Date: 2015-08-27
From: Full Goose Shelter

To: Speck Pond Shelter
Miles today: 5.1

Yes, we only did five miles today and what's more, that was our official plan. Good thing too, because I was in no mood to go another 7 miles to the next shelter.Today was all about the infamous Mahoosuc Notch. It is a mile long section between two walls that is filled with boulders large and small, but lots of them large. You basically have to find your own way through, though there are blazes to guide you in the general direction.Because one of the college groups from last night was going to go through today as well, Two Bad Dogs, Yoda, Cruise Control and I had planned to leave at 6:30, so as to avoid any bottle necks. There are spots where you can only get through if you take your pack off and if there are fifteen people ahead of you, that could take a while.When I got up, it wasn't even fully light yet. In the end, it was a little later than 6:30, but close enough. First we had to hike 1.5 miles to even get to the Notch and of course it was a bouldering course in and of itself. When we got to the entrance, we all stowed our poles, since they'd be useless. I expected to enjoy it and for the most part I did. I'd love to hike this one day (if that's what you want to call it) without a full pack, as I think that would be more enjoyable, but mostly it was fun. We had to backtrack a couple of times, not very far, and frequently we had gone one way when we discovered another, easier way. I think there were three locations where all of us took off our packs and handed them to the next person in front. I took it off an extra time so I could butt-scoot more easily.We stopped for a snack break after 1:22 minutes (stop watches were going!) and discovered through the Guthook app that we were exactly halfway. Yowza.In the end it took 2:30 hours, which was smack in the middle of my estimate of '2-3 hours, but probably closer to 3'. There was a nice area at the end of the notch where we all, plus thru-hiker Kiwi, had lunch and mentally prepared for the Mahoosuc Arm. The arm is not as complicated, but it's 1.7 miles steeply uphill. Nothing we haven't done before, just a bit harder than normal after going through the notch.I was pretty much done with the whole thing by the time I was only halfway up. Again it was rock slabs and huge boulders and I'm tired of it. So it was a good thing we only had to go .9 miles beyond, to Speck Pond campsite.This is another AMC fee campsite and it's a beautiful location. I had hoped to frolic in the pond but it was much too cold. After I set up my tent, I sat on my platform and made tea, wearing my puffy and my hat!I later cooked dinner and ate it at the pond where Art was collecting water, so we chatted for a while. Now it's only 6:45 and I'm in my tent under my sleeping bag because a) it's cold and b) we've been here since about 2 pm so all camp chores are taken care of. We have another short-ish day planned tomorrow and it starts with a brief climb but then a very long descent into Grafton Notch. I am not looking forward to that but according to Yoda, the caretaker here said that after that, the trail will become more of a hiking trail again and less of a hundred mile bouldering course. In case it wasn't clear, I am pretty sick of the boulders, so I hope he's right!Open map in new windowWant to add a map to your journal?