Date: 2015-08-13
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Mt. Katahdin summit
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: broken clouds

The wake-up alarm on our last day was at 3:30 am. We were packed and ready to go, and left the AT Lodge in Spartacus' truck around 4:00. We grabbed some breakfast sandwiches & coffee at Dunkin Donuts and headed up the road to Baxter Park. Baxter Park limits the number of daily car parking passes so we bought a pass last Monday at the Baxter Park Visitor Center in Millinocket. The park opens at 6:00 am and we wanted the earliest possible start, so we planned to line up outside the gate well before six. On the road to the park we started a pool on what position we would have in the line. Last year we were #6 in line. I waited until everyone else picked a number and no one took #1, so I did. I won. Ranger had plenty of time to take photos of the sunrise colors spreading across Mt. Katahdin. So when the ranger opened the gate promptly at 6:00, we were the first to enter. Once inside the park, it still took 40 min to get to Katahdin Stream Campgrounds, and we hit the Hunt Trail at about 7:00. The AT previously followed the ABOL Trail up the mountain, but an avalanche several years ago closed ABOL and the AT was rerouted to Hunt. From the campgrounds the Hunt Trail is 5.2 miles to the summit - the northern terminus of the AT. The first mile or so is pretty easy up to a footbridge over a stream. Then the incline steepens and the trail gets progressively more difficult. Eventually I had to grab trees, roots, shrubs, anything to get up and over the big rocks in the trail. About 2 1/2 miles in, most of the trees disappear, and the trail changes dramatically from a path through the woods to a rock and boulder climb. The trail winds around, up and over the boulders, and the climb becomes much more technical. and the pace of our ascent plummeted. We quickly realized (plus last year's experience) that our hiking poles would be useless and in fact get in the way. So we stowed our poles under a small bush near the first big boulder. The boulder climb continued for the next mile and the ascent slope seemed as near vertical as possible, except for a cliff. It was a series of dozens and dozens of small challenges to get up one boulder or rock ledge at a time. We needed hands & feet to use toeholds, crevices, ridges, etc. to get up and over the rocks. But every puzzle seemed to have a solution if you were strong enough. Except for about 3 places where iron re-bars were strategically anchored into the boulders. These took a lot of flexibility and strength to use. I think I had an advantage because I'm tall. It seemed to take forever, but we finally reached the mesa (or flatland) top of the boulder climb. At this point the trail leveled out and became much easier. The terrain turned into an alpine environment and the surrounding views were fantastic. Partway across the flatland the trail turned wet and we passed the Thoreau Spring named after Henry David Thoreau. About a half-mile later the slope increased somewhat and the trail crossed some stone steps and boulder fields as we climbed the last 500 ft. to the summit. When we reached the summit sign, there were maybe a dozen or so hikers there and we all took pics of each other to record the event. The weather was mostly clear, but periodically clouds blew across the top and the views were obscured. The wind was definitely chilly. We found some good 'sitting' rocks and took a few minutes to eat, drink and rest. But as the minutes passed, more and more hikers reached the top. Since we got such an early start, very few hikers had passed us - but now they were catching up. So we ate quickly and started back down the Hunt Trail. Previously I had wanted to take a different (easier) trail down (like last year) since the Hunt trail was so difficult. But I needed hiking poles for the other trail and we had hidden our poles way back on the Hunt Trail, so I was already committed to take Hunt down. We met a lot of hikers as we started down, many of them thru-hikers we had seen often over the last 5+ months. The trail down and across the tableland was easy, but then the problems started when we reached the top of the boulder section. Fortunately for me, this section wasn't as difficult to descend as I anticipated. Plus we had expert leadership from Ranger, Focus and Spartacus who scouted ahead for the best way down (often there were multiple paths - some more difficult than others). Several times Ranger had to help me find footholds and show me how to reposition to get through a tight spot. It took us just a little longer to get down as the earlier climb. The rest of the trail down seemed much easier after the tough sections above. We made it back to the truck at 2:30. Several of us suffered some minor scrapes and scratches, but no falls or bad bruises. Focus' hornet sting was about the same as when he started and Spartacus' knees were no worse than before - amazing considering the difficulty of the day's hike. Does anyone know if a previous thru-hiker with 2 metal knee replacements has completed the AT? We don't. Spartacus and his wife Janelle had very generously offered to host us for the evening at their lake house in Maine, so we piled into his truck and drove the 4 hours or so to his place. Once again Janelle cooked a fabulous dinner for us, the best we have had since we started the hike. Appetizers were cheeses, olives, sweet pickles, and salami on crackers & bread. We were joined by Spartacus' best friend Rick and his wife Penny (who hosted us for an evening earlier in the hike). Rick and Penny are both hikers and I think we all enjoyed the hiker conversation. Dinner was beef tenderloin and scallops done two ways, with salad, green beans, and stuffed butternut squash. A splendid meal for a very special occasion. Dessert was Janelle's chocolate chip cookies with ice cream. All too soon it was over and time for sleep. We couldn't have had a better summit day.