Date: 2021-06-16
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Katahdin Stream Campground (mile 5.2)
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

Left the AT Lodge just after 6. Breakfast was meager compared to my expectations - a frozen egg sandwich. Apparently the cafe has closed, but this isn't mentioned in their SOBO Special that advertises breakfast. Ole Man drove, giving tips and warnings throughout the hour-long drive, but I couldn't hear much in back. We arrived at the ranger station in Katahdin Stream Campground, loaded up daypacks borrowed from the rangers, then got another talk from Ranger Tim before he wrote out permit cards for us. Baxter Park is notoriously strict in controlling usage. I understand limits on cars and camping, but writing each prospective thruhiker a special permit we must produce on demand seems gratuitous. We have camping or parking reservations just like other visitors, who are not subject to this permit. People often warn SOBOs to plan ahead because they'll be treated like any other visitor. Nope - they have to jump through even more hoops. Baxter's thruhiker permits make sense for NOBOs, who are given special consideration because they arrive without any reservations. But SOBOs could easily pass for any normal visitor. The only difference is we walk out of Baxter rather than driving. There's an annual limit on these permits, so burning them on SOBOs is unfair in my view. Anyway, as I headed up the trail I felt out of place. I didn't feel the joy I expected at being back here. It felt like I was going through the motions for awhile. This is my fourth ascent of Katahdin so I didn't expect the thrill of the unknown, but at least some excitement at starting a long hike. I needn't have fretted. Within an hour, after sweating out a couple miles, I was happy to be here and looking forward to the journey.The climb up Katahdin was challenging, but thankfully dry. Above treeline the wind was strong, and the clouds swept briskly over the peaks. At Baxter peak the weathered sign stood sentry just as it had eight months ago when I finished my thruhike. A NOBO couple named Link and Smiles were finishing, looking very healthy and fit after 111 days on trail. Not long after, two middle-aged guys in blue shirts hiked up. Lemonade and his friend have section hiked the trail over 12 years and were finally finishing. Lemonade seemed ecstatic, like a little kid, as he high-fived and climbed up on the sign. Having done it both ways, I know how he felt. Section hiking is harder in some ways. Having the patience and persistence to carve out sometimes dozens of trips from vacation time and family time is a major challenge. It's not unusual for section hikers to take 30 years to finish. Baxter peak was windy and chilly. I threw on the fleece and wind/rainjacket. The sun came and went. After waiting a bit to see if other SOBOs were coming, I hiked towards Hamlin peak, on the western arm of Katahdin. It's a 4000-footer and on my list to complete all the 4Ks in Maine. Last year I climbed 11 of the 14 while thruhiking, often going several miles off trail to bag a peak. Hamlin makes 12. On the way I met fellow peakbaggers Tommy and Pete from the Adirondacks area, tackling New England's Hundred Highest list. After crossing paths and chatting with them several times I learned they were planning to hike a nearby range tomorrow that included North Brother. That's another 4K on my list, and the most difficult to reach. I had originally hoped to hike it while in Baxter, but had given up on it due to the distance from Katahdin, the lack of transportation, and camping restrictions. So this opportunity was too good to ignore. I asked if I might join them, and Pete graciously agreed to pick me up and take me along. We set a date for 7:30 in the morning. As I was saying in my "Why" a few days ago, an adventure is made by walking through open doors. Serendipity is not to be passed up. What are the odds I would meet someone doing exactly what I wanted to do but couldn't do on my own? The trail provides.Hamlin was interesting because it allowed me to spend more time on Katahdin's flattish Tableland, an alpine vista of angular rocks that looked like they had barely weathered, and the hardy plants, mosses, and lichen that call them home. Hamlin provides an excellent view of the north side of Baxter and Pamola peaks and the Knife Edge ridge that runs between them. With insanely steep drop-offs, it's easy to see why the main access trails come from the south.I returned to Baxter peak to find Johnny Appleseed relaxing in the rocks. He intends to hike directly out of the park today, concerned he may not have enough food to make it to Monson. Two more SOBOs joined us, one with a pin on his shoulder strap reading "Safety Meeting Officer".Johnny and I soon headed down, passing a couple of groups with young kids maneuvering down through the boulders. These kids had climbed all the way to the top. They looked to be around seven or eight. Still on the exposed boulders, we saw rain clouds moving in from the west. The shower hit while we were still exposed, the wind sending the drops almost parallel at times. There was even briefly sleet.After the rain stopped I made it down to tree line. As I descended, the sun came out and the wind dried off my jacket. It became uncomfortably warm. By the time I reached Katahdin Stream, below the waterfall, I was ready to cool off. I stripped down to my shorts and waded into a small pool in the stream's rocky bottom. The water was very brisk but refreshing. Exactly what I needed. I wondered if I could find an opportunity to swim every day in Maine. A SOBO named Kevin and his dad were climbing down. Kevin saw me dripping wet and considered the pool I pointed out, but decided against it. He and his dad had already hiked the AT trail leaving the park yesterday, so he'll be jumping into the Wilderness tomorrow. He reported a ranger had actually stopped him to see his permit yesterday. I hadn't heard of that before. The park is getting a little aggressive. It was around four when I got back to the campground and retrieved my pack. SOBO couple Melissa and Dave were there, but I didn't get too much out of them. I shared a lean-to next to Katahdin Stream with Henry, a William & Mary econ grad from DC who's done a bit of backpacking in Shenandoah, and a couple from Bellingham Washington. The very fidgety guy, trail name Joker, has hiked the PCT 3 times and the CDT twice. His girlfriend Julia, with a very relaxed personality, is attempting her first hike.Wildflower and Mando, the other couple in this morning's shuttle, came over. I built a fire with birch bark and firewood sold at the ranger station. My cold dinner was prosciutto, salami and cheese wraps, Fritos, and veggie chips. We were all very tired, and laid down as the sun set quite late.