Date: 2014-10-01
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Baxter Peak
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I set the alarm for 5:30 so we'd have time for hot coffee and breakfast of coffee cake before an early start up the mountain. Other hikers came by, including Catfish and Old Blue, who remembered me from Virginia. I said I was sorry about I his brother (the hiker who died in Matt's Creek Shelter near the James River) and told Old Blue about my conversation with him. He said his brother had died that night and that I should not feel bad about not doing more. Others had offered help, and his brother had refused. The cause of death was internal bleeding due to colonic diverticuli. He had evidently had a stomach bug and seemed to be getting better -- eating and drinking water -- so Old Blue felt it was okay to leave. I said I had worried about him and how he must have felt. He said it was hard knowing he had left his brother to die, but he had come to realize that his brother had made his choices in refusing help, and that he had died on the trail, a place he loved. Old Blue was carrying some of his ashes to leave at the summit.Hopper and Bismark stopped to chat on their way by, and we speculated about the weather. We seemed to be in the bottom of the clouds and wondered if they would burn off. They left about 7:15, and we got underway at 7:30. The campground is at 1106', and the summit at 5268', so we knew we had a steep 5.2 miles ahead of us. After the side trail to Katahdin Stream Falls, we began to encounter tricky rock formations, and we slowed down considerably. Two women, probably about my age, were also on the trail. One seemed to have no problems, but the other found the climbing difficult, as did Debbie. Turns out Debbie had not had breakfast, and she has low blood pressure, both of which contributed to shortness of breath. Also, I speculated that she lives at sea level, and as we got higher, the altitude may have been an issue. We made pretty slow progress, especially as we got above tree line. We were in the cloud, and the rocks were wet. Some spots had rebar to help navigate particularly high ascents where there was no alternative but straight up. I loved it, and so did Lee. She was really good in guiding Debbie, who had not had this sort of climbing experience. Bam held back to offer help on a couple of the trickier spots. Journeymen insisted on taking up the rear to be sure everyone was okay. He also was savoring the hike in a special way. He had Barbara's ashes with him, and he viewed the mountain as sacred space. He did not want to use his poles, because he did not want to mar the sacredness, just as he had never harmed Barbara. Beautiful man.At a flatter area before the final climb to The Tableland, Debbie said she would wait for us to summit and come back. She felt she was holding us back and wanted us to be able to make it to the top before it got too late. I was sorry she would not be able to experience the summit, but she assured us she would be fine, so we went on. Not too long after that, after more rock scrambling, we rose above the clouds into a glorious early afternoon. Sunshine, little wind, and warm. What a surprise, and how lovely. We could see people on the summit over a mile away, and the trail was rocky but easy. We met Catfish and Old Blue coming down, and then Hopper and Bismark. All were hoping to make the shuttle to Millinocket.The summit was still full of people. Bliss and Dory, Rambler and Bottle Cap, Bam, three thru-hikers whose names I can't remember, and a number of day hikers. There were bottles of champaign and general joy. Lee presented me with a small bottle of single malt Scotch. I sipped some and saved the rest for after the descent. Lots of picture taking at the sign. We could not see below the clouds, so it felt like a special and very magical world. The famous Knife Edge stood out as a challenge, which I shall leave for another day, if ever. Bam did go down that way, but I suspected his long legs would make quick work of it. Because he would be camping on the other side, he had come up with his full pack.Journeymen decided he would spread the remains of Barbara's ashes from atop the summit sign. He and Lee had agreed that she would do the committal part of the Episcopal burial office, which she had on her phone. He got up on the sign and told everyone what he was doing and spoke about Barbara and his love for her. As Lee read the service, she invited people to join in saying the Lord's Prayer, and several did. Journeymen sent the ashes into the breeze as she finished the prayer. A very powerful moment. Many of us had tears in our eyes, and many thanked him for sharing his letting-go with us all.We spent nearly 45 minutes at the summit before heading down to find Debbie. I had brought a patch from Mel "Two Eagles" Jellison, whom I had met in Pawling and told I would carry it with me, and an AT sticker for Kentucky. I had Lee take pictures of me with each. On the way along The Tableland, Lee found an iPhone, which we thought was Dory's. She was a bit ahead, but we caught her and gave it to her. Needless to say, she was delighted.Poor Debbie had not seen the sun the whole time she was waiting for us (maybe three hours). She had talked with Hopper and Bismark and fortunately had something to read. We made our way back down the rocks slowly, Lee coaching Debbie on the tough spots and Journeymen bringing up the rear. Being in the cloud again meant it was chillier and wetter. We made it below tree line before dark, but eventually, we had to don headlamps. Debbie's was pretty dim, and she took a couple of falls, one that banged up her leg. Lee traded with her, and I led the way, with Lee following closely, then Debbie, then Journeymen. I sensed they were having a good conversation, and I suspect it helped Debbie with her uneasiness about the whole situation. We got to the sign-in spot sometime after 8 and signed out so the rangers would know we had made it down. Not long after, we did encounter a ranger, who asked if we had seen a woman in her sixties. She had headed up in the afternoon and was intending to go over the Knife Edge, but she had not arrived at the campground on the other side. None of us could be sure, since we had seen a number of people, particularly on the summit. I thought I would have noticed someone close to my age who was alone, but I didn't remember seeing her.When we got back to the campsite, Debbie said she was going to leave and find a place to stay in Millinocket. She had a good gash on her shin, and it was probably wise to get it cleaned up. She said she had been stretched to her limits today, something I know is pretty unusual for Debbie. I was so touched that she had come to be part of my hike and that she made it as far as she did. An incredible friend. I am as proud of her effort today as I am of the thrus who finished 2,185 miles.Lee and Journeymen and I broke out the food and went to one of the little pavilions. We ate an odd assortment of stuff and drank celebratory beers, but we were all pretty pooped and did not last long before retiring to our tents.