Trail Tale for September 11, 2004 - The Ascent of Mt. Katahdin

September 11, 2004 (Mt. Katahdin)

Due to Hurricane Frances' effect on my hike this week, I chose to reverse the order of my planned miles and climb to the summit of Mt. Katahdin today instead of hiking into the 100-mile wilderness. Hurricane Ivan is lurking and I did not want to risk having my hike delayed due to bad weather. So...I began my day's hike at 7:30 a.m. from Mt. Katahdin Stream Campground after chatting with Bruce, a park ranger, and signing my final entry into the A. T. register.

My hike on this picture-perfect day began at the Mt. Katahdin Stream Campground where the trailhead for the Hunt trail is located. Many thru-hikers were making their final summit after waiting out the nasty weather conditions atop Mt. Katahdin for the past several days. Many day hikers were summiting because today's forecast was perfect. The trail was busy, and I thoroughly enjoyed the company. I hiked with several groups. The men were great to hike with as they often boosted me up a boulder or held out their hiking stick for me to grab as I made my way up a too-tall boulder. I assisted others by taking their trekking poles as they climbed. I also led groups in, up, and around boulders because, by this point, I had become adept at following the white blazes. An eight year-old boy showed us all up as he skipped up the mountain with his dad breathlessly lagging behind.

I didn't take one break during my ascent because I was too excited to stop. As I neared the top I could see an assemblage of hikers. Then I heard..."L-A-D-Y-B-U-G!" My eyes welled up as my fellow thru-hikers were cheering me on. I paused, hugged Hammock Hanger, another woman thru-hiker, and proceeded to hike up to Baxter Peak. Two-Cents, a thru-hiker from Israel with whom I had celebrated the halfway mark, was shouting in his discriminating accent,

"Touch the sign, touch the sign!"

I touched the Mt. Katahdin sign and immediately burst into tears. Mad Hatter, a thru-hiker friend of mine with whom I had shared much, hugged me as I cried uncontrollably for several minutes. Then, as the day hikers looked on, I had my individual photo opportunity beside the Mt. Katahdin sign. 65 and Alive congratulated me. Tapeworm congratulated me. Flora congratulated me. Fauna congratulated me. Hammock Hanger congratulated me. I returned the congratulations to each of my fellow thru-hikers with hugs.

I then asked a day hiker to take our group's photo which consisted of 10-15 thru-hikers, class of 2004! We cheered for ourselves and then joked about parachuting down the mountain since our hike officially ended at the summit. I then sprinkled forget-me-not seeds in memory of my sister as a raven flew overhead...a symbolic moment. I perched myself atop Mt. Katahdin for one and a half hours mingling with my fellow thru-hikers while enjoying the moment. I savored this day fully appreciating the magic and the romance of the mountains. I phoned my husband, Bruce, and tearfully shared my joy.

With a full heart, I began my descent. I hitched a ride to the Mt. Katahdin Inn, located in Millinocket, a final stopping point for most thru-hikers. As I entered the bar where my fellow thru-hikers were already celebrating, they gazed at me and laughed.

"What?" I asked.

"Ladybug...you don't need to use your trekking poles in the hotel," they chuckled in harmony.

I surveyed myself and laughed. I HIKED into the bar over plush carpeting, not even realizing that I was still using my trekking poles. Ahhhh....the transition begins!.