today’s hike in to our campsite: Rocks and roots. Good lord, I was tired that night. The good news is: My sleeping arrangement was comfy. I had the sounds of the falls to lull me to sleep and the last minute change out for the 35 degree synthetic sleeping bag (and additional 1 pound) was worth it as it was slightly damp and chilly that night. As I fell asleep that night, I remember preparing myself that the next day would be more of the same as the first…and that there was WAY too much in my pack. 

Day 2: Little Wilson Falls to Long Pond Stream, 8 miles

Today, our team divided into smaller groups and the ones I was hiking with all collectively decided that we would be practicing mindful hiking. We would take in the sights, sounds, smells, and also afford the opportunity to take more photos! It started off a little shaky. Literally. My legs were wobbly. My gait was unsteady. I really didn’t sleep well. I was SO comfortable but I was just a little nervous. And that feeling got worse. I slipped on a rock at the water crossing first thing right out of the gate. I hit my shin and my knee (my bad knee, of course). I felt my pack shift to the right and down I fell, head first and bumped my eyebrow on a rock. My hiker team stopped to check me out and ran a quick concussion check (I still swear I was okay, mom, it was just a bump!). I was extra anxious and careful for the rest of the day…but I did get to panic a little bit. What if I were doing this one all by myself? I legit needed my team’s help with a study hand during the other crossings. I am so grateful for them. Their humor, compassion, and similar mindsets got me back on track with feeling less anxious as the day progressed. Today was another day of pointless ups and downs and occasional slipping or tripping on those plentiful rocks and roots. Laughter continued to prevail and was the one thing that kept me moving forward. We made it to camp around 3 and got to swim/wash in the stream. It was SO refreshing. There is something to be said about being able to shelter yourself, cook, and live without any modern luxuries. I continued to think that I still had way too much in my pack. When I get home, I am making SERIOUS changes! 

Day 3: Long Pond Stream to Site off Fourth Mountain, 8 miles

Today was climbing day! I was excited for a view! And also the chance to have cell service to text home for a proof of life update. Apparently, coverage is great here! We stopped to get water at a lean to and I’m glad we did. It may have hurt to have that extra 2 pounds there but I drank every single drop! Barren Mountain is RELENTLESS. It is rocky, rooty, steep, and NEVER ENDING! But it was absolutely gorgeous. The ledges were exceptionally beautiful—and gave a peek of what was to come! The view across the way to Borestone was one of my favorite sights along this entire trip. Borestone was one of my favorite adventures with my daughter in the last few years as I introduced her to Western Maine hiking. We were able to relax at the summit and enjoy a well-deserved break. My legs were SO stiff but they were feeling stronger every single day. I was still struggling with getting used to not being able to hop or twist of scoot like I had done before with a 10 pound pack. We began our way to Fourth Mountain and the hike was through a flat forest lush with moss. We got more water from a natural spring (and this would be our last refill until tomorrow), so I chose to carry an extra 2 pounds up and over Fourth. That mountain climbed gently and we passed through a beautiful bog filled with pitcher plants and bog bridges before actually starting the true ascent. It wasn’t hard…but there were about 9 false summits and at this point we all wanted to just set up camp and eat the 500 pounds of food in our packs. We took one small but truly enjoyable break just before the true summit. We found the 2100 mile marker of the Appalachian Trail laid out in rocks. How cool was that? We made our way down past VERY steep rocks that seemed to be placed in the worst possible places…rocks that I could normally hop, skip, flip, and slide down if I only had my lovely little daypack. We made our way to our campsite, set up, and I had my turkey dinner for dinner. I handed off a few bags of trail mix to a hiker who had a critter get into their food…and I felt good about helping them out (and also losing a bit of weight from my pack!). I also had cell service here! So awesome! 

Day 4: Site off Fourth Mountain to just before West Branch Crossing

Today was tough. My plan to fix my blisters didn’t work. But the pain did go away at times. We had started out the day right out of the gate up and over Third Mountain. I thoroughly enjoyed this one! It was beautiful! I was starting to learn how the pack felt and how my body moved with it. It was strange how just a few days will condition you like that. We moved on to Columbus Mountain after a brief stop for water. We had started out rationing this morning due to our dry location for the overnight. From there, we moved on to Chairback. What a beautiful view! We had snacks, I re-taped my feet (I may be on to something at this point!), and we began the LONG descent down to our campsite for the evening. Coming down off Chair was INTENSE. The rocks were absolutely bonkers. Steep, steep, steep! But I was also extra careful. The walk up and over several pretty bumps was what I needed to take my mind off the pain in my feet. However, nothing could take the pain away from the MURDER HORNETS that attacked me on the way. Those little a-holes even managed to go up my shorts! My team had never seen me run up until that point! It was worth it for the jokes that came from this event for sure! I’ve had my fair share of complaining this trip…but I am loving every single minute of it. Even the parts that suck (like the murder hornets!)! This is NOT easy. DO NOT try this at home. But I give it 10/10 stars and highly recommend! 

Day 5: West Branch to Logan Brook Lean To

Today started out early. It would be long. 12-13 miles long! I had prepared enough to know that today would be one of the hardest days of the entire hike. We got up early, crossed the river, and headed for Gulf Hagas! I love Gulf Hagas! This morning, there was a misty rain that gave the forest a very ethereal feeling. I LOVE hiking in the rain and today proved that still to be true. Wandering past the Hermitage with that misty mountain weather was simply spectacular. I took a few photos but also took my time plugging away. Today was another multi-mountain day. We hit Gulf Hagas Mountain, West Peak, Hay Mountain, And White Cap. West Peak was just a blip and I was so focused on moving forward, I didn’t even look for a sign. Hay was pretty and lush. White Cap kicked my arse. These four mountains may as well be called the stairmaster workout of a lifetime. I have never seen so many stairs in one continuous mountain trail! I pushed hard and rarely took any breaks, which is why I think I really struggled today. I don’t ever marathon hike—I interval hike: Take pictures, take breaks, etc. I sat down on a large, flat, wet rock and cried 2/3 of the way up White Cap. I realized that we are almost halfway on our journey. Wow. What an accomplishment. I picked myself up and felt overwhelmed with emotions. I never thought I’d be doing this if you asked me 10 years ago. But there were were…our team. And we were really rocking it! The hike on White Cap was intense! Gusts of wind ripping the sing around, knocked me over, and pelted us with sideways rain. It was AWESOME! The hike down to the lean to was NOT awesome. I SWEAR Baxter and AT miles LIE. They are WAYYYY longer than they appear! Bonus for the evening…I had cell service at the lean to! 

Day 6: Logan Brook Lean To to Jo Mary Road

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my kiddo (who was spending her summer at Girl Scout camp during my adventure on the AT!)! We went 15 miles today! We started off strong, pushing through a little over 4 miles quickly before we found a teammate struggling with the heat. We ran through some options and decided to work together to keep putting one foot in front of the other…slowly. Everyone offered support and words of encouragement. We worked as a team and sent some ahead to alert the rest of the crew what was happening. I was by myself for about 3.5 miles on the trail today and I was okay with that—it was on the “flat walking” portion of today’s adventure! I pulled out my phone and played my “Lincoln Woods Death March” playlist that I had created way back when I did my Pemi Loop. I picked up the pace and even ran a little bit. I felt I would be moving much faster if my feet didn’t hurt…but I was happy to be able to move at a decent pace today! This morning began with a descent from the lean to and then to a more gradual up/down flow through forests and marshes. We hiked up and over Little Boardman Mountain, which offered exceptional views of what we have climbed so far on our journey. We descended to a small brook, where we filled up our water and took a dip to cool our feet. It felt so nice to take the boots off even for just a small moment! My socks even almost completely dried in the sun! I re-taped my blisters and then began the walk on the flattest section I have yet to see on the trail! I kept thinking about how it was “gravy” as one of our new flip flopper friends had called the trail after White Cap…trail magic awaited us at our campsite and I think I had 3 sodas, 2 hot dogs, a sausage, and some sloppy Joe mix for dinner. I never drink soda! It was SO appreciated! Tonight, I am forever grateful for the trail angels!!! Happy number 14, girlie of mine! 

Day 7: Jo Mary Road to Mahar Landing, 10 miles

The first push was relatively flat through tall pine-laden forests. There were plenty of birch and maple trees! Definitely “gravy.” We stopped at Antlers Campsite for a break, took a team photo as we enjoyed the view of Lower Jo-Mary Lake and were entertained with storytelling from one of our hiker friends. We laughed and then moved on through marshes, up and over water crossing by way of rock hopping and bog bridges, and then started climbing Potaywadjo hill. But just before that climb—just as we began the ascent—the skies opened up and poured down upon us. We got lucky—there were rumbles of thunder but no lightning! My Hyperlite pack continued to remain dry, even in a torrential downpour! We took a break at the lean to and ran into our hiker friend Patron. Once the rain let up and we had a snack/filled water at the coldest of springs, we headed for the final 2.5 miles to our camp. We passed through old growth forests laden with moss, lichen, HUGE root systems, rocks, bog bridges, and MORE murder hornets! I survived with only one little a-hole that landed on my gaiter that I was able to flick away easily. Our campsite was beautiful on a lake. We got there early enough to set up lines to dry clothes, sat around together at dinner and told stories, and even tried fishing! I was having a great time at this point—this is when I realized that I will do this again…because I understood that I would really be in love with this hike without the blisters. I was still smiling…we only had about 29 miles left at this point. 13 the day after, 14 after that…and 3.5ish the next day. I was so tired. I was so excited. I was SO sick of blisters…and began mentally updating my Amazon hiking wish list upon my return to civilization. 

Day 8: Mahar Landing to Polywog Brook, 13ish miles

Today was to be long. I actually almost cried at the start because everything hurt and I felt so discombobulated upon waking. There were some WEIRD noises coming from the campsite the night before. I slept weird. Like…asleep by maybe 8 and awake at 11….up at 3:30…4…then finally awake at 5. We started a half hour early and made our way toward our rendezvous point at the next lean to. We actually met up with our crew at yet another sand beach (this is number 3) instead. They were tapping the spring and it looked like they were playing in the sand making sandcastles. We then marched on and upward toward today’s mountain—Nesuntabunt—which is a large, steep, rocky climb to 1550 feet…but the viewpoint captured our first glimpse of Katahdin! We met a thru hiker going SoBo back to his home in Georgia. We shared cheese and a bracelet and he said this was his first trail magic! Glad to pay it forward! We descended the mountain, crossed a tote road, and came to the secluded Crescent Pond. What a hidden gem! So beautiful and secret—a true magical place off the beaten path. From there, we wandered through Polywog Gorge, which was lush and rocky and rooty. On the way to our site, we passed through a boggy area…but with little to no rain this season, this area was as dry as a bone. We made it to the campsite, soaked our feet in the cool water, and enjoyed a few cold beers compliments of a couple headed back home who offered to give us their remaining cold beers! I LOVE how awesome people are to hikers around here. I am going to enjoy the next few days—I know I will miss the people I have met/spent time with during this trip. I am SO glad I did this. We only have 17 miles left to go!

Day 9: Polywog Brook to Hurd Brook Lean To, 14ish miles

Today was another long day. Over 14 miles. My Garmin clocked it at 14.8, to be exact. It was a beautiful hike that started late as one of our teammates needed to exit due to injury. We started off following a beautiful roaring brook along the initial few miles, landing us at the Rainbow Lean To. We took a break and then headed off once more. We passed through beautiful woods as we made our way along Rainbow Lake, which seemed to go on for FOREVER. Despite passing along the water and lake for most of the morning, I still didn’t see any moose. Dang it. So many pointless ups and downs today. For example…WHY do we have to go up and over a range when we can just as easily go around it? HA! But it was truly exquisite—those pointless ups and downs were really worth it just to see the beautiful mossy forests. We made the final push up and onto the Rainbow Ledges, which were filled with ripe blueberries that we picked for a fresh snack. Unfortunately, they kind of tasted like bug spray. But we had cell service here so we sent some texts and checked in with family. It had been kind of drizzly all day, but it really started to pour on the way down to the lean to. The one summer where it doesn’t rain and it FINALLY decides to rain this time that I’m on the trail? So not cool. But we made it! My short little legs almost wiped out near the lean to because apparently the ONE place MATC doesn’t want to put bog bridges is around the dang slippery rocks just before the Hurd Brook Lean To! When we got to our tent site, we were greeted by the guys who helped us get our teammate home safely. They brought us cheeseburgers and chips! I almost cried. After that LONG hike in, those cheeseburgers were SUCH a morale booster. We dried our shoes and socks by the fire and laughed until bedtime. I am going to miss this crew. They are an incredible group of people! 3.3 miles left! It just seems so surreal! Tomorrow is the big day! 100 miles will be complete! 

Day 10: Hurd Brook Lean To to Golden Road, 3.3 miles (ending at Katahdin Stream)

The hike out started out as a climb, but was over as quickly as it began. I must have thought we had more climbing to do, because just when I thought we were about to make our way up and over more rocks, roots, and mud…we finally began the gradual descent to the Golden Road. It felt as though we were there before we knew it! We walked the road to the Abol store, where we would meet our jeep friends for the ride into Baxter and our lean tos at Katahdin Steam for the evening. Our celebrations continued as we shared stories, food, snacks, and laughter into the night around the campfire. Our crew of 8 had forged bonds that will forever be remembered as we came together to honor those who gave their all and the ultimate sacrifice before us. We truly did hike a hike worthy of their sacrifice—and overcame our own challenges faced along the way. I completely recommend doing this trip to anyone—but proceed with caution. It is as emotionally challenging as it is physically challenging. And it is completely worth that challenge. I will absolutely be doing this adventure again! 

Cheers until the next adventure!

Happy Trails, All!