Mahoosuc Traverse

The Kingdom under the Mountain
Gorham to Grafton on the AT; 30+ miles

DAY1
Mt Hayes 2555'
Cascade Mtn 2631'
Dream Lake
Gentian Pond

DAY2
Mt Success 3565'
Mt Carlo 3565'
Goose Eye Mtn 3870'

DAY3
Fulling Mill Mtn S 3395'
Mahoosuc Notch
Mahoosuc Arm 3765'
Speck Pond Campsite

DAY4
Old Speck Mtn 4170'

Crazy difficult, 30+ mile AT traverse from Gorham, NH to Grafton Notch State Park on rt 26 in Maine. We stayed 3 nights, only having to stealth camp 1 night otherwise all at official shelters.

I left Manchester at 2am(!) Saturday, met a friend in Grafton and finally on trail in Gorham for sunrise. Centennial trail to Old Speck we saw 1 blowdown otherwise a well manicured and well cared for stretch of landscape. Gorgeous Fall views of the surrounding countryside, and of course, the classic view of the Northern Presidentials got smaller as we walked each day.

The Rollins trail connecting Passaconaway and Whiteface is tough. Garfield Ridge connecting Galehead and Garfield is relentless, constant elevation change with little overall progress. The Mahoosucs have made those trails seem like holiday family vacations in my mind. I regard this trek as more difficult then the Presidential Traverse or any version of a Pemi Loop/Traverse whatever.

Up, down, up down, over and over and over. When you get bored with that we're going to make you decline so much that your legit under two mountains, then make you regain said lost elevation (hurry its getting dark). Mahoosuc Notch herself is like King Ravine on steroids. The boulder work and caves didn't destroy cartilage like the main trail, it doesn't need to. It took us 5 hours to complete 2.7 miles on our 3rd day of hiking. This is a mean trail.

Great time otherwise the pictures speak for themselves. We saw a moose and her calf at Gentian Pond while we were filling up water, but no other sightings the rest of the trip. Thinking it could be the same pair I saw near the Kinsmans but thats a far walk even for moose