Date: 2018-10-10
From: Katahdin Stream Campground 

To: Mt. Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2

Mt. Katahdin, October 10https://youtu.be/9rLbFOmurCYWe woke right on time with rain pelting our respective shelters - an ominous sign of conditions at higher elevations. The forecast for the next several days was for more rain with ice and snow on the mountain so waiting for weather to improve was not an option. After eating we donned our rain gear and packed only what was needed for the day. Then we stuffed the rest of our gear into Peters car and hiked up the trail together for the last time. The forest and leaves were beautiful dispite the rain. We stopped beside a scenic waterfall where Peter left us and returned to the campground: he would pick us up later after we decended on another trail. Peter and his wife Marsha are former thru-hikers and have climbed Katahdin several times. Their help and knowledge of the area greatly eased our finish and eventual return to civilization. Huge thanks to Marsha and Peter: Amigos 6 and 7!Near tree line the trail turned steeper, eventually becoming an almost vertical climb where we helped each other up, over, and between massive wet boulders. The wind increased markedly when we passed the last stunted trees and the sound of it whipping our rain gear made it imposible to hear each other. Soon the enveloping cloud and driving rain made it hard to see. After a few hours amongst the boulders things leveled out a bit but 50mph gusts and loose wet rocks underfoot made it difficult to walk. All in a days work for this group of grizzled trail veterans. After so many months on the trail we all had a pretty good idea when the iconic sign marking the summit would appear through the fog. As we got close I dropped back to let Bunny and Easy walk together while Bear and Sassy kept a few hundred feet behind me. I'd imagined this moment so many times over the years - and practically every day since February. Often my eyes would well up just thinking about it so I presumed I'd be an emotional mess but that didn't happen. Instead I walked with a huge smile on my face, immensely proud and satisfied. I spotted the sign just as Bunny and Easy reached it. Then, with 20 feet to go, a huge gust of wind came up and knocked me off balance to remind me who was boss. I fell backwards and landed in sitting position on a flat rock: another humble moment to reflect...then pick myself up and continue. We took turns touching the sign and posing for pictures on and around it. Then, with temperatures dropping and a long hike down, it was time to go. We had decided to take the Abol trail down rather than the AT (we, after all, we're through with that one). We knew it would be tough going and it certainly was. Much of the route was insanely steep and slippery. Fatigue, rain, increasing winds, and cold added to our difficulties. It took what seemed like forever but dispite some dangerous and tense moments we eventually made our way back below tree line where our struggles were rewarded with a magnificent display of golden foliage. An absolutely perfect ending to one last magical day on the trail. Peter hiked in a bit to lead us back to his 5 passenger SUV where the 6 of us and all of our gear squeezed in for the ride to Millinocket. We thought we had bunks reserved at a hostel there but when we arrived it was full. Cold and tired we resigned ourselves to staying in private rooms at a nice hotel where we got cleaned up then headed out for a celebratory dinner. Yay us!