It's That Time

Many places have four seasons—did you know that New England has 5?

It's called Mud Season and it coincides with the spring season.

New England's 5th season is Mud Season

One day there might be several inches of snow and the next day it's sunny and 50℉. These weather and temperature swings combine to create this 5th season in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.  

Maybe you're wondering if Mud Season is a really big deal. If you live in New England, it's a way of life for several weeks as venturing out on unpaved roads by foot or auto is a slushy mess. It's worse on hiking trails, and there's a lot of those in the White Mountains of NH and the Green Mountains of VT.

A hiking trail in Mud Season: online source

Think of it like an extended thaw because that's what Mud Season is—the time between winter and spring when the combination of snow, rain, and melt produces very wet ground conditions  which leads to mud. The exact time period is weather-dependent, but it usually starts around the snowmelt in late March (now) or early April. 

What Causes It? When snow melts and spring rains start, the ground can only hold so much

water. Varying temperatures result in a slow thaw. Lower ground levels stay frozen longer and prevent water from draining, so it gets trapped at surface level.

Walking in mud: online source

Warm days the past couple of weeks have led to sloppy conditions on many trails in Mine Falls Park in Nashua, NH, where we have enjoyed hiking. Trail use is limited in many spots, caution is advised. Whenever there's a muddy trail, it's best to find another spot to hike; walking in mud is never an enjoyable experience. 

On hiking trails, deep wide mud puddles often take up entire sections. Walking around muddy areas or walking on the edges of trails tramples vegetation, widens the trail, and causes more damage to both the trail and the environment.

Oversaturated trails are vulnerable to damage from soil compaction and erosion. Water erosion and wind carry soil away leaving rocks and roots exposed; soil compaction degrades the trail by reducing its ability to absorb water, causing more flooding. It's become such an issue that some state forest trails close for a while in Mud Season.

When does Mud Season End? Sometime in mid-May to early June when stronger sunlight starts to dry things out. Mud Season usually ends around Memorial Day, which seems like a long time. It's not an exact timeframe due to climate change. 

Some New England cars during Mud Season

If walking in Mud Season is an experience, driving in it is more so. It's been compared to driving in snow where slow and steady is best. Driving through mud results in a very dirty car at best and, at worst, the car could veer off the road. Most likely, there's as many happy car wash owners during Mud Season as during winter. 

The L.L. Bean Maine Boot is available in many styles

Mud Season is when a iconic New England fashion comes into use—the easily recognized boot which was created by Leon Leonwood (L.L.) Bean to solve the problem of soggy boots. In 1912, Bean designed

Leon Leonwood Bean

 a boot based on the comfort and flexibility of a leather upper plus the durability of a rubber-soled work boot. The goal was to keep his feet warm and dry when hunting in western Maine. 

Setting up shop in his brother’s basement, he manufactured 100 pairs of a Maine Hunting Shoe and promoted it in a mailer sent to out-of-state sportsmen. Bean was so sure of his product that he offered a 100% satisfaction guarantee. While this was a good marketing concept, unsatisfied customers took him up on the offer and 90 pairs were returned. 

The problem was that despite Bean's innovative design, the single-line stitching tore through the rubber and separated completely from the leather upper. 

A man of his word, Bean issued refunds and borrowed money from his family to redesign the boot with a more durable rubber. It was reinforced by triple-line stitching to ensure the rubber and leather would not separate. The triple-line stitch is still a signature of the L.L.Bean Boot.

Babe Ruth letter to L.L. Bean

Over the years, Bean’s reputation for quality and customer care grew. He received letters and photos from outdoorsmen and women countrywide. One loyal customer was baseball great, Babe Ruth, who wrote his own letter of appreciation in 1934.

The Bean boot (Maine Hunting Shoe, Bean Boot or Duck Boot) is one of the most recognizable pieces of footwear in American outdoors history. The 8-inch, unlined tan boot is so popular that several years ago there was a nationwide shortage. 

In addition to the triple stitching, another feature that has never changed is the signature rubber sole. For many, this alone makes it an outdoor must-have during Mud Season when the boot does what Bean designed it to do—keeps feet dry.  

Now, after all this about Mud Season and Bean boots, you might wonder if we have a pair. The answer is No. There's an L.L. Bean outlet store in Nashua, NH, where we tried them, and didn't find them very comfortable. 

Triple stitched, rubber soled 8-inch tan Bean Boot