Date: 2009-09-28
From: Wadleigh Stream Lean-To

To: Hurd Brook Lean-To
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: overcast clouds

September 28 --It had rained heavily throughout the night and I was surprised to see no noticable difference in the stream level. I was slow in getting started in the dripping woods, it was difficult to tell if the rain had stopped. The excitement of opening the final map was upon me. Map 1, of the 7 ME set, was now active, the text in the upper left corner of the elevation profile section read, "Distance to Katahdin 40.8 miles", which, of course, was the distance to Baxter Peak, the summit, the end of the journey, happy/sad. The right end of the elevation profile was scary to study, the right edge scale had been extended several inches to show the 5267' peak, "KATAHDIN" was in 5/16" font by far the largest on the entire map set and the slope of the climb near Hunt Spur was nearly vertical. But the end was in sight, with 2 more nights in the woods. The pack was now lighter and roomier, even with 40+m to go, it was difficult not to think of the final climb. I packed up, it was damp, but not raining and soon I was breathing hard up Nesuntabunt Mtn, a sneaky steep ~700' climb with views overlooking Nahmakanta Lake and possibly of Mt Katahdin, 16 air miles away. I stood at the summit for ~10 minutes, as the foggy, clouds blew offering intermittent local views, but no luck on the distant horizon, Mt Katahdin remained veiled in heavy clouds even though blue sky and puffy clouds prevailed in the west, the sun illuminating bright foliage. The climb back down to the flat land was pleasant and the trail eventually reached the shore of Rainbow Lake, pretty, but miles of rooty path, endless, in the afternoon sun. Soon I reached the Rainbow Ledges which advertised "Views of Katahdin", and I hurried as the late sun was setting, just before 18:00. Finally as I peaked the second hump on the map, there was an opening, a clear view of what I had only imagined all this time and for all these miles, Mt Katahdin, massive in the soft late day light, wide, flat topped, crowned with a thin soft cloud, its exposed rock walls clearly visible, appearing more like a volcano with the top missing than the distinct peaked mountain that I had imagined. I stood in awe, snapping photos risking my camera battery, and using the map I guessed 10 miles distance which made the mountain larger than I could believe. The light was fading quickly and I had to force myself to leave for the Hurd Brook Lean-To ~2m away, and soon my headlamp was on and I was crossing the brook, easily stepping on the large rocks that dotted the busy water and continued past the opposite side which is where I lost my balance and tipped to the right breaking my slow fall with a forearm against a tree, paining my shoulder, but mostly annoying me to say, "That's the last fall!" The lean-to was just yards ahead where again I found Many Names, et al, and I set up the tent behind the lean-to, squeezing between a large rock and a relocated rotting log, and settled in, prepaing for an early start in the morning. The final night in the woods had some rules, the Birches Campsite in Baxter State Park cost $10 cash and only held 12, one night only. There were at least six of "us" here and who knows who else where, so I was concerned of a squeeze of some type even though it was ~13m, the sooner I arrived, the smarter.