Bromley Shelter to Clarendon Shelter---June 15th

My earliest start yet at 5:23 a.m., but hey, I woke up at 4:51 and really had to use the bathroom.  No use going back to sleep.  Ideal weather, not too hot and not too cool, just right. 
Good views from Bromley Ski Area, though at the top of the tower the wind was gusting.  There must also be an inversion today because a dense layer of fog covered the river valley.  With the wind and weather the trail is drying out a bit, but still a little sloppy.  The puncheons and bog boards were the most dangerous part of walking because in addition to being wet, some had a slimy/mossy surface making them slicker than two eels wrestling in a barrel of snot.  Slipping off the first one and into the water, I proceeded more cautiously, but still went skating on a few.  About to overtake another hiker, I saw him slip in the mud on a minor descent and try to break his fall by putting all his weight on his trekking poles.  Unfortunately for him, he went down in a heap when his right pole bent in two places.  He was OK, but the pole was a total loss.
I felt strong for most of the day, passing more beaver ponds from time to time.  Now and then I'd pass an old stone wall and wonder when exactly it was built.  Had the land been cleared for agriculture or grazing by some New Englander of yore and over time once again been reclaimed by nature?  Might there be a story there that has long since been forgotten?  Now, the moss-covered stones are all that stand to witness the toil and the struggle. 
Little Rock Pond was absolutely gorgeous and the rock piles lining the trail near Spruce Rock were an interesting feature indicating that perhaps hikers had too much time on their hands. :-)  It was a steep descent into Clarendon Gorge, where a suspension bridge crosses Mill River below.  This was followed by an even steeper path uphill between two massive granite outcrops which, once the ridge top was gained, eventually led to Clarendon Shelter.  Three section hikers had arrived before me and set up shop, but a little bunk in the upper right corner suited me just fine.

Fog in the Valley
Peru Peak Wilderness
Rock Piles
Old Stone Wall