As a New Yorker, I would go for the Agony Grind in Sterling Forest NY. a 90 degree decent to NY 17, if you are a nobo.
Yeah, I had to think back and decide if I was I having a bad day or something. Regardless of if it was perception or whatever, Mahoosuc Arm and South Kinsman are in the original top 25 (#10 and #18 respectively) of the Guthook list that's based on 1 mile segments of the trail. So yeah they aren't top 5, but their ranking proves they're still pretty tough compared to the rest of the AT.
I also forgot to mention Moody Mountain, which made #15 in the original list. This climb not only sucks, but there's no reward at the end. You just take a beating to a tree covered summit, walk across the top, and then go right back down the other side. I remember passing a bunch of day hikers going South, and I finally commented to one of them that it must be a popular section of the trail. The guy commented back that he was a thru slack packing this piece, and so were most of the rest of the hikers I saw that day. So yeah, a bunch of thrus slack packing Moody confirms that it sucks, because why slack pack something when you are a thru up in ME and almost done.
AT: 2007-2019 (45 sections)
JMT: 2013
Moody does have a view to the south from the AT along the short flat spot near the south summit just before the descent to the east starts. Hall Mountain has even fewer views except the "gun sight". There is a summit canister on Hall right on the north corridor line. Its completely covered with spruce/fir with no view.
The south corridor boundary on Moody has very nice south facing ledge but unless it is approached from the correct direction its has cliffs below it.
By the way the Sawyer brook valley just south of the picnic table and campsite next to the brook is the last patch of stinging nettles I have seen on the AT. I always thought they ended in VT. I found out while wearing shorts one day
The AT used to skip Hall, Moody, Blue and Bemis up until the nineteen fifties (possibly until the seventies).
Moody mountain. I bonked climbing it. One of three times I've been completely gassed while hiking. I'd hike about 30 feet and flop down on my back for 10 minutes. Eat something, drink some water. Stagger another 30 feet up the trail. Rinse, repeat. Stopped at that flat spot that peakbagger mentioned for about half an hour. Good place to take in the views and talk to passing sobos.
Having just done some of the Mahoosucs and Franconia notch to Crawford Notch, I can say there are a lot of insanely steep sections of trial all through here. Going up and down Garfield has to be in the top 10.
Follow slogoen on Instagram.
Yep, South Kinsman is my vote for toughest climb, and generally I don't mind climbing.
I had started NOBO from Glencliff on Saturday afternoon and reached Beaver Brook Shelter just as the sun was setting in September 2006 after waiting out a T-storm before the summit. The next day dawned bright and sunny and I thought I could easily make it to the Lonesome Lake Hut, or at least somewhere on the north side of South Kinsman. By the time I reached Eliza Brook Shelter after a grueling afternoon of stepping on or around tree roots and little rocks for 7 miles, I had to make the decision to stay for the night or push on. The guidebook noted the climb, but I had 4 hours of light left and I thought I'd head out after a good rest.
I actually did start again, but after hitting a muddy patch with wobbly legs I decided to go back and rest up. The next morning, bright and bushy tailed, I hit the base of South Kinsman and started to climb...and climb...and climb, hand over hand in many places with my useless trekking poles hanging from my wrists (took a while to figure out that I should just pack them away). It was exhausting, even though I was rested. I have a picture someone took of me at the top and my T-shirt is totally soaked on nice fall morning.
Comparatively, the slog out of Franconia Notch up to Liberty Tentsites that afternoon was a piece of cake. Yes, Katahdin was a good climb, but I was carrying minimal weight, I had gloves on, and it was exciting and fun to be so close to finishing a 41-year odyssey.
GA←↕→ME: 1973 to 2014
That which sends ya home
It's hilarious to see this thread so enthusiastically (grimly?!? "Yipes!") re-visited.
I can tell you that 40 years after my AT through-hike, and 16 years after having done Killington-Pinkham with my (8 year old) twin boys, and then 14 years after going Cohos-->Pinkham-->Katahdin with them, the memories don't diminish in the least, on the climbs named in this thread. HOLY COW, no -- not in the least.
Moody, S. Kinsman, (SOBO) Beaverbrook..... Yep! Still send shivers!
AND still happy to have done them.
AND would not hesitate to repeat. (And, have!)
Stuff worth the doin' is worth the doin'.
BE HUGELY WELL.
sloetoe
GA→ME'79
Actually, if you click on my "Images" button, the one pick there is of that flat spot mentioned in the thread, with me just below, and my kids leaning over...
Cracks me up...!
I had to reread this thread after hiking the Wildcats yesterday. Completely wiped out by the ascents. Carter Moriah range can be for another day. I'm noticing a pattern with my steep hikes. They are wet. Rained Thursday night be fore we did Wildcat E. Did Mahoosuc Notch and Arn in the midst of the remnants of Hurricane Harvey. Hiked Katahdin the day after 7 inches of rain fell. Thoreau spring was a geyser. Moody and Hall mountains we're unseasonably warm. Old Blue bonked me out for some reason.
wildcat A does top guthook's list. and ive always thought that, though not very high on said list, the drop into carter notch is just as nuts. i'll never forget the sight of carter notch hut basically sitting directly below at the bottom of what seemed like a straight drop. i bet one could base jump off the top and land on the roof.
I posted this pic on Facebook and someone commented it would be a good plave to fly a wingsuit
F40E1321-97BA-498C-9CB6-D7C3FCF0AB78.jpeg
This thread makes me doubt if I will ever complete the whole trail. At 55, I'm sure not willing to say that I'm getting too old -- but at 55, I'm sure damn scared of heights!
fortis fortuna adjuvat
I remember feeling that way. A few years ago we completed our first week in Maine, some near Andover, some near Stratton, a trip that included a couple of slackpack days. The next year we did Katahdin and a chunk of the HMW, as well as the hut-to-hut hike through the Whites. A lot of it was hard, but there weren't really any places that I recall where my fear of heights was triggered. Having done those, I'm not afraid anymore. I'm not so afraid of falling, and I'm not afraid of failing. Maybe some similar experiences would help you.
Yesterday I printed out Guthook's list on post 121 in this thread. I crossed out everything we've already done, and there are 27 of the 75 steepest half-mile segments left for us to do. They will be very hard, but I am confident that we will complete each one just as we've planned. I hope you find a way to build your confidence as well.