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grizzlyadam
07-29-2013, 22:41
On Saturday while doing an out and back day hike of the "toughest mile" on the AT, the Mahoosuc Notch, my gf and I started wondering what the second toughest mile on the trail is.

A few days earlier we'd hiked up Mount Moosilauke from the north side and both agreed the stretch of trail with the steps would definitely be up there on the list.

So, what do you think is the "second toughest mile" on the AT?

By the way, on our return trip back through the Notch Saturday we completed it in 45 minutes. I bested my old time of 1:05 (which was with a full pack). Had a blast!

hikerboy57
07-29-2013, 22:43
On Saturday while doing an out and back day hike of the "toughest mile" on the AT, the Mahoosuc Notch, my gf and I started wondering what the second toughest mile on the trail is.

A few days earlier we'd hiked up Mount Moosilauke from the north side and both agreed the stretch of trail with the steps would definitely be up there on the list.

So, what do you think is the "second toughest mile" on the AT?

By the way, on our return trip back through the Notch Saturday we completed it in 45 minutes. I bested my old time of 1:05 (which was with a full pack). Had a blast!
katahdin=the middle part

Just Bill
07-29-2013, 22:46
katahdin=the middle part

+11! to that- although I would also put them number one and number two on my list of most fun miles on the AT.

Zippy Morocco
07-29-2013, 22:49
katahdin=the middle part

+11! to that- although I would also put them number one and number two on my list of most fun miles on the AT.

+1 fun and difficult

Just Bill
07-29-2013, 22:52
Although there was that one mile in Vermont on the way to the swinger's house, but I guess that would be the most productive mile...

joshuasdad
07-30-2013, 02:33
katahdin=the middle part

Hiked up Katahdin on Abol Trail and down via Hunt Trail (AT) on Sunday. That mile south of the Tablelands on the AT was awesome. Looked like I was ready to go off a diving board at one point, with cliffs on both sides, and a precipitous drop going forward. Adrenaline fueled by a combination of awe and terror prevented this mile from being my most difficult to date (I still need to do most of NH/ME, including Mahoosic), but I agree that if I had tackled the Hunt trail NOBO, that mile would be my most difficult.

illabelle
07-30-2013, 06:20
Hiked up Katahdin on Abol Trail and down via Hunt Trail (AT) on Sunday. That mile south of the Tablelands on the AT was awesome. Looked like I was ready to go off a diving board at one point, with cliffs on both sides, and a precipitous drop going forward. Adrenaline fueled by a combination of awe and terror prevented this mile from being my most difficult to date (I still need to do most of NH/ME, including Mahoosic), but I agree that if I had tackled the Hunt trail NOBO, that mile would be my most difficult.

you're not supposed to say things like this - you're scaring me! :eek:
you're supposed to say, it's not that bad, you can do it.

hikerboy57
07-30-2013, 06:32
Hiked up Katahdin on Abol Trail and down via Hunt Trail (AT) on Sunday. That mile south of the Tablelands on the AT was awesome. Looked like I was ready to go off a diving board at one point, with cliffs on both sides, and a precipitous drop going forward. Adrenaline fueled by a combination of awe and terror prevented this mile from being my most difficult to date (I still need to do most of NH/ME, including Mahoosic), but I agree that if I had tackled the Hunt trail NOBO, that mile would be my most difficult.

you're not supposed to say things like this - you're scaring me! :eek:
you're supposed to say, it's not that bad, you can do it. please refer to the if it isn't fun why do it thread

fiddlehead
07-30-2013, 06:35
The first mile is the hardest.
Just to get there, get time off, find all the food you want, repackage it, get to the trail, legs are a little rusty as it's been too long......................
Then you get that first mile done, and all that stress goes away.
Now you're just thinking about the woods, sun down (what time?), water (where?), and maybe a little about the weather.
The crap disappears and it's all about what's important in life.

I definitely don't agree that Mahoosic notch is anyway the hardest mile.
That would be the one that you just did in the pouring rain, with lightning chasing you up the steep, slippery climb to get to the full shelter and have to go out and down the ravine to wait in line to get some water to cook your last ramen.
Mahoosic notch is the most fun mile on the trail.
And climbing Katahdin is second.

Just climbed Kinabalu a few weeks ago.
The pouring rain made the last few miles down the hardest as the bridges were out, the trail was a roaring river and there were people being carried out making it too crowded to get into a good run.
The 7,000' climb was the easy part. (actually I didn't make the top as the lightning turned us around about 1,000' short)

1azarus
07-30-2013, 06:57
please refer to the if it isn't fun why do it thread

HB, that is hilarious!!! With less than perfect weather, I've always thought that hikers didn't whine enough about how hard Katahdin can be to climb and they must, in general, be tougher than me.

fredmugs
07-30-2013, 07:39
My toughest mile (and a half) was SOBO down the Mahoosic Arm. The Notch was a welcome sight. Moosilauke wasn't a big deal but Carter Notch kicked my butt. Any toughest miles for me will be the ones going downhill - never the climbs.

max patch
07-30-2013, 08:07
Mahoosic Notch is the slowest mile. Not the toughest. Big difference.

hikerboy57
07-30-2013, 08:20
My toughest mile (and a half) was SOBO down the Mahoosic Arm. The Notch was a welcome sight. Moosilauke wasn't a big deal but Carter Notch kicked my butt. Any toughest miles for me will be the ones going downhill - never the climbs. I agree coming down mahoosuc arm in the rain was much more difficult than the notch itself

Gersh
07-30-2013, 09:01
I totally agree on the Mahoosic arm being tougher than the notch. The notch is a challenge for sure but in a fun kind of way but the arm kicked my butt. One crazy descent that sticks out in my mind was coming down from the sugarloaf area to the Carrabassett river in Maine. Of course I did it in the rain which is probably why it seemed super tough.

Zippy Morocco
07-30-2013, 09:12
I want to change my answer. I too think that the toughest mile will be different for everyone. For me the toughest mile was that nice big climb coming into North Carolina. I was injured, it was raining and really windy. My spirits were low.
Strangely, after a half hour break at Muskrat Creek, I was ready to go.

We finished the day hiking over Standing Indian and camping at Beech Gap. At Beech gap we pitched in what would become a small pond and had to pitch the tent again on higher ground.

The Solemates
07-30-2013, 09:17
not sure if its the toughest, but going up albert Mtn NC i believe is the steepest

Fur Queue
07-30-2013, 09:58
I agree...the toughest mile is the first one...just to get there...second toughest for me was the walk out of the woods with my knee all twatted...not because it hurt(it did)...but because I was having such a good time in big nature and it was over...for a while anyway...

Another Kevin
07-30-2013, 14:20
I said in another thread (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?89360-What-would-consider-the-most-difficult-portion-of-the-trail-The-easiest&p=1360356&highlight=#post1360356) some time ago:

The hardest section is the one where it's been raining for the last four days and everything you have is wet and stinks of mold, your feet are pleading for mercy in wet socks, and on top of that, you've got a cold and a stomach bug. A level stroll under those conditions is harder than a rock scramble when you're fit and having good weather.

max patch
07-30-2013, 14:24
You'll never have consensus on what is the toughest mile. In Georgia, seems like most complain about Kelly Knob. That doesn't bother me at all. For me the climb NOBO out of Tesnatee Gap is the hardest in the state.

hikerboy57
07-30-2013, 14:27
there was nothing in ga for me that remotely approached the difficulties of the whites and western maine.the ridgewalk in the northern smokies was the only area that slowed me down at all.climb out of noc was probably the longest sustained climb in the south, still nothing compared to the northeast

max patch
07-30-2013, 14:30
there was nothing in ga for me that remotely approached the difficulties of the whites and western maine.

I agree totally and if I gave the impression otherwise that was not intended.

SawnieRobertson
07-30-2013, 14:40
I totally agree on the Mahoosic arm being tougher than the notch. The notch is a challenge for sure but in a fun kind of way but the arm kicked my butt. One crazy descent that sticks out in my mind was coming down from the sugarloaf area to the Carrabassett river in Maine. Of course I did it in the rain which is probably why it seemed super tough.

Isn't that where Inch by Inch was supposed to be hiking last week? (Written by someone who has never hiked in that vicinity.)

Grampie
07-30-2013, 14:55
The toughest mile for me was walking into Duncannon. I had fliped to Katahdin and my hike ended there after 201 days on the trail I just hated to leave the AT.

hikerboy57
07-30-2013, 14:57
there was nothing in ga for me that remotely approached the difficulties of the whites and western maine.

I agree totally and if I gave the impression otherwise that was not intended. you are forgiven

fins1838
07-30-2013, 15:11
SB leaving the city of Port Clinton PA.

Pedaling Fool
07-30-2013, 15:13
All of you guys are wrong, dead wrong. The two toughest miles on the AT is

snifur
07-30-2013, 16:21
My toughest mile was the 1.2 miles to Pickle Branch Shelter from the road crossing. My family came out to see me for the weekend. When they left i was depressed and alone in the rain. So i could only hike the 1.2 up to the shelter. The whites and all of Maine was cake compared to that single mile in the rain.

hikerboy57
07-30-2013, 16:23
My toughest mile was the 1.2 miles to Pickle Branch Shelter from the road crossing. My family came out to see me for the weekend. When they left i was depressed and alone in the rain. So i could only hike the 1.2 up to the shelter. The whites and all of Maine was cake compared to that single mile in the rain. very well said

OzJacko
07-30-2013, 16:34
So far the hardest mile was the walk down the C&O canal out of Harpers Ferry after my wife talked me into staying on trail.
Some miles are tough but that was really hard.

colorado_rob
07-30-2013, 17:04
Since there are no actually tough miles on the AT, the "2nd toughest" would be mile 2. Mile one (name your strting point, doesn't matter!) being, of course, the toughest.

1234
07-30-2013, 18:40
I agree the first mile is the toughest, and is the least hiked. Most never get started. If tough is inline with dangerous I would say coming down dragons tooth. I know 3 people that broke there leg coming down that section and many came near getting hurt.

max patch
07-30-2013, 19:11
I thot going down Mt Moosilauke in the rain was challenging enough. I wonder how tough it is going up on a SOBO hike.

Gillum
07-31-2013, 06:12
From my son "Sunscreen" who started SOBO on June 2 and is now entering NJ... 'The middle part of katahdin was tough but without my main pack and in dry weather it was kind of fun. SOBO the miles on either side of the notch are the second and third toughest, especially if raining (it was). I imagine the north side of baldpate in the rain is also tough for NOBOs.'


Shocker
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fredmugs
07-31-2013, 07:32
As a section hiker the first mile is freakin' awesome. Everytime. I workout pretty hard prior to all of my hikes and something is usually hurting but when I throw on that pack and hit the trail those pains are gone.

fredmugs
07-31-2013, 07:34
I thot going down Mt Moosilauke in the rain was challenging enough. I wonder how tough it is going up on a SOBO hike.

I didn't find it tough at all. Up on top with the insane wind was worse. But then again I like climbing and going up Moosilauke isn't much more than a really really hard staircase.

max patch
07-31-2013, 12:28
I think in all seriousness the hardest mile on the AT is when you are absolutely exhausted and want to stop NOW but you are still 1 mile from your car/shelter/camping spot with water and you have to trudge on. Nothing worse than that.

Dogwood
07-31-2013, 15:44
Maybe, the toughest mile is the mile you're least prepared for, but that might also make it the most rewarding or memorable.

Driver8
07-31-2013, 17:17
I thot going down Mt Moosilauke in the rain was challenging enough. I wonder how tough it is going up on a SOBO hike.

It's a tough workout going up, especially when slick and wet, which I gather it often is, since it faces north, is on a steep slope and is heavily shaded. But it's doable - just takes care and patience. Going down it would be treacherous, but doable with care, I reckon. It's beautiful, for sure.

Theosus
07-31-2013, 18:33
The mile after the first....

MuddyWaters
08-01-2013, 22:16
I do believe for a lot of NOBOs, Ga is harder than anything else.

But thats because they show up out of shape, and carrying 50 lbs.

Hard, is totally up to the hiker.

You define your own level of difficulty by your conditioning, your pack weight, and especially the speed you try to maintain. Anything is hard if you go fast enough, even a flat road.

max patch
08-01-2013, 22:23
Backpacker Mag say Springer to Neels is the toughest section of the AT.

I subscribe to Backpacker off and on, but re this statement

Backpacker Mag is FOS

Sly
08-01-2013, 23:06
Backpacker Mag say Springer to Neels is the toughest section of the AT.

I subscribe to Backpacker off and on, but re this statement

Backpacker Mag is FOS

I would think it means that more people drop out on a thru-hike from Springer to Neel than any other section

SawnieRobertson
08-01-2013, 23:23
I do believe for a lot of NOBOs, Ga is harder than anything else.

But thats because they show up out of shape, and carrying 50 lbs.

Hard, is totally up to the hiker.

You define your own level of difficulty by your conditioning, your pack weight, and especially the speed you try to maintain. Anything is hard if you go fast enough, even a flat road.

Very likely you should add in the weather. It can make a great hiking day or a hard, slogging day that you won't forget.

Just Bill
08-01-2013, 23:47
I would think it means that more people drop out on a thru-hike from Springer to Neel than any other section Quite true, although I wonder how many folks drop on the approach trail or debate the toughest segment of the stair climb.:)

max patch
08-02-2013, 00:06
I would think it means that more people drop out on a thru-hike from Springer to Neel than any other section

I believe your statement to be true.

But that fact doesn't make that the toughest section of the AT.

Just Bill
08-02-2013, 00:43
I believe your statement to be true.

But that fact doesn't make that the toughest section of the AT.
Careful gentleman, you are debating an article/statement from a very questionable source...The initials BM should give a clue as to the value of it's content.:D

Sly
08-02-2013, 00:52
Careful gentleman, you are debating an article/statement from a very questionable source...The initials BM should give a clue as to the value of it's content.:D

Yeah. However, as questionable as the Backpacker Mag can be at times, it's the only one like it we have, and I'd hate to see it fold.

Rather than toughest, or second toughest mile, if we said day, I'd have to say the 2nd day from Hawk Mountain to Gooch Gap rates right up there. (yes mostly because it's the beginning of the hike, but it's always been a bitch)

Migrating Bird
08-02-2013, 07:06
you're not supposed to say things like this - you're scaring me! :eek:
you're supposed to say, it's not that bad, you can do it.

The middle part of the climb up Katahdin can be intimidating due to the boulders and being exposed. You can see what is ahead of you rather than only a few feet. Its like eating the elephant all at once instead of one bite at a time. You're not going to fall off the mountain or anything like that although you could fall a couple of feet. Difficulty, for me, is related to time, there is not much that is difficult if you take your time to do it. Trying to keep up with a faster, stronger hiking partner on a steep climb can kick your butt however when going at your own pace is quite enjoyable. My toughest mile was due to extreme heat, not drinking enough water, not eating enough food while trying to get to a trailhead to meet my wife this past June in VT over easy, moderate terrain.

illabelle
08-02-2013, 09:12
The middle part of the climb up Katahdin can be intimidating due to the boulders and being exposed. You can see what is ahead of you rather than only a few feet. Its like eating the elephant all at once instead of one bite at a time. You're not going to fall off the mountain or anything like that although you could fall a couple of feet. Difficulty, for me, is related to time, there is not much that is difficult if you take your time to do it. Trying to keep up with a faster, stronger hiking partner on a steep climb can kick your butt however when going at your own pace is quite enjoyable. My toughest mile was due to extreme heat, not drinking enough water, not eating enough food while trying to get to a trailhead to meet my wife this past June in VT over easy, moderate terrain.

thanks, that's reassuring :)

Gersh
08-02-2013, 14:30
Yes that is the same area. I was about 4 days ahead of her and never met up.