Day: |
098 |
Date: |
Friday, 8 August 1986 |
Start: |
|
Finish: |
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
19.4 |
Daily Other Miles |
0.3 |
Total
AT Miles: |
1886.2 |
Total All Miles |
1941.7 |
Weather: |
Warm, humid, overcast, some rain. |
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink. Lunch:
Biscuits and peanut butter, 2 health bars. Dinner: Biscuits and
peanut butter, health bar, instant pudding. |
Aches: |
None bad. |
Animals Seen: |
Grouse, squirrels. |
People Seen: |
1 AT Thru-hiker (southbound), 3 overnight
hikers, 1 other. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
|
Journal: |
Got up at 5:30am with the prospect of a
long hard day through the Mahoosucs so as to be within range of my
rendezvous with John tomorrow morning. I was already doubting the
wisdom of my schedule. I set out a bit before 7am and climbed up on
to Goose Mountain. I was rewarded with fantastic views in all
directions. Vast forests, some lakes, and peaks poking through the
clouds. All could be seen from the bare summits. Rocks were
slippery and the muddy slopes treacherous as I continued north
towards Mahoosuc Notch. The descent was hair-raising. On reaching
the Notch, I entered the supposed toughest mile on the Trail. It
involved scrambling over, around, and under huge rocks which had
tumbled to the bottom of the gorge some time past. Near the bottom,
the temperature was distinctly cooler and in crevasses could be seen
snow and ice. I took just over an hour to negotiate the extremely
strenuous stretch, then had to climb the Mahoosuc Arm of Old Speck
Mountain. It was a tough climb and no view at the top because of
fog. Progress was very slow as I pushed on to Old Speck Pond and
the Shelter there for a 2pm lunch. There was a French-Canadian
hiker there having a day off to dry some wet gear. She was an
artist from Montreal and very friendly and I felt more than a little
encouraged to stay for the night. However, I needed to press
on. The Trail then climbed steeply up Old Speck Mountain (no views
again because of fog) before plunging steeply into Grafton Notch –
the end of the Mahoosucs. It was getting late, and I was very tired
but, after a brief rest,, started climbing the next mountain in my
path, Bald Pate. I crossed the summit soon after 7pm. It was a
barren forbidding place in thick fog and I didn’t hang around. The
last few miles took longer than I expected and it was fairly dark by
the time I reached Frye Notch Shelter at 8:40pm. There was no-one
there, although there was some discarded camping gear around, and
the very loud thunderstorm that arrived at the same time as I did,
lit up the place spookily. I had a quick cold dinner by candlelight
before retiring at 9:30pm. |
|
ADVENTURE LIST
Round Ireland
(2016)
Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)
Via Alpina
(2012)
Australian Alps Walking
Track (2011)
Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)
Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)
Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)
Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)
Three Peaks Race
(2004)
Appalachian Trail
(1986)
Alpine Track
(1983)
|