Full Goose Shelter to Hall Mountain Lean-to---June 27th

Some rain fell last night, but the weather is shaping up nicely today.  From Full Goose it was about three miles to one of the most unique features on the Appalachian Trail, the Mahoosuc Notch, a ravine filled with a jumble of sharp-angled boulders.  Cold weather settling here creates a microclimate that keeps snow and ice around much longer than it would in other places.  Regarded as the most difficult mile of the 2,181 thru-hikers have to navigate, it has earned the moniker Mahoo-Sucks!
There's no doubt that progress is slow compared to other places on the trail, but care must be taken to find the right hand and footholds.  A slip here could result in a nasty fall and the only thing that's going to break a fall is an unforgiving rock or solid ice remaining in the deep crevices.  White blazes lead you up, down, over, under, through and around this maze.  The most difficult place for me was squeezing through what I termed "The Mouse Hole" with my pack on my back.  Nearly got stuck trying to crawl through that thing.  Yes, it certainly is challenging, but it's places like this that bring trekkers out on the trail to begin with.  Obstacles like this when successfully negotiated bring a sense of accomplishment and a growing confidence in one's ability to handle even the toughest terrain.
Maybe it was due to the marvellous weather, but I absolutely loved the Baldpates.  The climb was invigorating, the rough rock beneath my feet provided firm footing, the lack of trees at altitude meant that the goal of the summits was always in sight, and once you got there, the views from the top were some of the best I've had.  Maine is fantabulous!!
At Dunn Notch and Falls, I stopped for an afternoon break, eating my snacks while sitting on a large rock in the middle of the stream.  It was sunnier there than under the trees near the bank and I wanted to soak up the warmth and be surrounded by the sound of the rushing water.  After the pause, I discovered that butterflies preferred the dappled light along the stream bank as dozens of them were gathered on a patch of small gravel.  I don't rightly know if they were simply resting or if they were getting some nutrients from the soil.  Either way, it was lovely to see so many grouped together.
A short time later, just across the stream short of East B Hill Road, I met Jason Boyes, a hiker and fellow southbounder from my days on the Pacific Crest Trail.  We'd been in contact via e-mail and were hoping to meet as our paths intersected on the A.T..  It was really great to see him, but he sure seemed down, and why wouldn't he be.  On the Pacific Crest Trail he was hiking with his wife, Cassandra, and they appeared to be a wonderfully happy couple, now, less than a year later, he'd just gone through a painful divorce.  I'm hoping that time on trail surrounded by beautiful nature will bring him solace and am fairly convinced it will.  Long trails are pretty good in that regard in my estimation.  We spent an hour together talking about life, relationships and our hiking experiences.  I wished it could have been longer, but the fact was that on this trail we were travelling in opposite directions.  My journey was coming to an end and his was still in the early stages. 
After a few pictures and a heartfelt goodbye, I pushed on to Hall Mountain Lean-to.  Keeping up a frenetic pace, I arrived at 8:30 just as the light in the forest was beginning to fail.  Mike, a southbounder, stumbled in at 9:00 and literally collapsed in the shelter.  I initially felt a bit worried for him since he was just lying there huffing and puffing.  Once he'd revived a little and sat up, he wouldn't (or couldn't) stop talking.  Even when I went back down the trail to get some water from the spring I heard him carrying on a conversation with himself.  Heck, when we'd both bedded down for the night, he even talked in his sleep.  I seriously wondered if he was always like this or if the solitude of being a solo hiker was starting to get to him.  Couldn't really imagine this being the case because he hasn't been on the trail for that long.  Strange.
I'm pretty well exhausted, but very satisfied.  I'm set up for success in a short two weeks.

Mahoosuc Notch
Path of Solid Rock
Invigorating Climb
Views From Baldpate
Butterfly Gathering
Jason and I (PCT 2010, AT 2011)