Date: 2023-09-21
From: The Birches

To: Mount Katahdin
Miles today: 4.9

Google Photos Photo AlbumDay 99Birches to Katahdin to the AT Hostel, Millinocket, MEAT miles 4.9Miles hiked 9.9After a restless night of kinda sleeping the alarm went off at 5:30. It was time to get going. Right off the bat I noticed I was missing my wallet. Great. I went through my pack, my clothes, my stuff sack, my quilt, my tent. No wallet. Looking for a camouflage wallet in the dark woods is like looking for a needle in a haystack. So there I was walking around in the dark with my headlamp looking for a camouflage wallet in the woods. Hikers were asking what was wrong and when I told them they stopped what they were doing and started helping me look. Hikers are like that. Buzzsaw found it next to my tent where I was hanging up clothes the night before. That was also the first place I looked after going through my belongings in my tent. I once again was touched by the selflessness and generosity of hikers.Crisis averted it was back to breaking camp and eating breakfast. That done we headed down to the ranger station to stow the gear we weren't hiking with. We were on our way up the mountain at 7:07. A bit of nervous excitement as we were off to tackle Mama K. We¢ve heard the climb is tough but this is what some have been hiking towards for over six months and barring serious injury, nothing will stand in our way. We were taking the Hunt Trail up and the Abol Trail down.Some nice trail angel left some beers at the trail head so Silver Back and I each grabbed a beer to celebrate our summit with. Then we were off and climbing. Silver Back was a man on a mission and was soon out of sight. While I was hiking fast I wasn't sure what was ahead and wanted to make sure there was plenty of gas in the tank to conquer this beast. I also wanted to enjoy this adventure as much as possible. At first, the trail was nice and state parky. Then it took on a more AT like texture with mud, roots, and a stream flowing down the trail for good measure. No dry feet allowed. A mile or so into the hike began the bouldering and time to stow the trekking poles. There were amazing views the entire ascent. Sometimes it was hard to hike, the views were so spellbinding.Then the hike got serious with some somewhat scary rock climbing in windy conditions. There were a couple of places where rebar was installed to help reach the next ledge. Other places it was like solving a puzzle. I came to one ledge where a guy was already up on the ledge but his much shorter girlfriend couldn¢t make the climb. I offered to let her use my knee as a step so she could reach the ledge. I was surprised that she refused but she changed her mind after I told here she could always just stay there. With some further encouragement from her boyfriend she relented and was finally up on the ledge. Finally, there was a wide open expanse called the Table Lands that was more than a mile to the summit. The maintainers had lined the trail with string to keep us on the path discouraging hikers from avoiding the water filled trail. About halfway across was the Abol trail intersection. Also there was Thoreau Spring named for good ol' Henry David. Back in the 1800s he attempted a summit of Katahdin but didn't make it. He wrote about this adventure in a fascinating book entitled A Maine Woods. There was a memorial to that at the trail intersection.Now I could see the sign and hikers climbing on the sign celebrating. Pretty soon I could hear Silver Back calling out to me to come on. When I got there Silver Back, Treats and Barbie and Shooter were already there. Silver Back took my summit pic then Ranger Rick made it shortly after and I took his summit pic. He in turn took the next hiker's summit pic.We were all sitting out of the wind enjoying some snacks and reveling in our accomplishments. Silver Back may have the most unusual "trail provides" experience. When we did laundry at Shaw's just before the 100 Mile Wilderness, one of his socks came up missing. We looked around and asked around but there were no lonely socks to be found. Today, while hiking up the Hunt trail, hanging from a tree branch, was a matching sock to the one he lost. So now we know what happens to those socks that get lost in the laundry.After congratulating each other it was time to head back. About 10 minutes after leaving I passed Cliff. He was summitting on his birthday. What a way to celebrate a birthday. We took a pic together, congratulated each other and he wished me good luck and safe travels on my southbound journey. Then five minutes later here comes 007 and Fire Tower with his girlfriend. Another round of congrats and well wishes along with a photo then we parted ways. I'm really going to miss those three guys, they were a lot of fun to hike with.Going down it was recommended to take the Abol trail since it was shorter and easier than the Hunt trail. No argument from me. Given that I don't like to rock "unclimb" I would have avoided descending on the Hunt trail anyway. After wading to the trail I took a left onto the Abol trail.  The Abol trail was a literal pain in the butt as it involved several butt slides and lots of bouldering. It also took the same amount of time to go down that trail as it did to go up the other. Once down at treeline things gradually eased up until normal hiking speeds could be achieved. It was about an hour-long road walk through the park back to the ranger station. There were NOBOs arriving ready for their summits tomorrow and hikers who just completed their hikes lounging around enjoying the day and waiting for our shuttles to Millinocket. Silver Back and I covertly drank our celebratory trail magic while congratulating other hikers as they returned or answering questions of those just arriving. There was some concern over whether our shuttle driver would know to come down to get us since we originally said we¢d be at Katahdin Stream Campground. Then we realized Ranger Rick¢s stuff was still in the shed and he was waiting at Katahdin Stream Campground. As long as he remembered to get his stuff we were good to go.A little after 4:00 our shuttle driver arrived and we loaded up our packs and squeezed into the vehicle for our ride to the hostel.Once at the hostel we registered and got the tour and the rules. Ranger Rick, Silver Back, and I went in on laundry and changed into loaner clothes, started laundry, then went to get food. Many of the hikers from today's summit were there and the atmosphere was pretty festive. The food was good but took forever to be served.Back at the hostel we finished the laundry, ate a snack, and most were asleep by 900.Now it's time for me to start the southbound portion of my journey. After so much time heading north it may take a couple of days to reorient my internal compass to be thinking in terms of south. Everybody agrees that this part of the journey should be much easier than New Hampshire and Maine. I hope so. We'll know soon enough. Hiking the Dream!