Day 160, Friday, August 6, 2021

         

Full Goose Shelter Campsite to Speck Pond Shelter campsite - 5.1 miles hiked today - 1921.3 total AT miles to date 

Today was by far the most technically difficult and strenuous stretch of trail encountered to date.  The infamous Mahoosuc Notch, followed by the Mahoosuc Arm swallowed up the entire day.  The official Guthook app description of the Notch states, “one of the hardest and most fun sections of the entire Appalachian Trail.” I can certainly testify to the first part, although I struggle to see where the “fun” part entered the equation.  Maybe if you are 25 and have the full use of four limbs.  Anyway, after climbing up Fulling Mill mountain first thing, it then took us almost 4 hours to work our way through, over, under, and around 9/10 of a mile of a boulder field unlike anything encountered thus far.  We had to remove our packs three times to squeeze through narrow cracks underneath looming slabs of rock, pulling our packs behind us.  We were forced to maneuver over and around house sized rocks with limited hand and foot holds.  For me, using only one hand made for interesting contortions and gyrations.  Extremely slow going.

Finally, by early afternoon we had successfully manhandled our way through the boulder pit, and arrived at the base of the Mahoosuc Arm.  Guthook’s description of this mountain states, “ Heading north out of Mahoosuc Notch is one of the steepest climbs on the Appalachian Trail, with the trail rising 1500 feet from Mahoosuc Notch to the crest of the Arm in just one mile.”  Just what we needed after the torturous crossing we’d just completed.  True to its description,  the mile to the top was every bit as difficult and steep as advertised.  No meandering switchbacks here, just a grueling, hard fought climb - one step/handhold at a time.

By the time we were over the Arm, it was approaching evening, and we’d only covered 5 miles in the past 10 hours.  By consensus, we decided we’d had enough for the day and bailed out at the next shelter site.  Tomorrow we’d resume the trek and try to make up some lost mileage in the next few days.

Unfortunately, there was very little opportunity to take many pictures in either the Notch or the Arm, as I was focused on surviving instead of chronicling the experience. 

Until next time…