We hiked this section on October 16, 2011.
We started hiking at Apple Orchard overlook and the wind was beating us up right away. Python was so glad she wore her knit hat that she bought at SNP, Knitting Bull wore her ear puffs, and Dirigo put on all her fleece.
We climbed for 1.5 miles to Apple Orchid Mountain.
Apple Orchard Mountain
Apparently the government has a SETI listening post on top of this mountain.
We all enjoyed the view and got a break from the wind. Apple Orchard Mt is the highest peak along the AT within 200 miles to the south and a 1000 miles to the north. Mt Moosilauke is the next highest peak. The dome on the top is actually a air traffic radar tower. The are no apple trees on this mountain. Hundred of years of freezing and ice storms have given the trees a deformed, twisted look and remind you of neglected apple orchards.
We descended a natural staircase made in the rocks.
We were all excited to see the Guillotine and spent about 20 minutes taking pictures of each other. The Guillotine is a huge piece of granite wedged above the trail.
“Guillotine” by Knitting Bull
We met SOBOs Mace and Periwinkle just before Thunder Hill Shelter. Periwinkle asked us about the springs ahead of him and we said hadn’t seen any.
We took a nice break at the Thunder Hill Shelter and met two local folks who were leaving bottled water and food at the shelter for SOBOs.
Thunder Hill shelter
The water source was totally dry. We tried to politely tell them that leaving food was not a good thing because it attracts animals. They told us they had adopted this shelter but when Python suggested that they pack out the trash in the fire pit they suddenly got quiet and were in a rush to leave. There was a brand new privy there with a sky view. Again, thanks NBATC.
We hiked for awhile in a rhododendron tunnel.
We had another photo op at Thunder Ridge Overlook and met a nice Canadian couple who took our picture. This offered a picturesque view of the Allegheny Mountains to the west.
The breeze died down in the afternoon and the sun felt great – we were all pulling off layers.
The final descent into Petite’s Gap seemed to last forever. We met SOBO Columbus who was kind of cranky. Then we met SOBOs Purple and Carnivore. They told us that yesterday was not a good day for Columbus – a mouse got into his pack, ate his food, chewed his sweater, and then had babies in his sweater.
We all piled into Dirigo’s truck and headed back to Apple Orchard overlook to get KB’s car. After we got out of the truck a very sweet gentleman asked “have you gals been driving for a long time because you all just fell out if the car?”. We all just laughed and told him that we had hiked 8.5 miles and had the hiker hobble!