Date: 2006-09-11
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

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

Weather - Clear, cold then coolWe were up early and it was still dark when we got to the gate at Baxter State Park at 5:30 a.m. We were the third car in the line. We wanted to get there early since only 25 cars are allowed to park at Katahdin Spring Campground for day hiking.The plan is for Nadine and I to climb Mt. Katahdin today, go back to the motel in Millinocket, ME, and for her to bring me back tomorrow and drop me off to start hiking south. It was cold this morning, in the 30's. We had to put on long pants, coats, hats and gloves. We were only carrying lunch and snacks, rain gear, extra clothing, first aid kit and water in our packs.We signed in at the register at the trailhead at 7:00 a.m. About 10 to 12 hikers had already signed in. They had to be thru-hikers who were finishing their hikes today. The hike up to Katahdin Stream Falls was easy but it started to get more difficult after we crossed the long bridge over the stream. I collapsed my hiking poles and put them on my pack because it was getting so difficult to climb with them. When we got above the tree line, the climbing became harder, the boulders were bigger and there were less places to put your feet to climb. Many times we had to look for the trail blazes and the best way to climb up. We saw a couple of thru-hikers who were coming down. They had started their climb at 2:00 a.m. and said it was freezing at the top while they were there. At some points there were metal ladder rungs driven into the rocks, without these I don't believe there would be any way to get up and over these boulders. One of the thru-hikers told us we had about two more hours of climbing over these huge boulders before it got easier. He was right. When we got up over these boulders we were at another area known as the Spur. We could look up and see the boulder field we had to climb. We thought this was not hiking the A.T., this was rock climbing the A.T. I had read that this was the one of the hardest sections on the A.T. and so far Nadine and I would have to agree with that.Up on Table Land it got flatter and easier but we were still walking through a rock field. We had taken several rest and snack breaks that were very much needed on the way up. As soon as we got to Table Land, we could see the top of the mountain and only had about one more mile to go before we got to the top. We finally reached the sign on top of Mount Katahdin and it had taken us 6 hours to go 5.2 miles. I was surprised at how many people were still there, since we had passed a lot of hikers who were already coming down. There must have been 18 to 20 hikers still there. It is a small world, Nadine met a guy who grew up in Emporia, VA, where she was born and he graduated high school in the same class as one of her cousins. Some of the people climbing the mountain were from Maine and had climbed the mountain several times. They said this was the most beautiful day they had seen. At the top, the temperature was in the 60's, very little wind and visibility of about 100 miles. The view was absolutely breathtaking but our breath had already been taken by the climb. Nadine said she had been frightened for her life several times on the way up this steep mountain. I would have to agree with her. We both had scrapes and scratches on our legs. When the wind did blow, the temperature felt like it dropped 20 to 30 degrees for that short time.Only spent about 30 minutes at the top, took some pictures, took at 360o look at Maine and ate lunch behind some rocks because we knew we had a long climb down. It was about 1:30 p.m. when we started the 5.2 mile hike down Mt. Katahdin. About half way down, we met Jane who had climbed Mt. Katahdin 4 times and she was leading the way for another lady, Beth, so they invited us to join them and follow them down. This made it a little easier because we did not have to keep stopping to look for the white blazes, Jane was doing that. It was 7:00 p.m. before we made it back to the register at the trailhead to sign out so the rangers would know we were down. There were at least four other hikers behind us that we knew of. On the last couple of miles down the mountain, I took out my hiking poles and gave them to Nadine. She said they helped her a lot. She was moving slow and I knew she was really tired. If I was tired I knew she had to be hurting, but I am very proud of her. I knew this was going to be a difficult climb and wasn't sure she would be able to make it to the top. She did great!The temperature had already gone down into the 20's at night in Maine. So after talking to some locals about what I was about to face in October in the White Mountains in New Hampshire, I started having my doubts about hiking south at this time of year. Gut feeling was telling me not to do this. Back at the room I was packing my pack and still thinking this was a bad decision. When I was hiking in the South there were several times when my gut feeling told me to stop but I didn't listen to the feeling and pushed on for more miles, later to hike in thunderstorms or the dark. But this time it would be life threatening. Nadine was picking up on the vibes and asked me if I was sure I wanted to do this. I told her about my gut feeling. It is better to be safe than sorry and I knew she would worry if I went on. We called our daughter and told her about my decision to come home and she suggested I go back to Harpers Ferry and hike north for a while. Right now that sounds like a good idea. I was able to get me on the flight with Nadine tomorrow so we are going to drive back to Manchester, NH and fly home. Even though I am disappointed, I still feel that I am making the right decision.When I got home I talked to my friend Shoe who grew up in upper New York and found that he too was concerned that I would be in the White Mountains in October and was glad I had made the decision not to try it. When I talked to my brother Steve he also had been concerned. The Whites have taken lives and it was not worth the risk. I am going home to repack my mail drop boxes and re-do my schedule. My plan is to hike north as far as I can and still stay safe and to finish my hike next year. Every step on the A.T. has been an adventure and the journey won't be over until the last step on the A.T. is taken. Climbing Mount Katahdin was an adventure all by itself and I am glad that Nadine got to share that with me. I am so proud of her¢¦ she had not been hiking the mountains like me and for her to climb Mt. Katahdin was a real accomplishment. It showed me how difficult the mountains in New England are going to be and a real challenge to hike -- and that I will be looking forward to.Oh! I forgot to mention that the leaves on the trees are starting to change, some are the brightest red I have ever seen. Total miles we hiked today was 10.4, although only 5.2 miles count toward my A.T. thru-hike.