Date: 2019-08-23
From: The Birches/Big Moose Inn Cabin

To: Katahdin Summit
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 159Tonight it is over!!! I summited Mount Katahdin and I am staying in a cabin with my wife, Jinny, two daughters, Lisa and Tricia, and two of my grandsons, Jake and Roger. What a relief it is knowing that I don;t have to sleep on the ground and get up and walk tomorrow. As challenging and beautiful the trail was five months is along time to be away from everyone sleeping on the ground. Ok lets start at the beginning of August 23. FIrst off my two daughters and two grandsons were going to summit withme. The Baxter State Park doesn't open its gates till 6am so we had to get up at 4:30 have a quick breakfast pack and started the 30 minute drive to Baxter. Now you need an entrance permit to drive in and we did not have one, but at 7am you can purchase one if there is any room left.  So we waited till 7 and when we were applying for the pass they found out that we had the 2 dogs in the truck. You are not allowed to take dogs into the park so the five of us got out and started walking the eight miles to Katahdin Streams and start the climb. Fortunately, a truck came by and picked us up (it was the first experience they boys had at hitch hiking ever!), but he was only going to Abol Campground, which is 3.2 miles from where we needed to start. (We climbed into the bed of the truck, which is another first for the boys riding in the bed of a pickup truck for miles).Once we arrived at Abol we climbed out said our thank you for the ride and began our walk again. We did have to walk the entire 3.2 miles to Katahdin Stream. One we got there we rested up a little while then started the climb.  The Ranger told us that the bridge over the stream had washed out and there was a reroute around the stream. We took the real route and rock hoped over the stream, not too bad but then the real climbing began. The two boys and me did OK the 2 daughters were struggling a little bit and it took us 2 hours to cover 1.5 miles.  At that pace it would be too long to summit so the boys and me started going on. Mount Katahdin was by tar the most difficult climb of the entire trip, but also one of the most beautiful climbs (I wonder if it had to do with the the fact that you could not have asked for a better weather day. Clear skies as far as you could see, a nice breeze and cool temps)I have done r=during the entire trip. Climbing up house sized boulders, using re-bar rungs they drilled into the rock, and squeezing between two rocks one foot apart were just some of the more difficult parts of the accent. We were a little time restricted because of the late start we got but I needed to summit today. Well the three of us continued on and finally reached the top by 12:45. My what a feeling that was seeing the sign get closer and closer, then there it was. I just can not put into words how I felt just all of the different feelings all at the same time.  The views from the top were really stunning. It was an absolutely beautiful day, a little windy, but the visibility was unlimited.  We stayed at the top for maybe 20 minutes just looking around then started down.  We went up and down the Hunt trail. Coming down was much easier and only 3.5 hours. When we got back to Katahdin Stream there was my wife and 2 daughters waiting for us.  Everyone did make it down safely (well almost, my children tell the story of how Grumper did summer saults after taking the picture at the sign down the mountain) During the 2,189.2 mile trip, I had a lot of time to think and reflect on life.  The 5 months and 5 days it took for the walk I saw many beautiful sights but I am glad it is over. I am glad I did it and there is no place like home.