Date: 2004-08-31
From: East End Mahoosuc Notch Stealth Camp

To: Speck Pond Shelter
Miles today: 2.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night a thunderstorm came through with heavy rain about 8pm. The ground spatter reached high up the mesh on the open side of my tent sending a fine mist of droplets inside. I spread my Goretex jacket over that side of me to try to keep off the worst of the wet. Another storm came at midnight with still more heavy rain. I managed to keep most of the damp off my sleeping bag and also found my tent really did not have a leak. The puddle I had experienced in Vermont was from water splashing through the mesh sides.In the morning it seemed better at first with no fog, although the ground was drenched with puddles everywhere except on the sloped spot my tent was on. About 7 I brought in my food bag and awaited developments. From the increase in water dripping from the trees onto the tent it seemed certain that it was raining at least intermittently and a gusty wind picked up. Not the best weather to ascend Mahoosuc Arm!I was glad I had done the Notch yesterday. It had been dry and the extra distance gives me more options. I can afford to wait long into the day for better weather and spend tonight at Speck Pond Shelter. Or assuming it never clears, tomorrow if I make the 9 miles to Baldpate Brow Shelter my food will still last to Andover. Had I stayed at Full Goose I would have fewer choices. Of course if I had pushed on up the Arm yesterday and spent the night at Speck Pond I would be drier and in even better position but that is water under the bridge, or under the Notch as it were. If all else fails, I can hitch from Grafton Notch just seven miles from here to a campground with a store where I can resupply.So I decided to wait until the weather improves or until I am too restless to stay. I know; "No rain, no pain, no Maine". But I am in Maine now and have six weeks before Katahdin closes and I have read that Mahoosuc Arm is not a safe ascent in wet conditions.Another hiker passing at 11 stirred me into action. The rain had stopped but still hard gusts and ominous clouds. But if he can make it, can't I? Funny how knowing another hiker is out there can make one willing to try it. By noon I was on my way.I made my way up slowly and carefully. Some has dried but there is still a lot of running water. The path up the Arm was not too bad. All steep, some sections reminiscent of the Notch and others like a steep granite sliding board or waterslide. Much of the Trail since Hanover has had those granite sliding boards. It seems the soil is only a few inches thick and under it is all granite so the path gets reduced to that smooth stone slope. Where it is too steep and smooth to climb, which is most of the time, hikers end up going up the edges using tree roots and trunks for footholds and handholds. The result is that the bare stone slope gets worn wider and wider. I know making stone steps is sort of an anathema here, but setting wood steps or cutting toeholds in the rock might be better in the long run than leaving it as it is. Maybe someone really clever could turn it into a pork-barrel project with Americorps or troubled teens or whomever paid to do the work. At the top the first gust of wind threw me sideways. It has turned into a windy but fine day with scattered clouds and lots of sunshine. The top was rather broad with lots of bog bridges. I think how it works is that any undrained hollow in the stone turns into a peat bog. From here to Speck Pond the blueberries were excellent and with such a short hike there was plenty of time to pick and eat all I want. Mmmmmmm.The whole two miles took three hours. I hope the going gets easier sometime! I spent the rest of the afternoon spreading things out to dry. Also, there was free food in the bear box. I had some dried prunes and a big pot of mashed potatoes, making up for stretching my food out an extra day. Mmmmmm, fooooooood.There was a forecast posted, one of the good things about the shelters where the AMC charges $8 to stay. It said rain until midday today, just as it happened, then several days of nice sunny weather. YIPPEE, SUNSHINE!!!!A college group from Bates arrived and then the shelter filled up with four section hikers. It got cold and I added layer after layer, even sleeping for the first time since spring in my balaclava hood for warmth.