.July 28, 2006 Lynn's friend Eleanor has opened up her camp for Lynn and I. We will be spending the weekend at Lake Umbagog on the Maine/New Hampshire border. I have a couple of nearby hikes to finish up in the area. We arrived Friday evening in time for a beautiful sunset.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. July 29, 2006
Lynn dropped me off at Success Trail. I will start my hike in New Hampshire and end it in Maine.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After about a half an hour I came across another trail with a sign that read "Outlook Loop". My map wasn't showing any trails in the area. The sign didn't indicate how long the loop was, but since it was a loop I decided to explore. Within a few minutes I came across a rock outcropping with gorgeous views.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Blueberries were plentiful in the area. I picked and enjoyed a handful. I continued on, following some rock ledges before going back into the woods. The trail once again joined Success Trail. A little further and I reached the Mahoosuc Trail which is the AT. I remember this spot. I had hiked in three months ago from another direction. When I reached here I was snowed out. This was not the case on this hot day in late July.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next 2 miles of trail were pretty rough. It was as if it was New Hampshire's last chance to try to stop nobo thru hikers from entering Maine. In a very rough, steep section I found the sign below.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I wondered why this was created in memory of him. I have seen lots of memorials and plaques for people along the trail but this was the first I have scene for a thru hiker. I did a search on the Internet for his name but did not come up with anything. Next up I came across New Hampshire's last ladder. After all the rocks, roots, ups, and downs New Hampshire was finally going to help hikers enter into Maine.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Just a moment later I entered Maine. No one else was around so I had to use the self-timer on my camera for this shot. For nobo hikers this is definitely a big milestone as they enter their last state. I, on the other hand, still have nearly three quarters of the trail to go.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's the first scenic view in Maine.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Next I met the junction with the Carlo Col trail. The next 1.8 miles of the AT I have actually done before. I came in with Lynn up the Carlo Col trail and up to Goose Eye. It will be easier to rehike the 1.8 miles than hike out and back in another way.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I've been to the shelter here before but decided to take the .2 mile side trail to visit it anyway. I dropped my pack and headed down. At the shelter I met 'Mad Dog' and 'Pilgrim'.
As I popped out of the woods 'Mad Dog' said, "Hey Pilgrim, look at this guy. He just popped out of nowhere and doesn't even have a pack." I then explained how I was hiking the AT and left my back up there. They had spent the night here and they said they were just glad to finally be in Maine.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I headed back to the AT and up to Mount Carlo. I was on the summit once before. There is a great view but for the moment I was somewhat clouded in. The clouds and sun are definitely battling it out today.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I continued on to Goose Eye. That will be my highest elevation today and it has great views. Hopefully the clouds will clear by then.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Closing in on Goose Eye. Looks like the clouds are starting to break up a bit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Up the Goose Eye Ladder
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here's the trail junction that leads to the summit. The actual summit is off the AT. I am up for the tenth of a mile side trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Goose Eye (West Peak) has an elevation of 3,854. Obviously short of being a 4,000 footer but it is on the list of New England's 100 highest. Here's a view from the summit looking over to Goose Eye's East Peak.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I went back to the AT and begin my descent into the col between the two peaks. I passed the junction for the Wright Trail which is a nice loop trail to come up to Goose Eye. I hope to come in this way some day.
I reached the east peak summit. Here's a look back at the west peak.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Sensational views from the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here's a look ahead to the north peak of Goose Eye.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As I descended the east peak of Goose Eye I came across quite a long intricate series of ladders and bridging. There were a few building techniques that I hadn't seen yet. Here's a few pictures. I felt like I was playing chutes and ladders without the chutes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
More great views as I near the north peak.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The descent of the north peak became rugged at times. Many times today as I looked at the pile of rocks with twisted roots I had to ask "What trail?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Next up I stopped at Full Goose Shelter which derives its name from Goose Eye Mountain and Fulling Mill Mountain which I was about to climb.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I stopped to read the trail register for a few minutes. I recognized one name, "Robin's Nest." I had met her on June 16th on top of Mount Madison. She made good time to get from Mount Madison to here in 3 days. This shelter is only about 1.5 miles south of the infamous Mahoosuc Notch which is often considered the toughest mile of the entire AT as hikers have to negotiate up, under, and around large boulders that fill the notch. It was interesting to read the comments. Those heading north were pumping themselves up, some looking at it as a challenge and others wishing they could skip it. Those heading south had just gone through the notch and left comments about how they were glad it was behind them. I did the notch last year and just have to hike down to the start of the notch and then I will take the Mahoosuc Notch Trail out. Only another 1.5 miles of the AT for today.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ One last spectacular view. This one from the top of Fulling Mill Mountain.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was a steep climb down to the notch but I had a few ladders to help out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I reached the junction for the Mahoosuc Notch Trail. I was glad I didn't have to go that way today. If I continued on, the boulders start almost immediately. I began the blue blazed side trail out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Ironically, the trail going the opposite direction was one of the smoothest trails in the area. It had been a long, rugged day and the last couple miles were a breeze.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ About 5 minutes from the end I met Lynn coming from the other way. Good timing once again. We headed back to the camp for the night. Eleanor, who let us use the camp, took us out on her pontoon boat. We enjoyed another great sunset.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I still have a couple of segments in Maine that are not joined together, but today's hike allowed me to link together about 100 miles of NH with about 30 miles of Maine.
| 
