Date: 2008-07-13
From: Andover, ME

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Its been a little while since my last update because I haven't had a chance to get on the internet since Maine. So i'm just gonna run through these last couple of weeks.Mahoosucs (Andover, ME - Gorham, NH)This section was supposed to be one of the hardest sections on the whole trail. We covered it in about 4 days and I have to say that I had some of the most fun i've had on the trail during this section. There were two things that were supposed to make this section hard. One was the mahoosuc arm which is just a very steep sheet of granite that we had to descend in kinda rainy weather. That part wasn't very fun but the Mahoosuc notch which followed was awesome. The Notch consists of a steep ravine filled with boulders at the bottom of it (to give an idea of the steepness a moose fell in last year and could not get out its bones are still in there). The trail goes straight through it for about a mile. This is known as the hardest and longest mile on the trail (it took us about an hour and a half). What made it so fun was the fact that you have to climb all over, under, and around the boulders to get through. It was like a giant jungle gym to climb through all while wearing a pack. To top it off there were even sections that contain ice and snow year round. The next day we woke up to rain while we were still in Maine but as we got closer to the NH state line the weather lightened and by the time we were within a half mile of the line it had cleared up entirely. We finally got some great views after crossing into NH. We headed into Gorham the next day.The Whites (Gorham, NH - Lincoln, NH)This section was awesome cubby and I broke off from our larger group in order to travel in smaller groups through the hut system because we had heard it would be easier to get work for stays that way. It rained on us the first day we were out for about 10 min. then the next day after we got to our hut. Other than that the weather was perfect. For those of you that have not heard of the AMC hut system through the whites. They are a string of backcountry hotels on ridges in the park. They run on alternative energy and are stocked primarily by the resident crews packing in all their supplies. Because these huts take the place of shelters along this section the AMC allows thru-hikers to do simple work for stays, such as sweeping out bunkrooms, in return for floorspace to sleep and all the leftovers from the breakfasts and dinners that the crews prepare for their guests. We stayed in four different huts on our way through and probably ate better than we will on any other section of the trip. Some of the highlights of our stays include watching the fireworks during the 4th and 5th from Madison and lakes of the clouds huts. As well as the thanksgiving style dinner that we had at lakes of the clouds hut. Zealand hut was also alot of fun to stay at the crew was very thru-hiker friendly (they went as far as to fry up some frozen sausage links for breakfast after all the guests had left) and the view from the front porch made me just want to sit there all day. The day we summitted MT Washington the weather was absolutely beautiful but we still had to contend with the crowds of tourists that took the train or drove up the road to the top. We didn't notice them so bad until after we had finished eating lunch and sat there for a little bit. At that point we both looked at each other and decided to get off the mountain as soon as we could. I didn't even try to get a picture of the summit sign because I didn't want to wait in line behind the twenty tourists who were there first. Southern NH (Lincoln, NH - Hanover, NH)This section was awesome the trail has finally gotten fairly to easy to travel on so we can actually put up reasonable miles. I was even able to set a new highest single day mileage of 21.9 yesterday. However it did have one bad part on the second day that I was on the trail on this section when I summited Mt Moosilauke I did one of the dumbest things I have done yet out here. It was really windy and cold at the top so when I got there I followed the first trail down that I saw assuming it was the AT only to realize 2 miles later that I was on the wrong trail. I talked to some tourists with a map and figured out an alternate route through side trails that would get me back but it added about 4 miles to my total mileage that day. Suffice it to say I will definitely be paying more attention to signs from now on. I am currently in Hanover, NH at Dartmouth college about half a mile from the border of VT and the completion of the 2nd of 14 states on this trip and I feel pretty good. A local fraternity is allowing us to crash in their basement and use their showers and the Dartmouth Outing Club is letting me use their internet connection. We are chilling out here tonight and tomorrow in order that I can pick up some replacement gear. I have worn out my treking poles (leki sent me free replacements), my backpack's shoulder strap is ripping so Golite is sending me a replacement, and I have destroyed my first pair of shoes (luckily I had an extra pair that my mom is sending to me). So when we get started going again I will have been nearly completely reoutfitted.From everything we hear VT is supposed to be fairly easy so I'm looking forward to it