I backpacked the 100 Mile Wilderness in late July of 2023. Prior to that trip, all of my backpacking experience was base-camp style trips, with the exception of one backpacking trip into the backcountry of Sequoia National Park. After my Sequoia trip, I knew I had to rethink a lot of my gear, and it was well worth the time, effort, and money.

The time I spent in the 100 Mile Wilderness was life changing, and it fundamentally changed the way I approached backpacking. I also learned that even the toughest Maine miles don’t make a bland, unappetizing freeze dried meal taste good.

We used 100 Mile Wilderness Adventures to shuttle us from their campground in Monson to the northern terminus of the 100 Mile Wilderness at Abol Bridge. We hiked the trail SOBO, and spent about nine days on trail. We spent about half a day holed up inside a lean-to during a thunderstorm, but otherwise had surprisingly good weather for late July. The mosquitos, of course, were atrocious, but that was expected.

We were treated to many beautiful campsites along lakes throughout the trip, and suffered over brutally steep climbs. There were a few nights where we were able to find campsites alone, but most nights we spent at designated camp areas with other hikers.

Overall, I was really happy with the gear choices I made for this trip. My pack was significantly lighter than my Sequoia trip, which meant I was much more comfortable on trail. To read more about my gear choices for this trip, check out my gear list!