Date: 2003-10-04
From: Katahdin

To: Mt. Katahdin!
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I DID IT!!! I made it to the promised land of Katahdin! So here is the whole story. After the mountain was closed on Friday we all decided to go into town to warm up and get a hotel room. So I was in town, drying my gear, getting clean and believing the mountain might be closed for the season. But I fixed my pack up for the summit. which entailed dumping all my heavy gear at the hotel and just carrying food, water, camera, and extra clothing. We decided to meet and leave for the park by 5 a.m. the next morning, so there I was on the eve of another possible summit. It seemed a bit far out. Next thing I knew I was in the car in the dark cold of the morning headed for Baxter Park. 45 minutes later we exited our microclimate to the cool reality of the day. It was just the break of dawn when I signed my name on the clipboard to hit the trail, 6:40 a.m. The park requires you to sign in and out so they know you are off the mountain. Before me lay about 3 miles in the trees and 2.5 above the tree line to the peak. The rating on the mountain for the day was a class 3, some trails closed climbing above tree line not recommended, but away I went with a cautious smile on my face. Moonshadow and I decided to stick together to the top, which I appreciated so much later in the hike. Hiking in the trees was fine. Right before we popped out of them we stopped and put on more layers. I had 4 on top and 3 on the bottom. We continued on, and the rocks just got unbelievable, like they want me to go where? I had to heave myself up and over, crawling over some of the icy rocks. At one point I slipped a bit and realized that slipping much further would put me over the edge of the mountain. I broke and wondered what I was thinking climbing this mountain in winds 60-70 miles an hour, ice, snow, and poor visibility. Was this choice going to cost too great a price? We continued on, pulled by the sign at the top, thinking not only should I keep going, but I have to get myself back down this mountain after getting up there. We finally got over all those stupid rocks and got to the tablelands, a flat part before the peak. The wind sounded like huge waves from the ocean. My hood was just flapping back and forth, and the wind threatened to blow me off the face of the earth. I felt as if I were climbing Mt Everest. I wasn't turning back now, too far--keep going! Some of the snowdrifts were knee deep and the rocks were glazed with ice. I finally saw silhouettes of people ahead stopped, then the sign. I was almost there, just 10 more yards!! The tears started pouring. I had done it--overcome the fear and pushed to the top of this crazy mountain! I tried to take pictures with my digital camera, but it was too moist and cold, and it wouldn't work. No problem--I had a backup disposable one. Snap, snap, and I was on my way down; it was too cold to hang out on top. Chemo ended up coming down behind me and we helped each other stay on the trail. It was a real possibility to just walk off and lose the trail. He stayed with me the whole way down, thank goodness! It was really nice to have the support of other hikers. After we got over the tablelands and started heading down, I found it to be easier, maybe because I knew I had done it and because I knew what was ahead. The snow was flying off some of the rocks and pelting us, and some kind of precipitation was coming out of the sky. Later below tree line it was raining, but it didn't matter--I was on cloud nine. We walked out of the woods at 3:40 (after having only had 2 very short breaks) to a cheering crowd of 20 hikers who also summitted that day. We had hotdogs and root beer in the rain--the happiest people on earth. I feel like that was probably the most courage I have had to summon in my life. What a day, and one I will not soon forget!!