Through-hikers on the 2,000 mile Appalachian Trail can tell you all about the Mahoosuc Range, a place to love and hate. They will tell you about the constant steep ups and downs, the rough footing, and, most of all, about Mahoosuc Notch, "the most difficult mile of the A.T.", where it can take two hours to cross a half a mile of jumbled boulders. However, this ruggedness, coupled with the range's relative remoteness and lack of visitors, make it an appealing destination for those who enjoy being off the beaten path a little bit. The 30 mile backpack along the Mahoosuc Range Trail is especially rewarding, and even the strenuous dayhikes up from the unpaved Lake Success Road have their charms.
The northern sentinel of the Mahoosucs is Old Speck, the third highest peak in Maine, towering over scenic and utterly undeveloped Grafton Notch.
In contrast to the rugged wilderness of the main crest of the Mahoosucs is the humongous Sunday River ski area in the southeast foothills of the range, which recently became Maine's answer to Vermont's mammoth Killington resort.
