Date: 2007-10-09
From: The Birches

To: KATAHDIN
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: broken clouds

The EndI woke up at 5am to pee and was so excited that I couldn't get back to sleep. The stars were still out, no wind was blowing, and a near new moon was just rising over Katahdin. I quietly grabbed all my stuff out of the Lean-to so I didn't wake anyone. I boiled water to make some hot mate and took my time getting ready. I borrowed a day pack from the ranger station so I didn't have to carry my big pack. I packed my camera, extra batteries, underquilt (for a jacket), rain gear, wind jacket, food, bourbon, and a few other items. I sat quietly in the pre dawn hours in a meditative state, reflecting on this amazing journey. When it was light enough to not need my headlight I crowed like a rooster to wake everyone up. Game on, grizzle, and singe got up and stoked the fire. I waited for Game on to get ready before I started hiking. We left the birches around 7:15 and went to leave our packs at the ranger station. Game on and I got to the info board to register for the climb. This is so rangers know that everyone made it down at night.We started up the Hunt Trail (also the AT) at 730 and walked 1m to Katahdin Stream Falls. The water in Katahdin stream was amazingly clear. I drank right from the stream! Stoneage caught up to us and we stared at the beautiful falls for a while. Another mile went by smoothly then the trail started to get steeper and steeper. I got to a few spots where I had to lift myself up with just my arms. When I got to "the cave" the trail was going nearly straight up. I got to one spot where there was some re bar drilled into the rock, almost at eye level. I had to pull my self up. I was like "holy Sh!t, is this serious". The higher up I climbed the colder it got. Rocks that the sun hadn't hit were covered in frost. We took a break when the trail flattened out a bit before the push up to the tablelands. The sky was clear below 5000ft and I could see for miles over the valley. The Autumn colors were amazing from that elevation! There was a cloud on Katahdin saddle.The climb up to the tablelands was amazing. Above tree line views straight down thousands of feet. I was the first one on the tablelands and game on, stoneage, and grizzle soon followed. We walked on the flat mountaintop for another mile and could see Baxter peak. It was foggy on top of the peak only 700ft above us. The four of us walked over the beautiful alpine mountaintop toward our goal. We got to Thoreau spring and had only one mile left. We practically took off running toward the summit. Clouds were coming in, but a ray of sunshine kept shining on us and we had clear views. I knew that ray of sun was Ken's doing!We made the final push to the summit and started screaming at the top of our lungs. There were 2 day hikers up there and a thru hiker, lifesaver, whom I never met. I got to that famous brown Katahdin sign at 11:30am. I gave it a big hug and screamed triumphantly. I bet they heard me in New Jersey! I've never screamed so loud in my life!I posed for pics in front of the sign. I ate lunch, took tons of pictures, took a short nap, and waited for the rest of the crew to show up. There was snow on the summit, almost half a inch in spots. We had no view towards the south due to clouds, but we could see well to the north. The clouds would come and go which made it more interesting to sit up there. The Knifes edge looked so intense. Some of the most jagged peaks I've ever seen. Triple deuce summited, then old yeller, then misplaced. We waited for singe and hop a long for a while. When they summited the party officially started. We passed around Bourbon that I carried and beers and kindness. We all posed together for a group photos. I put the pebble that I carried from Springer on the huge carin built at the highest point on the peak. There were tears and laughter and silence. Every emotion there is I probably felt up there.I was on the summit for over four hours. When I started to head down all the clouds blew off and I was treated to 360 degree views. It was quite a fitting way to end the hike and I said thanks to Ken out loud. The hike down was tough, but fun. I was on another planet so I feel like I floated down that mountain. I ran into Paddy-o (the guy who drove me home from VT)who was climbing to the summit. We talked for a few min about Ken then I hiked on. I got back to the ranger station and our shuttle to Millinocket was waiting. The same person who drove me from the hiker hostel in Georgia, ole man, now owns the hostel in Millinocket and is the one who picked us up. Quite a strange coincidence, the trip went full circle. We all got dinner at the AT cafe then showered and headed to the blue ox to celebrate. We went from sober to wasted in all of 30min and had an amazingly fun time celebrating.I'll post a "post hike" entry in a few days to talk a little about what this hike meant to me and other fun stuff. I will also put pics for all the days I missed so be sure to check back in a week or so! Today's StatsStarting Point:The BirchesEnding Point:KATAHDINMileage:5.2Elevation Gain:4350ftElevation Loss:140ftHiking Time:4:05Weather:Partly cloudy, warmPain Factor:3