[…] maybe Fort would come into view.
The same private guest we recently led to the Rangely area in Maine came back to finish what she started, working on the New England Hundred Highest list. Still in the lead was Redline Guide Ken Hodges. There’s not a lot to tell. She needed Coe (3795′), North Brother (4151′), and Fort Mountain (3867′). South Brother she had gotten on another trip. On this trip she got the latter two, but they didn’t attempt Coe due to the wet weather. She will come back on her own for that. To anyone who has ascended Coe via the slabs can attest, this would be ill-advised in wet weather. And wet weather is what they had. They hiked inside a cloud. Instead of taking in the amazing views of Mt Katahdin to the southeast and the Traveler to the north and east, they saw nothing. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The local focus the cloud shroud forces upon us is a welcome change. Something to be deeply appreciated. But a single glimpse, really, would have been nice. From atop North Brother Ken suggested they wait a bit, maybe Fort would come into view. Anything beyond Fort was wishful thinking and he knew it, but maybe, just maybe, Fort would appear. It didn’t. They waited. They hoped. They gave up and started the bushwhack over to Fort, tagged the summit, then retraced their steps. Nothing to see here folks.
This is pretty much what they saw all day. Yep, not much to see here, folks.
Kidding aside, below are a couple of actual photos of the day…
Down low the views were much nicer.
A second glance. Wow!
Above treeline on North Brother.
Ken on the Fort Mountain summit. Wet but smiling.
Great lead, Ken, and to the team, well done. Thanks for choosing Redline Guiding.