Chapter 22

The first two photos in this blog are courtesy of my cousin. Check out her photography on Instagram @sara.beth.photography

First trip of 2024! I’m a little behind schedule to finish next year but hopefully I can make some solid ground this year. This first trip I conquered the infamous Mud Pond Carry which is a great relief. I did a three-day trip this weekend (May 23rd thru 25th) resuming where Kyle and I left off back in September 2022. Let’s go!

Northeast Carry to Thoreau Island

I took off Thursday and Friday before Memorial Day weekend to give me a good five days for a buffer zone for what I hoped would be a three day trip. My aunt, uncle, and cousin were camping around Baxter State Park and had offered their assistance for drop off and pick up for a trip if they could. I think they thought they would be closer to the trail than they were but were kind enough to drive me an hour or more for both ends of the trip.

I left my house before 8 for the 3 hours or so to where they were camping. The plan was to get in the water between 1 and 2 and just do a few miles that afternoon. That would leave me with 20 miles or less down stream on Friday. The goal ultimately to be on Umbazookus Lake ready for Mud Pond Carry Saturday morning bright and early.

With some Charley Crockett on the radio and iced coffee in hand, the long drive went by quickly, and I made it to their campsite by 11 or so, ahead of schedule! (As an aside I spent a fair amount of time worrying and planning for flat tires on the Golden Road. I had a plug set, cordless drill, compressor, etc. and thankfully none of it was used). My aunt made me a ham and cheese sandwich and we shortly were packed up in the truck and navigating our way to Northeast Carry.

Now it was a good thing I was earlier than expected because it ended up taking us an hour more than anticipated going up and down logging roads looking for a cut across to Norcross Boat landing (which is more or less where Kyle and I ended). Anyone who might be using this as a guide, let me save you the mystery: don’t go down Road 1, Roads 6, 7, and 8 all dead end. Stay on Poulin to Halfway Brook to Ross Farm. I can already hear my uncle at every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal not letting me live this down. And that’s ok, small price to pay for the favor he did me! We did see a moose though!

It was 3:30 by the time I was in the water on Moosehead. It was less than 2 miles from the boat launch across the lake to Northeast Carry, but Moosehead is a big lake and is not to be trifled with. The winds were coming from the south and causing fair sized waves. I kept my eye over my left shoulder to make sure none came over the gunwale of my low sitting boat. A tense 40 minutes waiting for rain or more winds, and I had made it to the shore.

My family had driven there to get some photos of Mt. Kineo and the lake, and were there to meet me as I strapped on wheels for the 2 miles down Northeast Carry Road. We parted ways and I started down the road towards the Penobscot.

The portage was 2 miles long down the gravel road aptly name Northeast Carry. I was fresh, my pack was light, and the day was splendid so it went by quickly and easily enough. Small delicately blue butterflies the color of eye shadow would flit away at my passing. In the gutter where some water was pooled, I saw the inky black punctuations of newly spawned tadpoles with the occasional frog. Above, the winds had gradually pushed out the rain clouds and a splendid late afternoon sun dappled the ground.

I made it to the end of the road to the Penobscot river. Directly across from the terminal point of the road, was a small cabin where some men were out enjoying the weather. They hollered to me wondering what I was up to. I explained and we chatted some. I had been whistling as I situated the boat in the water, and he asked if I whistle the whole way. I said “only if I’m not cursing”, I’m not sure they got the joke. Don’t they know this is hard work not fun and games?

I departed down the river, happily taking advantage of the swift and steady current. I love going downstream, this is what I signed up for! The waters were iodine brown like film negatives, and reflected the blue sky and dark silhouettes of the stunted evergreen trees along the shore. I passed uncomfortably close to two young bull moose standing in the water. One slowly crept into the underbrush but the other was startled into a run from the downstroke of my paddle.

An easy 6 miles or so passed before I passed under Golden Road (here called Hannibal’s Crossing), and not far passed here was Thoreau’s island where the writer camped on one of his adventures. I didn’t see any Carthaginians riding war elephants, but I did have another moose wading by my camp as I was preparing supper. While picturesque, all the moose made me nervous about being trampled to death while sleeping in my bivy bag (my new shelter for the year). I slept well enough for tossing an turning in an oversized sock, and am happy to say I didn’t get squashed by a moose!