First 345 Miles
Here are some of the collected photos from our first month on the trail. We've now traveled 345 miles, through the 100 Mile Wilderness, the mountains of southern Maine, and much of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It's been an unbelievable journey thus far, and promises to continue to be so once we return from the strategic pause.
Crossing over a stream the day after Katahdin. There were several river crossings throughout Maine, but by the time we reached them the river level had dropped, or people had put logs like this across them. Fortunate for us - we met one thru-hiker who lost his entire pack when it got washed away in a river crossing.
Looking out from the shelter at Rainbow Stream. This was day 3 of our trip.
Swimming at Cooper Brook Falls. The water coming down off of the falls was moving fast enough that you could almost swim like those pools that shoot water at you and make you swim in place. Finding a great swimming hole at the end of the day is always a great way to unwind.
Laundry day. Priya's washing her pants out by the stream at Cooper Brook Falls.
This is us on top of Whitecap Mountain, the first climb of any great significance after Katahdin. The wind made the summit a bit cool, but kept the black flies from tearing us up.
Us next to the Screw Auger Falls, some cool waterfalls in the Gulf Hagas section of the 100 Mile Wilderness.
Filtering water for the next day's walking.
This leaf has a bow tie.
Looking down the Barren Ledges at the 100 Mile Wilderness. For a while, this was my favorite spot, although I think the Whites have now beaten it out.
A fitting photo of our time in the 100 Mile Wilderness - a blaze indicating that where the trail should go is currently underwater.
Our first "trail family". We spent the second half of the 100 Mile Wilderness sharing shelters and campsites with most of these folks.
From Monson on south we would find occasional patches of wild strawberries near roads. As we got further south, we also started to run into some raspberry and blueberry.
Broken down bog bridges, huge roots in the trail, and large pools of standing water. This is Maine.
Looking north from Saddleback Mountain. This was our first extended ridgewalk. Unfortunately, we were in the clouds most of the time - this was about the best view that we got. It was nice walking, though.
Scrambling through Mahoosuc Notch. The mile that goes through this notch is reputed to be the "most difficult mile" on the AT. I don't know that I'd say that, but it was a lot of fun - a mile of scrambling over, under, and around big boulders.
Priya on top of Little Baldpate Mountain.
Walking along the trail I spied a rowboat and paddle next to a lake, and decided to take the boat out for a middle-of-the-lake lunch. It was pretty cool.
Crossing over the Maine/New Hampshire border. As soon as we left Maine, the trail conditions improved, rain stopped, and the climbing got easy...at least, that's what we heard would happen.
Our hitch-hiking aid. With this by our side, we've had little trouble getting rides when we needed them.
A view looking north from New Hampshire back to southern Maine. There is a great deal of debate as to which stretch of mountains is tougher - the Whites in New Hampshire, or the mountains of southern Maine. I can only say for sure that the last 170 miles of hiking up to this point had been pretty rugged, with lots of straight up and straight down.
Priya with a fellow southbounder at a great swimming hole near the start of the Whites.
Me jumping into the Rattle River. It was a good omen for out time in the Whites thus far that we started out in beautiful weather, with a sweet swimming hole to cool off in.
Snickers was referring to their campaign to eliminate hunger in the US, but Priya's using this Snickers on her own hunger.
Sunset at the Imp Campsite - the end of our first day in the Whites.
This was supposed to be a shot of my dental floss repair to my boots, but it's hard to see the floss so instead it's just me looking crazy.
Walking from Mt. Madison to Mt. Washington. We climbed Madison at sunset, slept at the Madison Hut, then got an early morning start headed towards Washington. The walking and the views were amazing.
Looking down over the Great Gulf Wilderness on the way up Mt. Washington. As usual, photos fail to portray how spectacular the view was.
Priya giving a talk, along with another thru-hiker, at the Mizpah Hut. The huts are quite expensive to stay at, but thru-hikers can stay for free in exchange for doing work around the hut. Sometimes the work isn't much fun - shoveling compost, for instance, but sometimes you get to do cool things like talk to the other campers staying at the hut about the thru-hiker experience.
Walking toward the Mizpah Hut. Beautiful.
My emergency repair on my boots. The sole started to fall off, and the parachute cord was all that would hold the front up.
The Whites on the way between Lakes of the Clouds and the Mizpah Hut. The two days we spent above ridgeline in the Presidentials had without a doubt the most spectacular views of the trip thus far. There's no doubt more to look forward to, but this will be pretty hard to beat.
Crossing over a stream the day after Katahdin. There were several river crossings throughout Maine, but by the time we reached them the river level had dropped, or people had put logs like this across them. Fortunate for us - we met one thru-hiker who lost his entire pack when it got washed away in a river crossing.
Looking out from the shelter at Rainbow Stream. This was day 3 of our trip.
Swimming at Cooper Brook Falls. The water coming down off of the falls was moving fast enough that you could almost swim like those pools that shoot water at you and make you swim in place. Finding a great swimming hole at the end of the day is always a great way to unwind.
Laundry day. Priya's washing her pants out by the stream at Cooper Brook Falls.
This is us on top of Whitecap Mountain, the first climb of any great significance after Katahdin. The wind made the summit a bit cool, but kept the black flies from tearing us up.
Us next to the Screw Auger Falls, some cool waterfalls in the Gulf Hagas section of the 100 Mile Wilderness.
Filtering water for the next day's walking.
This leaf has a bow tie.
Looking down the Barren Ledges at the 100 Mile Wilderness. For a while, this was my favorite spot, although I think the Whites have now beaten it out.
A fitting photo of our time in the 100 Mile Wilderness - a blaze indicating that where the trail should go is currently underwater.
Our first "trail family". We spent the second half of the 100 Mile Wilderness sharing shelters and campsites with most of these folks.
From Monson on south we would find occasional patches of wild strawberries near roads. As we got further south, we also started to run into some raspberry and blueberry.
Broken down bog bridges, huge roots in the trail, and large pools of standing water. This is Maine.
Looking north from Saddleback Mountain. This was our first extended ridgewalk. Unfortunately, we were in the clouds most of the time - this was about the best view that we got. It was nice walking, though.
Scrambling through Mahoosuc Notch. The mile that goes through this notch is reputed to be the "most difficult mile" on the AT. I don't know that I'd say that, but it was a lot of fun - a mile of scrambling over, under, and around big boulders.
Priya on top of Little Baldpate Mountain.
Walking along the trail I spied a rowboat and paddle next to a lake, and decided to take the boat out for a middle-of-the-lake lunch. It was pretty cool.
Crossing over the Maine/New Hampshire border. As soon as we left Maine, the trail conditions improved, rain stopped, and the climbing got easy...at least, that's what we heard would happen.
Our hitch-hiking aid. With this by our side, we've had little trouble getting rides when we needed them.
A view looking north from New Hampshire back to southern Maine. There is a great deal of debate as to which stretch of mountains is tougher - the Whites in New Hampshire, or the mountains of southern Maine. I can only say for sure that the last 170 miles of hiking up to this point had been pretty rugged, with lots of straight up and straight down.
Priya with a fellow southbounder at a great swimming hole near the start of the Whites.
Me jumping into the Rattle River. It was a good omen for out time in the Whites thus far that we started out in beautiful weather, with a sweet swimming hole to cool off in.
Snickers was referring to their campaign to eliminate hunger in the US, but Priya's using this Snickers on her own hunger.
Sunset at the Imp Campsite - the end of our first day in the Whites.
This was supposed to be a shot of my dental floss repair to my boots, but it's hard to see the floss so instead it's just me looking crazy.
Walking from Mt. Madison to Mt. Washington. We climbed Madison at sunset, slept at the Madison Hut, then got an early morning start headed towards Washington. The walking and the views were amazing.
Looking down over the Great Gulf Wilderness on the way up Mt. Washington. As usual, photos fail to portray how spectacular the view was.
Priya giving a talk, along with another thru-hiker, at the Mizpah Hut. The huts are quite expensive to stay at, but thru-hikers can stay for free in exchange for doing work around the hut. Sometimes the work isn't much fun - shoveling compost, for instance, but sometimes you get to do cool things like talk to the other campers staying at the hut about the thru-hiker experience.
Walking toward the Mizpah Hut. Beautiful.
My emergency repair on my boots. The sole started to fall off, and the parachute cord was all that would hold the front up.
The Whites on the way between Lakes of the Clouds and the Mizpah Hut. The two days we spent above ridgeline in the Presidentials had without a doubt the most spectacular views of the trip thus far. There's no doubt more to look forward to, but this will be pretty hard to beat.
posted by Slim at
9:48 AM
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