Date: 2013-06-10
From: Katahdin Stream Campgrounds

To: Katahdin Stream Campgrounds
Miles today: 5.2

DAY 1MILES ON AT FOR DAY= 5.2MILES TOTAL FOR DAY= 10.4Well last night was my first night sleeping in a lean-to and not in a tent, and there were nightmares. Dreamt I got dragged out by a bear because I didn't put my Chapstick in my bear bag and woke up and there I was, but no bear thank god. Aside from that we got a solid 10+ hours of sleep and started the day early! The sun was out and it was gorgeous out! First thing I went to go filter some water from the stream next to our lean-to and Dad came along to help. I stepped out onto some rocks to get a little further out into the stream, and when dad followed he slipped, and fell on me, and we both went into the freezing cold water. There was still snow up on parts of Katahdin and this was water coming down from there! Nothing like starting our first day off completely soaked, sopping shoes, and banged up shins haha. I couldn't help but laugh. What else can you do? We set off at 8am. The summit up Mt. Katahdin to Baxter Peak was beautiful, but also one of the most difficult hikes I've done yet. In my opinion harder than any trail I've done up Mt. Washington. There were even places where they put in "monkey bars" so that you're able to pull yourself up. Thank god we just had day packs. With breaks here and there we got to the top in 4 and a half hours. At the top we met a couple who will also be doing a SoBo thru-hike. They were "doodles" and "UPS". It's nice to know there are some people leaving around the same time as me and they were super nice. We also met a 74 year old man who was on his 488th summit up Katahdin. He had 12 more to go and then he will have set the record. Incredible. After slapping the sign and meeting some new people it was time to OFFICIALLY begin my SoBo thru-hike on the AT! We had wanted to also hike on to knifes edge (another amazing trail on Katahdin) but we just wouldn't have enough time and didn't want to exhaust ourselves. I plan to do that trail next summer when I don't have 5 months worth of hiking ahead of me! On the way down we met some more hikers attempting to do a SoBo thru-hike. Their names were "chef" and the other was just Matt. "Chef" was a Virginia boy who had attempted some NoBo thru-hikes before but because of certain circumstances couldn't finish. I asked if he would just hike SoBo until he reached the point where he had last finished and he replied with, "well might just walk through to Georgia cuz no reason not to." Love the spirit haha! Sure ill see more of them along the trail as well. Again nice to know I'm not alone after my Dad leaves after the 100-mile wilderness.It took us about 3 and a half hours to get down and by the end I was ready to be down. My toes were jamming into my shoes from all the steep downhill. We had some awesome bangers and mash freeze dried food (first time having freeze dried food and I was impressed) and got to soak our feet in the stream (same one that we fell in earlier). Our new neighbors, Marty and Jan, in the lean-to next to us came over to ask about the conditions of the trail and then asked if we were thru-hiking (apparently could tell by all our gear and no car). When I told them I was they were ecstatic, gave me their info, and insisted that when I head through the presidential ranges in NH that I must call them. If not for a shower and a place to stay, AT LEAST for them I bring me cookies. I will certainly be calling them My first sign of trail angels (strangers who help you along the trail)! Tomorrow we head into the 100-mile wilderness. It is pretty certain to rain so that'll be the first of that experience but so ready to start taking on more of the trail Cheers!