Jake Christie’s fine Maine Sunday Telegram column of Sept. 2, “Mahoosuc meanderings” (Page C8), reminded me of our “discovery” of the Mahoosucs back in the early 1970s.

A few of us were looking for a remote mountain for our annual winter camping trip. A mutual friend introduced us to Ed Penley, a veteran editor for the old Evening Express, and someone who had hiked and blazed trails all over the then-largely unknown Mahoosuc Range. Persuaded by Ed’s description of its spectacular landscape and wild winter weather, our crew – which included the Telegram’s own environmental reporter, Bob Cummings – soon struck out to see for ourselves.

We were not disappointed. Our target was Mahoosuc Notch itself, a deep cleavage filled with giant boulders and 15-foot snowdrifts in abundance, thanks to a notch so deep and steep that sunlight barely penetrates.

Once we made it through the notch in winter, we decided to go through the notch in summer. Our summer trip was more difficult: Snow bridges in the winter had allowed us to hop from boulder to boulder; bare ground in the summer notch saw us crawling between them. Well worth it, though.

Thanks for the memories, Jake.

Michael Petit

Portland

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