And Hello, New Hampshire! After about 3 weeks of walking we've made it 300 miles to Gorham, NH. Being done with Maine feels great! We'll give you a little recap of what Maine was like for us.
Starting out, the climb up Katahdin was difficult- we felt more like rock climbers than hikers at times- but was amazing. After climbing up a rocky spine, the mountain opened up in to what is known as the table lands, a huge, gently sloping, alpine boulder field. To date, Katahdin provided the most amazing views of the trip.
After Katahdin, it was the 100 mile wilderness. The terrain was gentle but the trail was riddled with obstacles- rocks, roots, mud, river crossings, and bog boards. We were able to work on building our trail legs there in the easiest stretch of Maine. In the wilderness we were preyed on by every imaginable biting insect, relentlessly.
Southern Maine, (post 100 mile wilderness) was very rocky. The thin alpine soil erodes down to bare rock, making the trail slick and almost impassable. Southern Maine is also known for being muddy- something we can attest to.
Our last section in Maine was the Mahoosuc Range. This was the most difficult section for us so far. The Mahoosucs are high alpine peaks that are beautiful in good weather but a bit treacherous in 50+ mile per hour winds with dense fog and wet trail. The best (and in some ways worst) part of the Mahoosucs is the Mahoosuc Notch. Famed as the hardest (or most fun!) mile on the trail, the Notch is a mile-long valley filled with a jumble of boulders as big as cars and even houses. The trail took us over, between, and even under these massive rocks. Several spaces are too small to fit through with a large pack on so we had to push our packs ahead of us then squeeze through behind them.
Maine was certainly fun. We've been having a blast both hiking and in camp. We're especially glad to still be hiking with our friend Dr. Geo. Fun and games aside, we're looking forward to some smoother trail where we can look at the views instead of our feet! But with New Hampshire ahead of us, it will be another 200 miles or so before smoother sailing. Our next section is the Presidential Range of the White Mountains. It will be difficult for sure, but the views should make up for it! We'll keep you posted.
