Date: 2004-09-11
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Baxter Peak, Mt. Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: clear sky

September 11, 2004 ¢ Katahdin Stream to Baxter Peak ¢ 5.2 milesAn old family friend, Bob Johnson from Millinocket, gave Hobbes and me a ride into the park this morning. He met us at the Best Value about 7 am. It took us an hour or so to get into Baxter State Park and back to Katahdin Stream Campground. Hobbes and I checked in at the Ranger Station , picked up applications for 2000 miler certification and headed up the trail. We was Bearbag Hanger and Bluebird in the parking lot and met T a couple yards up the trail. We followed Katahdin Stream for a while, crossed the stream on a foot bridge and hiked up past the falls. It was 50 degrees when we left and I was comfortable in my shorts, t-shirt and fleece. Stopped a mile or so in to shed the fleece and didn¢t need it again all day. We got up above tree line and some handover hand climbs by 10:30 and had a snack break. Views were amazing, even there. It took another 45 minutes to climb up to the Gateway. From there you could look across the Tableland and see Baxter Peak and the Knife¢s Edge. We could hear people yelling from the summit and presumed it was the thru-hikers cheering each other as they arrived at the summit. We hiked the last 1.6 miles in a half hour and touched the sign at the summit at about 11:45. There were lots of day hikers up there and about 2 dozed thru-hikers! The 2 previous days of lousy weather meant 3 days of hikers hitting Katahdin on the same day. There was lots of cheering and congratulations exchanged and then photos. I think I¢ll have a few of me on the sign and with a few hikers and around the summit. We got one group picture with 20+ thru-hikers gathered around the sign. There were two thru-hikers who we met descending just before we reached the summit and another 4 who came up after Hobbes and I. My incomplete list for summiting September 11, 2004 is: Hobbit, Hobbes, Tapeworm, Cotton, Laura, Pablo, LWOP, Hammock Hanger, Reauchambeaux, Koi, Goldfish, Timber, Tumbleweed, Flora, Fauna, Dharma, 2cents, Bandicot, T, P, Bluebird, Bearbag Hanger, Soujourner, Mad Hatter.We hung out at the summit for over an hour. We had something to eat and visited with the other hikers. Hobbes and I had a toast with an airplane bottle of Bailey¢s. It was an amazing day. The weather and the company were great. A picture perfect day to end the trip. The atmosphere was very positive and supportive. I felt giddy after the finish. About 1 o¢clock we decided we¢d better start back down. The rock scrambles were definitely harder going down and I used the butt hold fairly often. We had a break below tree line to rest the knees. It was actually good to get out of the sun ¢ it was hot up there. It took us the same amount of time to climb and to descend Katahdin. About 3 hours and 15 minutes. We went to the Ranger Station to sign the trail register and so Hobbes could collect the gear he¢d left behind for the climb. We met two day hikers in the parking lot who had just finished their hike and asked if they could give us a lift into Millinocket. Keith and Heinrich are brothers-in-law from Contookook, New Hampshire and Switzerland, respectively. We had a very pleasant ride into town and had several great views of Katahdin. It was amazing to think, as you looked up at the mountain, that we¢d all been on top just hours ago. An imposing but very beautiful sight. I know I¢ll have to go back.Hobbes and I had dinner at the Appalachian Trail Caf© in Millinocket and waited for my brother-in-law to arrive to take us down to Southern Maine. There, with my nephews, my sister and lots of other family, I¢ll begin my transition from Hobbit back to Patty.