I could've sworn I wrote this up, but here we are in May of 2018 and no trace of it. I guess that it'll make it far less verbose. You're welcome.
After putting in some serious mileage a month ago, I figured it was be not too hard to tackle some Maine peaks. Boy, was I wrong. I've been wanting to do the ME 3k's, but it's really just a back of the mind thing, nothing I would persue as fervently as I did with the NH 3k's. The Goose Eye's sounded like a good pair on a gorgeous, unexpectedly not humid July day.
After finally remembering how to get on Success Pond Road, I was met with ruggedness from the get go, and a look or two from some ATV'ers. The road smoothed out for a bit (relative to how rough this road could be), and I cooked along to the trailhead. The one thing I didn't remember, was how narrow it got in places. Being a Wednesday, I was especially cognizant of a logging truck barreling around the corner at any second, but fortunately, I met none.
The trail starts on a dirt road and my desitantion lay ahead.
Into the woods, and it was quite pleasant and on easy grades.
That all changed before too long, and I was finding myself huffing and puffing up terrain that wasn't particularly steep, but now I really felt just how badly out of shape I was. Fortunately, there was some beautiful relief in sections.
A last pitch of steepness at the end, and then what I came for. Views! Here's the AT heading south to Mt. Carlo.
The Carters, Presidentials, and a peek of Layfayette.
And finally, Goose Eye north peak in the foreground (with the Mahoosucs, Old Speck and Baldpates behind), where I was to be heading. Looks like a gorgeous ridge walk!
From the main peak, I could see quite the crowd on East Peak, and upon heading over, turned out to be a group of kids from Québec enjoying the day as much as I was. By the time I arrived at the peak (sadly lacking prominence to make this a 3 peak day), it was nearly empty, and my path was laid before me.
Was it a lovely ridge walk. Why, yes, yes indeedy it was!
Here's what AT hikers have to look forward to heading north (with the infamous Mahoosuc Notch lurking behind Fulling Mill Mountain).
OK, I am definitely looking forward to Sunday River Whitecap.
Time to turn around. Well, gosh, I gotta go through both of those peaks? They look so far away!
I had hoped to hit Carlo as well, a bit further south, as I'd like to do all of the Maine peaks solo, but that was definitely not in the plan today, so a complete backtrack for me. Once at west (main) peak, heading down was decidely not fun. With beat up feet and legs, I longed for the flatter section where I could get moving. After much grousing, it arrived, so I must assume that the grousing had its use.
I was more mindful of the NH/ME border on the way back and was rewarded with this.
I guess these things appeal to the engineer in me! And, being almost a year later, and with no further photos, I don't remember anything else. The end. :-)