Can Mahoosic Notch be slackpacked?

[Goonky]

I have a friend doing a thru hike and she's almost to Maine where I live. I'd like to Slackpack with her through Mahoosic Notch. Is this possible? Where are the entry and exit points? Do we need to walk from Success Rd all the way to Route 26?

Does that mean leaving a car at Route 26 and getting dropped at Success Road?

Any info appreciated!

[BirdBrain]

Yes yes yes. You already have your answers. There is a shelter before the notch. She can sleep there. You hike in the Notch trail and meet her at the AMC sign just before the notch. You will need a very early start. She will likely be at the sign before you.

[Slo-go'en]

Actually, you can hike from Success loop road to the notch, climb up to Spec pond and then back down to Success Loop road a few miles from the notch trail. That would be easier then going over Old Spec and you wouldn't need a 30 mile ride back to the car.

[BirdBrain]

I would rather go the small amount left to get over Speck than go back down the Arm and through the Notch again. Personal preference. The above is viable... but harder in my opinion.

If you just want to slack pack the Notch, go in from Success and back out the way you came in after doing the Notch. If you want to slack pack more, go over Speck to Grafton Notch.

Okay. I am done editing. :)

[BirdBrain]

I must admit. I do not have a map in front of me. I am operating from memory. Is there another trail from the pond to the Notch Trail that does not go back down the Arm and through the Notch? If so, my apologies to Slo-.

[Goonky]

Actually, you can hike from Success loop road to the notch, climb up to Spec pond and then back down to Success Loop road a few miles from the notch trail. That would be easier then going over Old Spec and you wouldn't need a 30 mile ride back to the car.

So with this approach - is it a loop? but you end up doing the notch twice, once in each direction?

A loop is appealing because we wouldn't need a ride...

[Goonky]

I must admit. I do not have a map in front of me. I am operating from memory. Is there another trail from the pond to the Notch Trail that does not go back down the Arm and through the Notch? If so, my apologies to Slo-.

On this map: http://mobilemaplets.com/showplace/1248

It looks like you can go in the notch trail, hike north through the notch, then take the Speck Pond Rd back to Success Road.

Am I reading that right?

[BirdBrain]

I know of no road from Speck Pond to Success Pond Road. I will look at maps when I get home.

[Slo-go'en]

I know of no road from Speck Pond to Success Pond Road. I will look at maps when I get home.

The Mahoosic notch trail leaves from Success pond road to the south end of the notch. You then go through the notch, climb up the arm and over to Speck pond. Then you take the Speck Pond trail back to Success Loop road, which comes out about one mile north of the notch trail, making a convenient loop. The Speck Pond trail is the one used by the caretaker to get up and down without too much effort.

The climb up and over Old Speck is a knee cruncher.

[Slo-go'en]

Oh, there is also a trail called the Joe-May cut off which is a short cut to the Speck Pond trail so you don't have to drop all the way down to the pond first if you don't want to. That saves almost a mile and a few 100 feet of additional decent and climbing.

[BirdBrain]

Slo-go'en has it. Sorry for my misinformation.

[peakbagger]

There is also a partial "bushwhack" that requires a long car spot for those who don't want to climb the ARM. It ends up moving the cars around takes longer than the hike. A car is spotted at the Wright Trail trailhead on the Bull Branch road that is accessed from the end of Sunday River Road. The second car is then driven back down to RT 2 and then north up Rt 26 to the logging road that connects up with Success Pond Road and then the car is driven to the Notch Trailhead. The Notch trail runs almost directly to the head of the notch. The notch is then hiked. At the end of the notch the trail goes left away from the brook and up into the woods before coming out at a very obvious campsite. It hard to miss and the trail very quickly turns left and head up slope just past it. From this spot leave the trail and head down slope through an area of even more campsites and follow the brook that drains the notch crossing to the south side of the brook. There is an informal path used by a youth program that runs through this area but I am not sure how visible it is as I haven't been there for awhile. Eventually you hit an old logging road that runs a along Bull Branch Stream. Follow this road and you will end up at the Wright Trail. Now you need to repeat the drive up the trailhead to pick up your car. Its a lot of driving. Obviously, you need a topo map and navigation skills.

A few comments about Success Pond Road. Dont underestimate driving it, it is a logging road and the owner of the western 2/3rds has been minimizing long term maintenance since they bought it and are getting ready to dump the land once they have stripped off the last trees. The road is frequently washboarded, with occasional boulders driven up by frost and culverts whose tops were ripped open by a grader lying in wait to tear a tire apart. Its generally passable but plan on 25 MPH max. The east end of Success Pond Road was closed due to a culvert wash out several years ago and I not sure if it was reopened. There is a logging road that intersects it that comes in from RT 26 that leaves Rt 26 north of Success Pond road. The road network is all private logging roads with marginal signage so be careful. Plenty of folks take regular cars up the road all the time but they take their time.

The other overnight option is to backpack up to Wright trail to the AT and then camp at Full Goose, then hike the AT through the Notch, up the Arm and then over to Speck Pond and then down to RT 26.

[Goonky]

There is also a partial "bushwhack" that requires a long car spot for those who don't want to climb the ARM. It ends up moving the cars around takes longer than the hike. A car is spotted at the Wright Trail trailhead on the Bull Branch road that is accessed from the end of Sunday River Road. The second car is then driven back down to RT 2 and then north up Rt 26 to the logging road that connects up with Success Pond Road and then the car is driven to the Notch Trailhead. The Notch trail runs almost directly to the head of the notch. The notch is then hiked. At the end of the notch the trail goes left away from the brook and up into the woods before coming out at a very obvious campsite. It hard to miss and the trail very quickly turns left and head up slope just past it. From this spot leave the trail and head down slope through an area of even more campsites and follow the brook that drains the notch crossing to the south side of the brook. There is an informal path used by a youth program that runs through this area but I am not sure how visible it is as I haven't been there for awhile. Eventually you hit an old logging road that runs a along Bull Branch Stream. Follow this road and you will end up at the Wright Trail. Now you need to repeat the drive up the trailhead to pick up your car. Its a lot of driving. Obviously, you need a topo map and navigation skills.

A few comments about Success Pond Road. Dont underestimate driving it, it is a logging road and the owner of the western 2/3rds has been minimizing long term maintenance since they bought it and are getting ready to dump the land once they have stripped off the last trees. The road is frequently washboarded, with occasional boulders driven up by frost and culverts whose tops were ripped open by a grader lying in wait to tear a tire apart. Its generally passable but plan on 25 MPH max. The east end of Success Pond Road was closed due to a culvert wash out several years ago and I not sure if it was reopened. There is a logging road that intersects it that comes in from RT 26 that leaves Rt 26 north of Success Pond road. The road network is all private logging roads with marginal signage so be careful. Plenty of folks take regular cars up the road all the time but they take their time.

The other overnight option is to backpack up to Wright trail to the AT and then camp at Full Goose, then hike the AT through the Notch, up the Arm and then over to Speck Pond and then down to RT 26.

This is helpful info about the road, I've heard it was not well maintained before. Perhaps I'll do an exploratory trip before she arrives.

Thank you all for responding, very helpful. I have a better sense of what the options are now.

[peakbagger]

A few years about 21 miles up the road I lost my brakes on my truck coming a down a hill. I managed to stop and ended up driving 21 miles back down the road with no brakes.

Finding the start of the road in Berlin is still a bit of a challenge. Drive up RT 16 north along the river just past a hydro dam, Take a right off of RT 16 over the bridge just past the Irving gas station. You will be driving straight towards the power plant (former pulp mill). Go straight at the lights and then follow the road as it runs just outside the fence of the power plant. You will pass the entrance to a landfill (keep going straight) In about a mile look for a right turn with a big sign that says OHRV parking. This is the beginning of Success Pond Road. Watch out for ATVs in the first section of the road. After that just take your time and stick tot he main road. The hiking trail head are generally marked with a sign.

[Slo-go'en]

Success pond road is pretty bumpy, but I think it should be okay at least up to the notch trail. I wouldn't take a low clearance car like my MINI Cooper up there. A full sized truck or SUV would be the best option, anything else would be dicey.

[BirdBrain]

Success pond road is pretty bumpy, but I think it should be okay at least up to the notch trail. I wouldn't take a low clearance car like my MINI Cooper up there. A full sized truck or SUV would be the best option, anything else would be dicey.

It is not too bad on the Maine side. A car can do it. Just go slow. The wavy close ribs will have your vehicle skipping sideways if you floor it. I was there a few times last fall. Most cars could do it then.

[vnordqui]

Hi All,

To piggyback on this thread since responders seem familiar with the area - I'm planning to section/day hike the Mahoosucs AT doing bike drops to shuttle myself each day - from the Success Pond Road trailhead (where I left off a few years back) to Mahoosuc Notch trail, then Mahoosuc Notch trail to 26 the following day. (then the same with the continuing northern section after that over the course of the week)

So my question - is it reasonable/allowed to camp at Mahoosuc notch trailhead for those couple nights as my base camp? Or elsewhere along Success Pond Rd? My understanding is NH is private logging road, but ME is public, so at the very least should be legal for camping. (no fires is fine) Wondering if there may even be established campsites around there from other similar plans?

And, if anyone has any recent knowledge of the drive/pass-ability of Success Pond Road (via York Rd) to the east onto 26.
I don't have 4WD but recall the road from the west and know it's pretty wicked. Slow it will be.

I figure I'll give Grafton Notch Park a call for possible recent updates as well, but I'd welcome any other leads/input/resources.

Thanks!