Date: 2016-08-23
From: Abol Pines CG

To: Mt. Katahdin/Northern Terminus AT
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We ended up getting an early start. We were on trail by 5:30. It wasn't raining and we looked at each other and said 'let's finish this thing' . So we headed out and hit the trail.I would say that the tread would finally qualify as easy as we pushed toward the base of Katahdin. It was lovely too, with soft pines, river walking and beautiful lakes.We did a true river ford also; I believe it was the first of this entire trip as we have been able to rock hop the other waterways that were bridgeless. This time we just stepped in; the water rising to a little over mid thigh on me.We made it to the rangers station by 10am. The office was closed but we signed the register, looked for hikers we knew that had finished and transferred some essential items into day packs that the park provided.About the time we were ready to leave the rangers showed up, so we had to fill out some forms and get our passes to climb Katahdin. The cut off time for starting your hike up the mountain is 11 AM. So we were anxious to get going. We headed over to the trail head. We signed the register there at 11am. We had 5.2 miles and 4100 feet of elevation gain to the summit.The trail started out very smoothly and sweetly but picked up rocks and roots of evil as it went along. Then it was back to boulders that were increasingly difficult to get up. All the while we were still in the forest. About halfway up we broke out into the open. You could see tiers of huge boulders like the spines on the back of a dinosaur rising ever upward to what looked like the summit. This would turn out to be a false summit however.   And before us going forward and surging back towards us were lines of people. The early starting hikers were on the return trip. Many of which were fellow thruhikers. The white blazes on the boulders took creative turns. We reached a point where there were single (rebar) metal rungs anchored into the boulders. It was at this point that quite a few, usually older day hikers were wisely turning back. You would have to pull yourself up and through several tight spaces from here on up. We at last reached the 'false summit ' I mentioned.   From there it was along a fairly flat but rock strewn stretch for a bit. Then another climb and we were there! It was getting late and I was a bit worried that everyone would have left the summit and we would have no one I could ask to take our picture. But thankfully there were still a few left. When I told them we had started our hike in Georgia and we're ending it here today on Katahdin they were more than happy to assist us.We sat and relaxed for a while, shared a Team Tyler victory hug and then started back down the mountain. Will quoted Yogi Berra back when we were home in July,saying it ain't over til it's over. Well, for the last 400 miles we kept hearing 'you're almost there'. Today we ARE there. We are done! And it feels wonderful. After experiencing today's hike, and thinking about it I feel strongly that climbing Katahdin is the perfect ending for this journey. It was both difficult and beautiful.Thanks for following along on the roller coaster ride that has been Will and Road Runner hiking the AT. .Road Runner P.S. we decided that both of us should write about our final day so keep reading to see what Will has to say.The sky was dark blue. It was a perfect day to summit Katahdin. We put the 10 miles from Abol bridge to Katahdin Stream CG behind us and started climbing through the woods. My legs were heavy and I was dragging as the trail got steeper. We climbed over and around big boulders. After about 2 1/2 miles and 2000 feet of elevation gain, we stopped for a short break. The tedium of the climb was getting to me and I was ready to be done. Hiking 2188 miles had taken their toll. Our rest over, we broke above tree line and then just like that BAM!!! everything changed. We climbed and scrambled over huge boulders using all 4 of our limbs. My heart was pounding as the intensity of the climb shifted dramatically shaking me from my doldrums and fatigue. What magnificent views. Blue skies and deep blue lakes for miles and miles; untrammeled forest for as far as the eye could see.I had to stop and take it all in. I wasn't expecting this. It was a masterpiece. A grand finale. What a way to end a grueling hike. I was totally blown away. As the terrain steepened and we climbed up to the false summit. I kept thinking to myself. 'This is PERFECT'. A perfect ending. Out of all of our hikes, this had to be the most compelling end to a journey. This was the ultimate finish. A perfect 10.We climbed up the false summit. From there I could see the hikers in a long line on the plateau that lead to the summit. We were the latest in a long list, including Thoreau, making a pilgrimage to the summit. It was here at 'Ktaadn' that Thoreau had an experience of the wild and sublime that would forever change the way he saw the world. As I hiked over the plateau, the wind picked up but I was comfortable in a short sleeve shirt. I had time to reflect. What was it about these mountains: Denali, Rainier, Whitney, Katahdin that they elicit such depth of feeling? That they could transport me into magical, enchanting, mythological realms of consciousness. We eventually reached the summit. We stood on sacred ground. We were enshrouded in the mysterious presence of the sacred. We had hiked 2190 miles. In the end, it was perfect. Will