Date: 2014-08-15
From: Millinocket, Me. - AT Lodge

To: Mt Katahdin and back!
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 157. I woke up early in anticipation of my hike up to the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail...KATAHDIN!! I went to the Appalachian Trail Cafe for a hardy breakfast and it was beautiful outside! Not a cloud to be seen! Thank you Lord! We all loaded into the shuttle van. 10 of us! Ole' Man drove us to Baxter State Park Ranger Station where we signed in and start hiking. I registered as Thru Hiker #224 for this year. My emotions were all over the place as I hiked up the mountain. I couldn't control my pace and started going faster up the trail! Finally I told myself to slowdown and enjoy the moment. It worked and as I got up higher I stopped to look around and take pictures. Grasshopper passed me and a few others did too. It was really beautiful! Perfect weather on this last day of my hike...on Katahdin! I got choked up many times today and was very happy too! It was an emotional rollercoaster, much like the trail, ups and downs, but mostly ups! As I approached the summit, Grasshopper was waiting. We approached the sign and there were about 20 people on and around it. We walked closer and I just yelled out cheers, hoots, hollars, roars, words of excitement and it was really loud! It got everyone's attention and they cheered and moved off the sign. I climbed up onto the Katahdin sign and was joined by Grasshopper. Photos soon followed. Someone called all Thru Hikers to the sign for a group photo. I recommended 4 people in front hold up fingers to read 2014. Awesome pics! I celebrated with some Monson Whiskey and passed it around. I then sat on the ground behind where the sign is by a rock and just relished the moment. This was the same spot I sat with my friend Pat when we day hiked Katahdin in the late 80's. Wind Screen congratulated me and we sat there enjoying the view and all the people finishing. I must have stayed there an hour and realized Grasshopper and Mosey had left and I still had 15 miles to hike. I took off leaving the Mountain that I spent so long trying to get to. The hike up and down Katahdin on the AT is quite treacherous. Lots of free climbing and sliding. I made it to the bottom and signed out at 1:30 PM. I had signed in at 7:45AM. I continued south on the AT for 10 more miles, real easy miles though, and did those miles in about 3 hrs 15 minutes. The Nesowadnehunk river was flooded though and there are two fords to make. I was advised that someone got swept downstream at the ford due to flooding, so take the high water bypass. This was difficult for me because I had followed only White Blazes until this point and the bypass is a blue blaze. All NOBOs I passed on the trail to here recommended the bypass. I took their advice as I was alone. Soon Abol Bridge came into view and I saw Grasshopper getting a ride by the rafting truck. He waved as they passed. Full truck. I waited about 15 minutes and hitched a ride. Now this is a dirt road that connects to other roads to get back to Millinocket. An 89 yoa gentleman and his dog, Benny, gave me a ride the whole way. This man was there in 1948 When the very first person, Earl Schaffer, who thru hiked the AT was making the final climb. He said hardly anyone was there other than a couple of newspaper reporters and a few others. No one knew what the AT was then. I was dropped off right at the AT Lodge.