#224 Carlo Col Shelter to Mahoosuc Notch/Bull Branch Campsite - Day 142: ATMM 1911.7 to ATMM 1918.8
The Mahoosuc Mile, dubbed the “killer mile,” is known as the slowest mile of the Appalachian Trail. Some call it the hardest mile on the trail, others call it the most fun mile.
9-16-2024
Mahoosuc Notch Day!!!
What is the Mahoosuc Notch you ask?
It’s a deep gap in the Mahoosuc range that has been catching large boulders from the high cliffs high for ages.
Dubbed the “killer mile,” it is the known as the slowest mile of the Appalachian Trail. Some call it the hardest mile on the trail, others call it the most fun mile. I guess what you call it really depends on the attitude by which you enter the jumbled pit of massive boulders.
Call it whatever, I’ll be passing through it in a few hours from now.
I do all my morning chores on the tent platform and can hear others stirring in the distance on their own platform.
On last year’s hike I made sure I did as many push-ups in one set as possible each day after morning stretches. I’ve been following suit this year, though not as many as last year at this point in the hike (trail day 18). But hey, I do all I can.
To be fair to myself - Raw Sprawl didn’t immerge until a month into last year’s forty-seven-day hike. So, I guess I’m doing ok.
I spend a little more time than usual stretching this morning in preparation of the “killer mile.”
I’m ready to hit the trail around seven-thirty. It’s going to a low milage day, I anticipate it will be a long day timewise. There are many mountains to climb before conquering the Mahoosuc Notch.
I stop at Bubba Lip and Railroad Bill’s (R.R. Bill) platform on my way out of camp. They’re nearly loaded up and ready to head out.
I pass Pyro and Bear Bait’s platform. They’re just beginning their morning chores.
I pass the shelter. Squeeze and Dibbles are still deep inside, sound asleep.
The trail immediately leads up Mt. Carlo - nothing like a long steep climb to get the heart pumping.
One mountain down.
On top of Goose Eye Mountain West Peak, I misread the sign thinking I’m on East Peak and somehow walk off the A.T. Pyro and Bear Bait come along and eliminate my confusion. I continue on to Goose Eye East Peak, then over Goose Eye North Peak.
Three more mountains down.
I stop at Full Goose Shelter for a long break. I’m making pretty good time considering all tough climbs - it’s not even eleven in the morning yet.
I pull off my boots and socks and slide into my camp shoes, hang my sweat-soaked shirt on a tree limb, then go to filter water.
While laying out a pile of food to fuel up from for the rest of today’s hike, Bubba Lip and R.R. Bill walk into camp.
We talk about the upcoming notch and where we plan to camp tonight. There's a campsite just beyond the notch where I plan to reevaluate and decide whether to stay there of go over the next mountain to the next shelter. Their plan is similar.
I decide to go through the Notch with them. That way, in case I have an accident there’ll be someone will be around to laugh at me, then call for help, though I doubt there will be phone service in there.
I load everything into my pack - my phone, my small camera, and my iPod. I also put my camp shoes and sitting pad, which usually rides on top into the pack. Only my water bottles are on the outside but are strapped in tightly. I put my hat and poles inside when I reach the Notch.
Hikers lose a lot of stuff in there.
We all agree to wait at the entrance of the Notch for whoever gets there last.
The three of us leapfrog one another over Fulling Mill Mountain South Peak and down then down, down, down, thankful for the steel barbs in the boulders to use as ladders and other man-made asists, until we each arrive at the beginning of the Mahoosuc Notch.
The Notch continues the downward trajectory for the most part, but you’d never know it since the pace is not only super slow, but you’re climbing over, under, and through large boulders.
Water flows beneath you sometimes. In the deep, dark cervices we can see lost water bottles and hiking poles - some are expensive looking, but there was no way to for their owners to reach them.
We have to pull our packs off and push them to one another through, tunnels of boulders. We toss them up a boulder because there’s not enough room for you and the pack to fit through the small hole between these unforgiving house and vehicle sized rocks.
We have to drag our packs through long tunnels as we slide along.
Sometimes we have to boulder hop, hoping the high cliffs on either side don’t rain down new boulders while we’re in here.
We occasionally discuss the safest way to maneuver areas, because broken bones aren’t an option.
There are even spots where we seem to pop up out of the ground.
This is a very slow process, but we are having a good time.
Raw Sprawl would have loved this and would have not only been far more daring but would have insisted on tackling it alone.
I’m sad I didn’t leave my camera in my pack where I could have grabbed it and taken a few photos, but I’d be sadder if it dropped into the abyss below.
R.R. Bill takes a few photos and sends them to me a few days before posting this story -
