Date: 2004-08-07
From: Rainbow Lake

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 26.3
Weather: light rain

Around five oclock I started to feel occasional raindrops, just enough to wake me up. I didnt feel like putting my tarp up so I packed my sleeping bag up, put my clothes on and went back to sleep using my pack as a pillow and my poncho as a blanket. If only I'd thought of this earlier.I got up a little early this morning, as I was hoping to catch the sunrise over Rainbow Lake. Unfortunately the trail avoided the shore of the lake and I couldnt really see much of it. The only real view of the morning was on Rainbow ledges, but the blueberries and rain were distracting me.I got to Abol Bridge at around nine oclock, just as the rain was breaking to reveal a clear blue sky. I stopped in to purchase something in celibration of my crossing the 100 mile non-wilderness. I left the campstore pumped with adreniline. I was so excited to be this close to the end, with the Mountian that had been my goal for so long finally looming in front of me.The trail followed along a series of plesent rivers and wild streams, and then past a few small grassy ponds on the way to Katahdin stream campground. I moved quickly through the campground and started my climb at around 1:30, a little late to be starting up Katahdin but I was to excited to cut my day short.I moved up the mountian quickly and easily. Once the trail hit treeline it transformed into a steep jungle of massive rocks and scrambling reminisent of the Mahoosucs. I was having a blast playing in this jungle-jim, jumping, climbing, crawling, etc. There were a few times that a group of dayhikers got in my way, but as I was above treeline and the views were outclassed by anything I had seen so far except the White Mountians I had no problems stopping and waiting as the scrambled down past me.All two soon I topped out on the tablelands, but this was a wonderland in itself. I hadn't seen anything like it on the AT the whole year. A massive plain of Alpine tundra shouldering off of the peak. Surrounding the table land were side ridges with tooth-like rocky peaks rising up from the lakes below. As I got closer I could just make out the famous sign marking the northern terminus. When I got to the top I didn't know what to do. There was one other guy on the peak and he looked at we strangely as I put my hands on the sign and rested my head on the letters KATAHDIN. He asked what trail I had come up and I replied "the AT". He looked at me quizickly and I added "The Hunt trail." "Thats a nice one""Yep"I asked him to take a picture and sat down to marvel at the other side of the peak, a massive Gulf surrounded on all sides by a sheer cliff, complete with a saphire lake set perfectly in the basin bellow. I hovered around the top of the mountian, wandering around for about half an hour as other hikers came and went. The peak was surrounded by isolated storms on all sides, and they seemed to be growing so I started down at around four.The climb down was even more fun than the climb up, as it was more of a challange and the intensifying wind, cooling air, and lack of people made the place feel more wild and almost like the wilderness peak it once was. I reached the bottom far too quickly. I paused for a bit to admire Katahdin stream falls and then walked the last mile to the campgound, and off the AT for the last time.I made a quick stop to sign in at the ranger station and say hi to a few other thru-hikers at the birches who were planning on summiting tomarrow. I wasn't to confident that I would be able to get a lift this late, but the first car to drive by picked me up, a wilderness photographer with a yellow pickup. I love hitching in Maine.The rain had returned in earnest, and the clouds covered the sky when he dropped me off in Millinoket. I got a quick bite to eat and, exausted from my early start, got a room in the AT lodge. I can't believe I am actually finished. It hasn't actually had time yet to sink in. Too tired to ponder it now. I'm going to sleep.