YouthCaN Hike the World Report: New York August 2002
The Hikers:
Dasha
Wileyda
Jim
Jay
Charlie
Alvaro

The Trail:
Appalachian Trail (A.T.)- White Blaze North to South

The Story:
We beg an our Journey on August 12 from New York to Massachusetts. We left Jim's car at a parking place at the end of the trail section while we left Charlieís car at about the half waypoint. Thanks to Jay's Brother, we were able to get a ride to the beginni ng of the trail section we were going to do on US Route 20. We began our hike towards Upper Goose Pond, where we were going to stay the first night. It was only a 2.1-mile hike, so it wasnít too bad. There were a lot of campers and hikers in the area and a cabin. We found a spot for our tents and we spend out time relaxing. There was a cabin for those who wanted to sleep in the cabin and offered spring water and pancakes in the mornings. The pond itself was really nice, where Wileyda and Dasha enjoyed a r efreshing swim while the others enjoyed refreshing their feet. We also encounter a lot of "True Hikers" meaning those hiking the whole AT trail from Georgia to Maine (about 2160 miles) or anybody who is hiking a good chunk of the trail. We had dinner and went to sleep at about 8pm. I had Rice and Chicken that night J. We woke up at 6am, had our breakfast and we were on the trail at about 7:30am.
Our Distination for that day was to Shaker Campsite, which was about a 10.4-mile hike. We crossed into Tyringham, passed Copper Brook and Knee Deep Pond, where we saw a hiker called amazing grace and finally up Baldy Mountain (1800 feet) where we had lunch. We took a couple of good breaks along the trail and we made it into some flatlands for a while. We popped out at a Cow field where we had to climb
over some Barb Wire and at Jerusalem road we met with a hiker called Filtershower. We were thankful that there was a spring nearby and we refilled our water supply with some nice cold Massachusetts water. We then began our hike up Cobble Hill and we finally made it to Shaker at about 4pm. We were happy to be there after a long day with the heat on us all day. At Shaker, we met again with Filtershower and a couple of other hikers who we talked with and had dinner with. I signed the Notebook for Shaker, so did Dasha. The notebook had very interesting comments from other hikers and some were really funny. Most of them warned us about the mosquitoes that shaker had plenty of. I learned the hard way though, being eaten up by mosquitoes by the following morning. If I had to count, I would say over 40 bites. (I guess they love how I taste).
We had breakfast the next morning and we began to hike again. This time our destination was to Tom Leonard Campsite, about 11miles. The beginning was tough, it was an uphill on Skyhill, and boy did it feel like it had not limits of ascendant. After that killer, we continued our hike towards Mt Wilcox north lean to through beaver pond and up on Mt Wilcox south leanto.
(Mt Wilcox is the third highest peak in Massachusetts at 2100 feet) After a rest, we were heading towards Benedict Pond but "The Ledges" at 1700 feet were in the way.

At the scorching heat, lack of water for some of us, and the tough uphill and downhill, the Ledges may have killed most of us off. We reached the other side; everybody was heading around the pond for water. I stayed behind for a while signing yet another notebook. Once we reached the picnic area, we had lunch and there is where we decided to throw in the towel. The high heat index, some of us in pain from blisters and other little pains and others with the white flag already raised in the air, and with 4 miles left to hike to Tom Leonard we called it quits. Unfort unately, there werenít any place for us to stay at Benedict Pond but we were fortunate that a very nice lady helped us out by driving Charlie to his car. We saw Filtershower for the third and final time and drove to Connecticut for Jimís car. There we dec ided to head back to New York City and our journey was over. We hiked a good 20 miles, which is not bad considering the heat and our heavy backpacks. Perhaps this was just merely a lesson for some of us, so that next time we will be more prepared for what ís to come. I must admit that this was my first backpacking hike of this length and in the summer. I learned my lessons and I hope to reevaluate this experience for another hike. Donít fear the hiking! It was just unfortunate we picked a really hot week to hike on.
Things I remember seeing

Trillium
Witch Hobble
Purple Loosestrife

Hemlock tree

Maple Tree

Bull Frog

Bright Green Caterpillar

Spiders
Mosquitoes (too many of those)

Bear Markings
Dasha's sightings:

american elm,  
green stripe maple and red maple,
yellow birch, grey birch and black birch,
purple loosestrife,
sedge,
hemlock,
trillium (christmas berry),
horse ant,
mud beetle,
shad tree or service berry
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