Date: 2004-08-25
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Mount Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: broken clouds

We got up at a reasonable hour, probably a bit before 7am. My determination was to be at the ranger station at 8am since that was the time I had advertised in various emails and phone messages to friends. I had also left a note on the bulletin board on the porch so any early arrivals could find our camp site. Not that there were high hopes of anyone else making it in the middle of the week like this.While crossing the parking area to get to the ranger station, someone called out my name. Stepping out of his truck it was Keith Kanoti, another great surprise. Keith was living in Maine too these days but still many hours from here. We had been on many epic backpacks, canoe treks and XC ski adventures together over the last 10 years or so. He had just returned from or was about to leave on a trip to the northwest on forestry issues.After the obligatory photos, the 4 of us headed out and up the trail. This was it, the last 5.2 miles and 4,177 foot climb of this 2,174.1 mile trail. It was great to have friends to climb it with. Honestly though, there was a little internal conflict. I wanted to hang with my friends but the desire to haul was huge. Chris kept telling me to go on but I declined. It was so cool these folks had all come to join me. Chris was the only one of us who had actually hiked Katahdin before. It was many years ago. Neither she nor Jim had done much hiking in recent years but they were doing OK. We just weren't moving very fast.We had a great time hiking together but about halfway up as the trees grew short and the views more prevalent my legs got the best of me. It was time to shift gears. Chris and Jim said see you at the top while Keith and I moved out at a higher pace.The trail heads up a steep ridge free of trees here. There are huge boulders to be circumnavigated and surmounted. In some placed there are steel bars rooted in the rock to act as hand and foot holds. This trail is not for the timid. The climbing was fun. The views were by now continuous and stunning. It was just a thrill to be climbing this crazy ridge at the end of this incredible adventure.We came upon another thru-hiker on the climb. He was one of the 20 something crowd. His dad had joined him for the final climb. Dad was of course not in shape for this climb. The young thru-hiker was happy his dad was with him but we could tell he had serious concern for his dad and not just a little frustration. This end of the trail thing is confusing. We want friends to share in the celebration but that is hard to reconcile with getting there at our own pace which has become such an intrinsic part of the trail experience itself. We bade him well and kept on climbing.At the top of the ridge was the table land. We came upon it quite suddenly. The change in terrain was akin to climbing out of a hole in the ground or perhaps onto a table. This was a field of rock and grass that extend over a vast distance. It was reminiscent of Bigelow Lawn on Mount Washington, Monticello Lawn on Mount Jefferson and Goat Flat in Wyoming's Wind River Range all at the same time. This place was beautiful but the actual summit was still 1.6 miles off though it appeared to be a very gradual climb. In fact we had to convince each other that the little bump with all the people on it was actually the summit, Baxter Peak.Shortly after attaining the tableland, just after noon, we were greeted by some descending hikers. Hey, these guys were my fellow thru-hikers, Rising Sun & M and Nobody & Alright. This was a grand reunion. I congratulated them and they congratulated me. We were all so excited, it's amazing we didn't just levitate up off the trail.They were heading south, which seemed so contradictory. It kicked my memory back to my encounter with Wildcat on the trail yesterday. They had met him too and confirmed that, yes, he was southbound now. Apparently he was heading south to catch some missed friends who were still northbound. That made complete sense to me. As a mater of fact, I now had complete understanding of the thru-hiker who just turns around and keeps hiking. In fact, had there been no one here to meet me and hopefully help me get home, it's not entirely clear where the trail might have led me.We were about to part ways when one of them mentioned that someone on the summit was waiting for me. Who could that be? They said he had long dark hair and a beard. They indicated his height with a hand gesture. My mind was scrambling. Then the light went on and the only response could be to let out a loud foo. It had to be Will Johnson, Valley Voyageurs 2003 co-leader, 2004 director. I thanked and said farewell to my thru-hiking friends. They continued on down and we continued up.The walk along the tableland was as pleasant as could be. The sky was clear and blue. The air, the sun and breezes made it cozy warm but not hot. This was a stroll through a rock strewn meadow. From time to time I would foo and listen for a response from Will. He had to be up there. The wind was against me though. Keith took my camera to record the final moments in this great adventure. Just before 1pm, as we approached the summit, it resolved into not only a huge pile of boulders but also of people. There were over 30 people strewn about the summit area but initially, they were hardly noticed by me. The blinders were on and the summit was the only thing in view. There was a giant cairn and a big sign. I was so excited. The feeling of elation was beyond description. I posed beside the sign and then on top of it. The on top part was no small feat. My balance is pretty good but this was tricky and the landing zone was bad. Keith took the pictures and some definitely show my discomfort with the perch but finally there is one that looks at ease.After the photo shoot, there was a big surprise. Sitting right there just a few feet from the sign were 2 thru-hiking friends of many miles. It was Waterloo & Machine. We hadn't seen each other for days, perhaps since a certain beaver dam early in Maine. This was great. We had to take some more pictures now. These guys were great and had been witness to my battle with Lyme back in Vermont. They, perhaps unknowingly, had given me moral support by their concern back then, such good folks. I was so glad to see these guys again and to share our final summit together.Now where was Will. There. He was waiting for the dust to settle and just observing from afar. This was an opportunity for more photos. Waterloo and Machine helped out. Keith had told me an interesting story on the way up. While waiting in the parking lot in his truck this morning he saw someone with my lunch. Huh. There was this guy with a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jelly and a loaf of bread. That was pretty funny. In civilization, that's how my lunch is always packed. What's funnier is that now Keith recognized this Will as that guy. That was just too funny.The three of us found some nice boulders to perch on just above the shear face of the back side of the mountain. We ate, talked and took in the unbelievable view. We hung out for a long time and of course Will had been there a long time already.A couple of hours later at 3 o'clock, after taking pictures of everything imaginable, we decided to head back down. We were concerned that Jim and Chris had not yet arrived but figured we would find them eventually. It was tough to leave. emotions ran high. It was the beginning of the end. I really do wonder what would have happened had I been solo on this day.A few minutes later, there they were, Jim and Chris. Well, they couldn't stop now and we couldn't let them summit alone. What better excuse could there be. We turned around and all headed back to the top together. After more photos and congratulations, Jim and Chris stayed to take a break on the summit and the rest of us headed down.By 5pm we were ducking below tree line and by 6:30pm we were back at the parking lot. The 3 of us stopped for pizza in Millinocket. Keith gave me a ride to his place while Will followed. The next day Will gave me a ride to Mountonboro, NH where my friend Sandy's husband Skip gave me a ride to my home. On the way we stopped at the grocery store to stock up my house a bit and to surprise Sandy who was shopping with her mom and sister.Now the hike was over. This grand adventure had come to a conclusion. It was hard to believe it was over. There was a profound sense of fulfillment, of relief and of loss. It was a confusing blend of emotions and took a while to sort out.