Full Goose Shelter to Baldpate Lean-to

Yet another big check-the-box day. Beautiful day for Mahoosuc Notch. So grateful that it wasn't raining!! The notch was about what I had expected. A huge jumble of giant boulders. It was a total body workout. Legs, arms, core and brain!!! It's one slow, strenuous mile. But in a fun way.

There were several times when I had to take my pack off and shove it through some small opening and then crawl through after it. There was a lot of butt sliding today. Some planned and some not. No leg photos today but in referencing back to the photo of a few days ago.... those WERE pretty. Now they're just gross :)

After the notch comes Mahoosuc arm, which is not as fun. Basically, it's just like another steep, slippery, long, rock slab climb. I was happy to be done with it! 

It is nice to be putting some of these big challenges behind us. Probably another 80 or so really tough miles in Maine and then it levels out a little before the big 'un.

When I came to the shelter, I thought about pushing on another 3 miles to the next one, but decided against it. It was nice to be in by 6:00. Then I noticed the dark skies and the thunder started up. SO HAPPY to be in the shelter when the rain started!!! Doesn't usually happen that way. Sat in the cozy (not the word I would normally use to describe a shelter) shelter and ate dinner and watched the rain.

There is a youth group tenting here also. They are out on a three week backpacking trip. Many if them are city kids who have never camped before. They don't make town stops so they don't shower for three weeks! They stop at an occasional pond to get 'clean'. Wow! It's been four days for me and I am soooo ready!

Tomorrow, a much anticipated nero in to Andover, Maine.