Date: 2009-07-15
From: Katahdin Stream Campground.

To: Mt Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine.
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Hike 09-60-ME (Katahdin Stream Campground to Mt Katahdin and return)Day Hike, 10.4 miles round trip, 5.2 miles for AT. Weather: Sunny in the valley, drifting fog on trail and at the top of Katahdin. Temps stayed in the low 50s all the way to the top. I made it to the top of Mt Katahdin and thus have accomplished the third goal of my Appalachian Adventure. It was a tough climb consisting of an elevation gain of over four thousand feet in five miles. What made it so hard was that the climb was not along switchbacks, but rather up, over, under and between many house sized rocks. Much of the time it required grasping the edges of rocks to get enough of a hold to help pull myself up or over rocks. It took me ten hours of exhausting effort to complete the climb. But I wanted to do it while I was still young.....Reached the trailhead early and was signed in and on my way by 6:00 AM. At first the trail was along a nice normal flat pine needled path. But then it turned into a trail filled with chair size rocks, tree roots and a small trickle running down the middle of the trail. With each passing half mile, the rocks on the trail became larger and the trail became steeper.The trail follows the Katahdin Stream up the mountain and about a mile and a half it turned into a beautiful waterfall with all it roaring and mist. I continued to follow the stream further and then I turned in towards the major climbing part of the trail. This is where the house size boulders started and where I earned my third goal.At three thousand feet I crossed the tree line and was now exposed to the elements. It was a cool 52 degrees and foggy, but visability was about one hundred feet, enough to see the next white blaze ahead. Being above the tree line did not change the many boulders that I had to crawl over or made the effort any easier. At 4400 feet and 3.6 miles, I came to The Gateway which is the beginning of an area that is not as steep, but the rocks are smaller in size, but you still had to pick your footing along the trail. The trail was completely exposed to the elements and not a good place to be if a thunderstorm should be coming. The Gateway leads the hiker to the even more exposed Table Land. Table Land was very barren and the final push to the Katahdin summit.At 5267 feet and 5.2 miles from the campground, I reach the summit of Mt Katahdin. There were at least fifteen other hikers on the top all sitting around relaxing, having lunch or taking pictures. Everyone was glad to be on top and no doubt thinking about the return effort over the rocks back to the campground. I take several pictures, relax and then head back down the mountain.My return trip was not any easier than the climb. Climbing over and down rocks took more care because now a fall was easy due to gravity and made it harder to get a good footing. Several times the easy way down a smooth rock surface was to just slide down the rock. By time I reach the campground and my SUV, I was ready to sit for a while. Was I glad to have climbed Mt Katahdin.... YES. Am I glad that I do not have to climb Mt Katahdin again..... YES.Now my upcoming hikes will be multi-day backpacking trips of four to five days due to limited road access. However, anything after Katahdin will seem easy...