MacKaye's Monadnock

September 13
Monson to Katahdin

The 100 mile wilderness is the longest stretch of trail without a paved road on the AT. It is the longest section to hike without towns. Mount Katahdin is the biggest climb on the AT, the steepest, the most prominent mountain... “Are you worthy?” The mountain asks. Northbound hikers have traveled over 2000 miles, and have been proven to be strong, and resilient, only to be given a fairly rude final exam.

A rumor circulated that there was no appropriate mountain on which to end the AT. The rumor continues that Avery and MacKaye, trail founders, hired legions of workers, prisoners, volunteers, CCC members... to build a mountain in Northern Maine. Rocks to be piled, were mined from a ridge in Southern Maine. The remaining rift left by the mining operation was called Mahoosuc Notch. Katahdin was finished sometime in the 1920s and designated as the northern terminus of the AT.

Sounds reasonable I think. Katahdin does look like a giant rock pile, but a magnificent alpine rock pile. I can’t think of a better terminus.

One day before arriving at Mount Katahdin, the clouds finally parted, revealing the monolith in all of its glory. At a mile high, Katahdin stands above everything in Maine, and especially everything in Baxter State Park. The surrounding terrain is low and rolling, dotted with countless lakes, big and small. Beech, Birch, and Maple dominate the lush forest, just starting to blush in color in mid September. Every opening in trail, grants a spectacular view of the beastly mountain though, particularly north facing openings over lakes.

Friends from past trails met Ladybird and I just south of Katahdin. And they brought a whole watermelon, and a pie! We ate at Rainbow Ledge, with a view of the mountain.

The weather was somewhat less fantastic on the climbing day however. Clouds hung low in the sky, a visible front moving swiftly to intercept us. There were views on the ascent, but I was too busy holding onto metal rebar staples and boulders to look out. The trail up to the Table Lands in steep. Hands are required as the rout scales several boulders and steep pitches. It heads straight up a wind blown treeless ridge. Then comes the treeless windblown Table Lands. Baxter Peak, the highest point of Mount Katahidin, is only a few hundred feet higher than its surroundings. The top of the mountain was blanketed in Mist. Tiny moisture droplets formed and condensed, making everything wet. Eventually the mist turned to some sort of miserable sleet.

Mountains like Katahdin create their own weather. Clouds gather around the summit. I am not bitter about my summit day. Sure I could have waited three days for the weather to clear, but this is part of the experience. When there is rain, you get wet. When it is sunny and humid, you sweat, and still get wet... Hmm. I have no regrets, only fond memories.

I had a beautiful summer with far less rain than a normal year. Only near the end of my hike, did it start to rain more often. I had a more social experience than the other trails. One I enjoyed very much. After fastpacking the CDT, I learned to enjoy my self when not walking again. I enjoy walking, and when walking solo, often there is nothing else to do but walk. This year, I learned to enjoy swimming, the people around me, and just sitting and taking in the world around me.

I am sad to see this trail come to an end, but I know I will be back out there. Canoeing, biking, and hiking. Stay tuned for my Long Trail journey, starting September 18.