The Mahoosuc Range in southern Maine, while lower in elevation to her sister Ranges (the Whites of NH) to the south, are no reprieve to sore knees and ankles with countless steep, rocky, rooty, muddy ups & downs. The “Mahoosuc Notch” a mile long scramble through, around, over and under huge boulders claims to be “the most difficult mile of the trail”. It took us 2 hours to climb through (we heard that a few hikers have taken as long as 5 hours to negotiate it’s meanness…most do it in 1.5-3). I (Steve) enjoyed it…Jess, not so much. 😉
…
Our 11th state…
Happy birthday to me (thanks for the candle, mom!)…
For my birthday, we entered Maine and hiked past our 1000th trail mile!
And then we hiked up…
And up some more rocks…
And across some muddy bogs…
To find a rabbit eating our blueberries…
At the Mahoosuc Notch…
Not another step!
Another tight squeeze…
We have scared up quite a few Spruce Grouse (this…a male)…
And a chick. Spruce Grouse hens do not do the “injured wing dance” that identifies their cousins the Ruffed Grouse, but merely fly a distance from their chicks and call to them…
Looking north toward Bald Pate…
And on the way up, following the cairns…
Quite a few of the mountains here are composed of granite slab, which can be slick when wet. Luckily, this day we had dry conditions…
Hanging out at the Pine Ellis Hostel in Andover…
The ladies that make the hostel run…
A typical Maine pond, complete with canoes ready for paddling hikers…
Looking out over the wilderness…
Yup, it goes that-a-way…
This gentleman has been a volunteer trail maintainer with the Maine Appalachian Trail Club since the late 50’s. In 1961, he helped build the trail shelter (one of the oldest in Maine) this area and met his wife in the process. The MATC does an outstanding job maintaining the 280 miles of its AT.
This plaque commemorates the last section of the AT to be completed…
After taking a day off in Stratton and eager to get back on the trail, we were greeted with a half-hour wait for two wide-loaded semi’s slowly hauling wind turbine sections through town before we were able to thumb down a hitch to the trail-head…
Looking toward the Bigelows…
Avery Peak in the distance. Our last 4000 foot mountain for the next 150 miles…
Another MATC volunteer at work, this one clearing blow-downs with his chainsaw…
Just a pretty little caterpillar utilizing the trail for his own purposes…
Atop Bald Mountain, near Moxie Pond…
New and old Maine AT marker. The tin diamond is now being eaten by it’s host. Faintly legible “Maine to Georgia” can still be seen on it’s lower edge…
One of our first fords. Water only shin high, we have been lucky thus far with minimal rain. These streams can swell to waist depth or deeper, making crossing quite thrilling and dangerous…
Hanging out at the Lakeshore House Pub in Monson with friend Bo Manton…
Milander Adventures 2015 AT 
Great to see your in Maine…Hope to see you when your Southbound…
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Thanks Charles…would love to see you again and explore the Pearisburg area. Definitely looking forward to the trip south through Virginia & further!
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Hope the fords remain low for you. Jess you are a convincing
actress in the “not another step” photo; right after that picture it was into the dark tunnel , right?
Mike and Kitty
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Steve here…you are correct about the posing there. 🙂
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Hey! Just catching up on your journey. So cool, what memories you are making. I would love to join you….at least for a few hours!
Had a good time with your Miller aunts and uncles last week. May you continue to be blessed!
Aunt E
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