So no run today, but Elizabeth took me from the cabin out to Baldface Mountain to hike it. Well, more like hike Baldface Mountains, since there was a South Baldface and a North Baldface. We first scaled South, then North, and let me tell you, I’ve never done anything like this. At one point, I actually was scared we were lost and would be trapped when we couldn’t find the blazed trail! But we survived, we finished with a dip in the frigid Emerald Pool (I even jumped from a rock 12 feet up into the water), and in the end we hiked 10.19 miles, taxing our quads, feet, and minds. Here is a map and deets from our trip … and check out the elevation chart! …
I kept slipping or falling during the hike, giving Elizabeth heart attacks here and there but generally escaping without injury. Thank goodness for bringing my hiking boots! And it was so nice to get in Emerald Pool toward the end because its temperature may as well have served as an ice bath for our tired legs.
We lunched at the top of South Baldface, which I had thought was the halfway point before I learned after lunch that we still had North Baldface to hike. Talk about demoralizing! It took so much energy to get to the top of South than North was mentally daunting. But I adjusted my expectations and dealt better.
By about mile 6, Elizabeth and I were pretty dehydrated and rationing our water. We were also pretty over the hike. By this time we were over the mountains, and eventually after some steep descents, we had to deal with a monotonous deluge of hard roots and hard rocks that littered the trail. So annoying! My toes were starting to hurt from being slammed into the front of my boots for the downhill, but finally things started to level out.
Other than wanting to sit, my body felt pretty good upon ending the hike! The weather was nearly cloudless and temperatures were around the upper 70s, topping with an estimated hi of around 81 for the day. It was such a neat experience hiking this with Elizabeth.