A couple of thru-hikers reached out from the Appalachian Trail (AT) while they were still in Vermont. They were hoping to have a guide accompany them through the infamous Mahoosuc Notch and up the Mahoosuc Arm. It is said that the Notch is the hardest mile of the AT while others will tell you it’s the most fun. There’s obviously some perspective at play. Most will agree, however, that the Arm is pretty tough, unrelenting in its steepness. There is, after all, a limerick that goes like this: “The Notch is a kick in the crotch but it is the Arm that does the harm.” With all this focus on these two parts, some trepidation is normal. Having a guide can help smooth the way is a good add. On task for this tour is new Redline Guide Brian McElwee. What follows is a brief summary of the day along with some photos.
What do you do when you’ve completed 1900 miles of the AT, but the toughest section is on your doorstep? That’s what our guests were wondering as they planned their hike through the Mahoosuc Notch and up The Arm; sections that require slithering under, squeezing between, and scrambling over the giant boulders followed by a mile-and-a-half climb on steep open slabs and three-points-of-contact laddering. At ages 59 and 70, they wanted to be safe and confident on this section, so they reached out to the crew that does this stuff every day, Redline Guiding.
We were on trail at 7:30 and heading up the Notch Trail, heading for the AT. That section is a nice warmup, gaining 800 feet in a little over two miles. We stopped at the trail intersection to stash our poles, then headed into the notch. Initial looks of concern and trepidation turned to smiles, giggles, and occasional shouts of ‘I’m a worm!’ and ‘How the hell do I squeeze through that?!’ With all worries behind them after the first fifteen minutes, we spent the next hour-and-a-half conquering the Notch and all its challenges. Big high fives as we lunched beside a stream at the bottom of The Arm. We all agreed the plan was to take it slow and steady up The Arm and our guests absolutely crushed it! The only stops were brief conversations about the best line up a particular slab, or what the best holds would be on the three-points-of-contact sections. They were so focused they were actually surprised to find themselves suddenly at the summit with more high fives and some hoots into the valley! The hike down Speck Pond Trail was a nice descent through the thick, cool forest and a perfect way to wind down from the toughest section on the AT. They had a fantastic day and I was thrilled to be part of it. —Brian
