Free Spirit’s ( Al's )

Appalachian Trail Journal

Mt. Washington, NH to Mt. Katahdin, Maine

Northern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail

(Part 8)

Dates ........ Thursday, August 22, 2002
Miles ........ 9.6 miles
From ........ Gentian Pond Shelter and Campsite (2166')
To ............. Full Goose Shelter
Weather ... Cloudy and mild AM, Rainy, warm and humid afternoon.

Thursday, August 22, 2002

NH - ME state line, Mt. Success 3565", Mt. Carlo 3565', East Peak Goose Eye Mt. 3794', North Peak Goose Eye Mt. 3675',

A very steep climb rock climb greeted Sly and myself coming up from Gentian Pond. On the way up we met Tennessee Red, a hiker Sly met previously. Red had flip-flopped and was heading south. Sly and I are both looking forward to entering Maine and taking on the famous Mahoosuc Notch. We agreed it would be best to take on tomorrow's challenge, the Notch, together.

But we have to get out of New Hampshire first, and that was going to prove a challenge itself. The saddle (locally called a col) between Mt. Success and the state line had a short but near vertical rocky box canyon to navigate. We had to descend into it then climb back out of it. Its walls were made up of huge sharp-edged jagged rocks, some as big as a small car. Along the way we discovered a large, deep cave. Unfortunately, we had neither the time nor the equipment to explore it.

Sly heads carefully into the rocks and roots of the box canyon between Mount Success and the NH-ME state line.

Signs announced our arrival at the state line. A blue wooden hand painted sign proudly proclaimed, "Welcome to Maine - the way life should be." A slightly more official looking sign by the AMC informed us we had come 16.5 (miles) from US Route 2 and 1877.8 miles from Springer Mt. (GA) and that we had 26 miles to go to Maine's highway 26 and 281.4 to Katahdin - the AT's grand summit northern terminus. Knowing I was at the state line I calculated I had completed the last 51 miles in New Hampshire (from Mt. Washington to the ME line). Reflecting back, they were 51 awesome and rugged miles.

Free Spirit at the New Hampshire - Maine state line.

I took the side trail down to Carlo Col shelter to get water while Sly ate his lunch. It was a very steep, rugged trail down to the headwaters of a small stream. When I returned we headed up Mt. Carlo then down a very steep notch and started up the side of Goose Eye Mtn's West Peak. The side of the mountain was extremely steep and covered with barren rock. A crude log ladder went over one section that would have been otherwise unclimbable. We were getting our first taste of Maine, a warm-up for Mahoosuc Notch.

A light rain started to fall as we reached Goose Eye East Peak. We put our pack covers on but our bodies remained clad only in shorts and hiking boots. The rain was refreshing and felt good on our shirtless bodies. Extensive trail work was underway along the flank of goose Eye's East Peak. A new trail bed had been dug and planking for a series of "bog bridges " had been laid down. We both wondered why the trail maintainers were going to all that expense and effort to lay out a plank trail down the side of a mostly rock mountain. It's just as well that we'll probably never know why.

After the planking ended we were treated to a near vertical rock cliff descent. Now, where were those ladders when you needed them? It was a long way to the bottom and solid rock down there. A misstep could have serious consequences or be fatal. It was wet, too, making it slippery and just that much more dangerous. As I said - this was a warm-up for The Notch.

After safely negotiating the tricky rocks, we crossed a flat area at the base of a ridge, then climbed up on the ridge and found ourselves at the Goose Eye Shelter and Campsite. Another hiker, Oaky from OK, one of the very few smokers we ever saw along the trail, was setting up in one corner. Sly and I went off to get water in the nearby spring. Later, the Idaho family of four came in. I was thrilled to see them again, not having heard from them since I ran into them this spring in Neels Gap GA. They flip-flopped when Dennis had to leave the trail for a family emergency, getting Katahdin out of the way before cold weather settled in. They told us Katahdin was fun and challenging, the "Hundred Mile Wilderness" was easy and Mahoosuc Notch was more fun than difficult. That was encouraging. If a man, his wife, their 6 year-old son and 8 year-old daughter could do the last three major hurdles on the AT and think they were "fun", then I had nothing to fear. They recommended Whitehouse Landing - an oasis of sorts in the "wilderness" where I had a resupply package to pick up. Their plan was to hike down to Harpers Ferry WV and complete the trail. I had no doubt they'd do it.

As the evening wore on, more and more hikers came in. Suddenly and without warning a yellow Labrador-sized dog popped over the little hill in front of the shelter and jumped right into the shelter, shaking all his smelly doggy-wet all over Dennis's wife and kids who were trying to dry out and assemble their supper. Dennis helped the unleashed little rascal off the shelter just as the apologetic owner came along. Fortunately, they and their wet dog stayed in a tent. One of the fellows that joined us in the shelter was trying a Mexican black bean dehydrated trail food dish. It smelled great when he cooked it but nearly drove us out of the shelter as it was being "recycled" later. He snored loudly and was offensive at both ends. Good thing nobody lit a match. That shelter was designed for 10 hikers and 9 were in it. A stormy night brings many that would not otherwise stay in a shelter in to use them.

I've had better nights sleep on the trail. And I've had worse.

Daily Journal Entries

~ Journal Part 8 ~

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Mon
Tue
Wed
Thur
Fri
Sat
08/21/02 08/23/02 08/24/02
09/01/02 09/02/02 09/03/02 09/04/02 09/05/02 09/06/02 09/07/02
09/08/02 09/09/02 09/10/02 09/11/02 09/12/02 09/13/02 09/14/02

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Spring/Fall hikes - 15 miles/day - Contact Al. aljohn@jmclum.com.
Last Updated 12/26/02