Date: 2014-09-14
To: Thoreau Spring
Miles today: 4.2

1st Summit AttemptKatahdin Stream Campground mile 2180.1 - Thoreau Spring mile 2184.34.2 miles1 mile to go!The rain had finished her chores before dawn & the wind appeared to be moving the clouds along well. I packed up, even washed my hair in the chilly morning air, and waited near the parking lot for my 2 friends joining me for the summit. Many hikers, thru & day, had already started their walk as the guidelines are to start no later than 10 am in September since for many, the hike takes 8-12 hrs. My friends arrive but the cloud over Katahdin has not budged in spite of the sun shining below. See pic. We wait, hoping for evidence that it will begin to clear. The cloud lifted slightly and off we go @ 9:00 am. (See pic)The trail starts w/ a gradual slope up through the birch, fir, spruce forest, then increases its steepness as it nears Katahdin stream. They are astonished by the clarity of the water. They get to meet the nice group of ladies I mentioned yesterday(they are hiking up owl Mtn.). We continue up, cross the bridge over the stream, stop at Katahdin falls, (see pic) snapping photos as we progress. The steepness increases, as do the number of rounded rocks in & around the path. Soon, we are finagling around them, my friends doing so impressively well. We continue, still unable to see the mountains above, but remain ever hopeful. We begin to cross paths w/ those descending, many of which stopped at tree line due to the weather. On we press, beginning to wonder what we are in for as the air begins to chill. We hit tree line and the gusting, icy wind hit us full force, such that we hunkered below the first huge rock to don our extra layers. Onward we press, amazed that we are supposed to climb where the white blazes are directing us. No signature MATC stairs in sight! The mountain is in a cloud, the wind swirling the whiteout all around. Onward we press, unable to see 50 feet in front of us (sometimes because of the size of the boulders). We are amazed and enthralled w/ the large tumbled boulders the trail is weaving us through and up. This is a boulder field of boulder fields! I had had fun in the Mahoosic notch. What could be more difficult? Oh - Katahdin of course!!! The rocks are slightly slippery from the clouds misty condensation making any friction or grip helpful in climbing at a minimum w/ mittens on. Onward we press. Are you taking note of how good these friends of mine are? I decide to name them Ibex(see pic) & Pace car (see pic) . If I think this audacious tumble of boulders is the most difficult climb of the entire trail (particularly in icy cold, gusting whiteout conditions, what are they thinking!!!?I got to see several thru-hikers that I had leap frogged w/, Aquaman n Trix (see pic), T & Gia, Flat, Totallini & her father Paul, Cropdust & Marathon as they were descending after a successful summit. They advised conditions had improved some at the top. Onward we press.We finally reach the end of the boulder field to a stretch of the trail called the table lands, a flat, suspected expansive field of the mountain grasses and bushes, strewn w/ some boulders. The visibility was limited, wind howling. The trail was well confined by string fence to minimize foot traffic damage on the fragile alpine plants. Ibex & I reach Thoreau Spring & await for pace car to arrive. There in a distance, I see her silhouette moving through the cloud. (See pic) I decided then, this was not how my thru-hike should end. Now, can you imagine what good friends these are? We have lunch at the spring and return to the car. Yes, just like that, no time flat We arrived to the car @ 7pm. Dinner was at Rivers Edge Restaurant, which seemed in the middle of nowhere (Maine is really dark at night!) & what a treat it was! I of course indulged & ordered The Baxter Peak Mac n Cheese w/ lobsta! see pic. So, a plan not yet in place for tomorrow, all for now.Red Robin