AT Day 159: Katahdin Summit Bid!

Daily Miles: 5.3, Total Miles: 2,197.4

I was on the trail by 4:45am this morning, leaving most of my gear at the Katahdin Stream Ranger Station. Filled my water bottle and set out on the Hunt Trail to Mt Katahdin. The Hunt Trail to the top is 5.3 miles long with 4k vertical feet of elevation gain.

I didn’t need my headlamp for long. The climb started quickly and I was disappointed that it was raining, albeit slightly. As I got farther up the steepening trail close to treeline, the clouds and mist lifted to a beautiful morning.

Rock hopping soon advanced to bouldering and I put my hiking poles away. I needed my hands and arm strength on the rocks. The familiar white blazes on the rocks helped guide me on the correct, maybe (?) less difficult path steeply up the rock maze.

I finally topped out on the Tablelands and found, gratefully, a more gentle gradient to the summit of Mt Katahdin. Panoramic views and above the few clouds, I arrived at the iconic Mt Katahdin sign.

Started with a few selfies and videos but a nice couple on a long loop hike offered to take some photos of me on the sign. I even brought a crown, courtesy of Burger King, to wear in recognition of achieving my Triple Crown. What a great feeling to be done!

After some reflection and a rest, I descended via the Abol Trail, a steeper but shorter trail to the bottom. I returned to the Katahdin Stream Ranger Station to pick up the rest of my hiking gear. A couple from Florida gave me a ride on the tailgate of their F-150, the back and bed full of camping gear, all the way to the Visitors Center. Mrs. Haze did a double take when she saw us drive by – a wonderful reunion!

I’ll do a recap and “best of” upon my return home but first we’re going to explore more of Maine. I told Mrs. Haze to keep the day hikes to a minimum but she said something about canoeing, kayaking and lobster rolls.

Thanks for following along!