Date: 2006-08-19
From: Gentian Pond Shelter

To: Mahoosuc Notch
Miles today: 12.2

Up after a not so decent sleep last night. This campsite and shelter has tenting platforms, which sometime becomes a little uncomfortable in the middle of the night. They are really nice though because in rainy weather you are elevated off the wet ground. After packing up and eating breakfast it started raining just a little and then stopped. It was enough though to get us moving in hopes it wouldn't rain all day. We got on the trail around 7:45am with an exciting day ahead of us. Today we will cross the 1,900 mile mark, cross the New Hampshire / Maine state line, and do what is known as the three hour mile section of the trail at Mahoosuc Notch. On the way though just before Mount Success, Jane started the day off with her biggest mud splotch ever. On top of the mountain was a huge bog that the trail crosses and in the middle of the bog two of the walk boards were missing so instead of side stepping around it she tried to walk through it and sank up to her knees in muck. So now she can officially run with the Mud Bogger Brothers. Shortly after the mud bogs we came to the state line and put thirteen states behind us only leaving one remaining. To this point we have covered 1,893 miles and only have 281 to go. These remaining 281 miles though will be going through some of the most remote land on the trail including the 100-mile wilderness. After pictures and a break at the line we pushed on because to get to the notch tonight we had to cross 4 more peaks with a couple of them above the tree line. This was a nice section of trail and some of it was traversed with wooden log ladders and walk boards. It made for easier hiking due to the steep rocks and roots but was still rough. The ladders and walk boards not only help the hikers but it also preserves the landscape by keeping us on the trail and not expanding the width of the trail when muddy. When we got to the south end of the notch we stopped to celebrate our 1,900-mile mark by writing out the mileage with our dirty, stinky socks. It has become a tradition to write out our mileage with something fun from the trail and then take pictures. After getting our shoes back on the fun began. This next section of trail is known ad the hardest mile on the AT and sometimes takes up to three hours to make the pass. The Mahoosuc Notch is an area between two cliffs where over the years car to house size boulders have fallen and covered the valley floor below. The trail cuts right down the valley and has created an adult playground. We had not been in the notch two minutes when Shasta took on a brave move. She some how climbed up on a boulder and pinned her hand under her own knee and could not move. It was somewhat of a balancing act because she had her trekking poles in her hands, and her pack on her back, and was laughing too hard to do anything about her situation. H-Bomb came to the rescue after yelling "don't worry I have your ass" and she did. After this we ended up stopping and putting away our trekking poles in hopes it would help our scramble through the rest of the notch. Some sections of the pass even have boulders to crawl under. Here you take your pack off and push it ahead or pull it behind you as you make the pass. It ended up being a lot of fun and a great welcome to the state of Maine. Since it was getting close to dark when we made it to the other side of the notch we ended up camping at Bull Branch just off the side of the trail. As soon as we got camp set up the rain that threatened us earlier this morning set in and it rained all nightTonight: Shasta, Jane, H-Bomb Baro, and I.