I was up by five with the adrenalin already pumping. I hoped my father would soon arrive, but as the hours passed, I grew more and more anxious. Dropping by the station, the ranger suggested I go ahead and take off because with each hour I waited, the chances of the weather deteriorating increased. At eight, I decided to go on my own. I felt bad that I wouldn't be able to celebrate the moment with him when I reached the peak, but in talking to Ali Baba yesterday, I was pretty well convinced that due to his bad knees, my dad didn't stand a good chance of making it.
The trail up to Katahdin Stream Falls is very manageable, but after that it becomes much steeper. However, it's when you hit what I call "the backbone" that the real work begins. A couple of spots early on require a hiker to use some steel bar as a foothold or hand hold to climb up the rock. Then, it's basically a steep inclined scramble or rock hop up to "the plateau", where things even out, but the rocks continue. I passed a number of people on the way up. One boy asked me how I was able to do it so fast. My answer was that I'd had plenty of practice, but I didn't say how much. Windy and cold towards the top, I experienced a bit of drizzle, but what really got me kicking myself was that I was once again walking in the clouds. Why hadn't I summited yesterday? Then, like it had done near White Cap Mountain, the cloud cover passed over and slipped off the mountain, opening up some stunning views as I approached the top. Looking up, I saw the sign that was pictured on my Thru-Hikers' Companion, signalling the Northern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail and the end of my journey. A few more steps and I was standing at it's side. There were plenty of hikers at the summit, but I was the only thru-hiker that day. I asked one guy nearby to take a few photos and was congratulated by others that stood closest to me.
I spent half an hour gazing out at the extent of Baxter State Park especially towards the stretch of wilderness I had hiked through. Everything was so beautiful. No doubt a more striking finish to a long trail than the border fence in Campo. I suppose I could have spent more time there, but thirty minutes sufficed. No telling if the weather was going to change and hopefully my father would be waiting. Reversing course, I headed back down.
My dad was sitting on a rock just past the bridge at Katahdin Stream Falls, right where I thought he'd be. We exchanged news on the way down, where at one point, a bad step on a slick rock sent him tumbling to the ground. Welcome to the trail! Fortunately, he was able to get right up with nothing hurt but pride. I knew the adventure was officially over when I signed back in on the trail registry. Departed at 8 and returned at 1:30. Dropped off the day pack I'd borrowed from the ranger station, picked up my gear at The Birches, and was off on a cross-country car trip from Maine to California.
Two trails down and one to go?!?!?!?
The Backbone
The Plateau
Mount Katahdin Plaque
Towards the Knife Edge
End of a Journey
No comments:
Post a Comment