Date: 2008-09-07
From: Full Goose Shelter

To: Speck Pond Shelter
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Today it was all about friends. Hurricane Hanna made her present felt by giving us a steady rain all night long. When dawn appeared we were greeted by two gray jays, fog and a light mist. Today was purported to be the hardest one mile on the whole trail followed by the toughest climb. I really was frightened about trying to do this stretch on my own.  Boogie and Bacall, a couple, had section hiked the whole AT.  They are now doing a thru hike this year. As they like to say when someone expresses, "Why are you doing this again?" They're answer is they are very slow learners and they will not do it again. I had been seeing them on the trail and knew we had similar hiking speeds. I asked Bacall would it be okay if I hiked through the notch with them. It was hard for me to ask and I really was leary about this stretch to the point of almost tears. What was making a normally difficult hike was the thought of wet slippery rocks making it impossible.  How to describe this place? It is a very narrow crevice with sheer vertical gray walls dotted with a few scrawny trees clinging to cracks. This morning as we looked up fog was flying through the opening giving the place an eerie feeling. The floor was filled with a jumble of huge rocks many the size of houses and cars.  Some had flat surfaces at a 45 degree or more angle with moss.  In addition these immense rocks were not one layer, but multiple layers. Some years ice is still seen down in the crevices, but today instead we hear a stream running in the depths. Right away I am glad to be with friends. Boogie has to brace my boot to get me up on a boulder. You know it is good to have a marine at your back.  Within a short distance, we come upon pray flags and a moose skull. We had all heard about the mooses demise last year. Not sure if it fell from above or walked into the notch, but it was badly injured and had to be killed. Now here is the really sad part. Shortly after we all took photos of this meaningful sight, a thru hiker stole the skull. I was shocked that someone could be so insensitive to remove this from its resting place.  It shows a lack of taste and robs others of experiencing a part of the legend of the notch. I just hope this person realizes that the right thing would be to put the moose head back!We all had our spills, bumps, slips, bruises and scraps.  Serene and Brush Stroke joined us. Brush Stroke took a bad fall and may have reinjuried his cracked ribs.  Now we were five moving very slowing through the maze. At several points, we had to remove our packs to get through tight spots. Sometimes we would throw our poles ahead so that we could use our hands and feet. Sure enough I threw my poles and one of them went down into a crack. Time to go fishing. I might have eventually gotten it out, but it would have take some time. The marine to the rescue. Boogie was able to reach it. There we're white blazes to give some guidance of how to go. At times you had to go under immense rocks and not think of all that mass above. Normally, the one mile stretch takes two hours, but thats on a clear dry day. Today it tooks us three and a half hours. Several times we thought we were through. Time  to high five and celebrate, but not yet. I could not believe it was not over. and surely it was longer than a mile Finally it was!  Hallelujah!I just wished the trail could have been mellow so that you might have had time to contemplate the experience. Not a chance. The next section was a 2000 foot climb up the Mahoosuc Arm.  After a quick snack, I told Boogie and Bacall, I'd begin the climb. Little did I know that I was again feeling that I was in a death defying climb. Some of you may think I'm exzagerating.  I really do not mind climbing up rocks and did so often in the Utah canyon country.  Here the trail went up exposed sheer rock faces with fog and wind blowing at 15 to 20 mph. The only thing you have to pull yourself up with is some stunted pine trees and exposed roots. I was on all fours again wondering what I was doing in this situation and who had designed such a risky diabolical trail!  I was so relieved to get to the Speck Pond Shelter at 3500 feet elevation. This time the care taker was there and we paid eight dollars to be in a shelter. It was the longest day and we had only traveled 5.1 miles! I know I will remember this day mainly because of how hard it was. It would be nice to remember some easy days too. I do know how important it is to have friends to share such experiences and help.  Thank you for memories. Fly Right,Ravon