Weekend of 2/21 - 2/22

We've got a winter storm watch in effect here in the north country for Wednesday night into Thursday evening. We won't have a good idea of storm totals, but it looks like the main problem may be a mix of rain and snow - which for me is just dandy. The crust in Danville is so beautiful that Spanky and I could xc-ski today anywhere on my skinny skis without even breaking through. But it's also not icy - is a great crunchy crust coating with light, blown snow, like skiing on, um, something firm, crunchy on top, that doesn't collapse w/ skis or snowshoes.

If this storm dumps on top, it'll move around on the summits but it's real excellent for (excluding MadDog's remaining 48):

1. Lincoln's Backbone
2. Long weighted pack trek into Zealand Notch (Thoreau Falls)
3. Ski-Trek into Zealand Notch
4. ...

The Katahdin trek departs Friday on the tail of a big snow - Good Luck to the hardy adventurers. Results of that trek will be posted as news arrives.

[Update 2/22] Wyoming Bob Brings 'em There And Back Again!
Pics From The Puppet Master HERE. Pics from tMail HERE.

PM's Trip Report:
Great weekend and adventure. Some high points:

• 8 cars off the icy roads in Portsmouth
• Meeting Bob's neigbor Keith while he was plowing, saying "Hi" and getting the Mainer "Uh-yuh" in response!
• Spicy pasta and chicken
• "Margaret, don't go that way" at 2am
• The ride into Abol
• Looking up Abol Slide and thinking "Yep, that's steep."
• Looking in my pack at the ridge and realizing my extra warm layer was back at the camp (oops!), forcing me to stick with the same base layer all day!
• Walking onto the ridge, checking the "N/S finder" for the E/W line
• G$ eating up cairns like a pac man - to the summit and back
• Walking "drunk" and feeling as though my pack was a dead monkey swinging on my back (thank you 50lbs and 20mph winds!)
• The American flag
• Wands good
• On the descent, stopping to take in the break in the weather and watching the blue skies open above us... except over the ridge and summit!
• The sunset through the trees
• Getting passed on the ride out by snowmobilers going 70mph+
• Chili, beer, sake, and cookies... mmmmmmm

Again, great time and thanks to Bob for the invite and hospitality. Look forward to the next adventure.

tMail's Trip Report:

• Drive up to Millinocket (Longhorns, Maine High School Basketball, Methane)
• Wildman’s Cabin
• Chicken Pasta and Fra Divalo
• The train coming into the station at 4am…walking out to the outhouse no head lamp, no toilet paper
• The ride to Abol camp
• Nascar Nate “EEEEEEEE Yeah”
• Packing out the trail
• Abol slide is one relentless son of a bitch
• Poking my head on the ridge and see nothing
• Planting wands along the way
• G$$$ was like a bloodhound to the summit
• Old Glory on the Summit
• The 10 minute descent back to the slide
• Completely loosing all feeling in both hands
• LL Bean Chem warmers (note to self wear liners)
• Screaming across the lake on snow machine and going through water…HUH?!?!
• Chili, Sake, more Sake
• Sunday around 2am getting up kneeling on side of bed…peeing in the piss bottle
• Breakfast…..Chili again!
• La Casa De Fiesta. Address: Rte. 157, P.O. Box 699, Millinocket, ME

Wildman thanks for the invite….if you build it they will come….great times and good fun!!! PM thanks for the ride and the pizza Thursday night!!!