Carlo Col Shelter - Speck Pond Campsite
Today wasn’t a big day, but it felt absolutely huge! I didn’t want to get up this morning; it’s started getting cold overnight and I’m usually so snuggled up with Truffles that I don’t want to get up.
We started around 7:30am and had to climb up a decent mountain only to go right back down. Southern Maine so far has had some brutal climbs - they seem to be big fans of rock slabs and rebar ladders… I always get scared climbing when it’s really steep because my pack is so heavy and I worry I’ll tilt backward. Thankfully I stayed upright and made it to the top where Truffles and Hangman were waiting on me.
Once up and over the mountain(s) we got to walk along some really pretty rocky balds with pretty views. The descent was super sketchy and steep, my favorite. We kept going up and down until we reached a shelter to wait for Gooey and Pimento.
We all wanted to go through the famous “hardest mile on trail”, the Mahoosuc Notch, together to make it more fun. We made it through in an hour and 20 minutes… it was brutal but not as bad as it’s made out to be. Lots of ups and downs but thankfully I never had to take off my pack. No one fell, and I only went beached whale once.
Just after the Notch, we stopped for lunch at a stream before the last climb of the day, the Mahoosuc Arm. It was 1300’ over a mile, so basically straight up (more rock slabs) It was exhausting after an already long day. Truffles waited for me at the top and we hiked the easy last mile to the shelter. What a tiring day!