1981 Appalachian Trail Through Hike Journal

Baxter Park - July 27 and July 28, 1981

July 27, 1981

Settled at one of the Daicey Field shelters after a short easy day. I wanted to go on to Katahdin Stream campground but there are no available sites there today. So tomorrow I will have a short, flat two mile pack trip before climbing Katahdin. The Bamaman has gone home without climbing Katahdin. His father picked him up at Abol Bridge. I tried to convince him to walk the last fifteen miles without his pack as his father could take it in the car. But his food poisoning has left him too weak to continue. He vows to return on a weekend later this year. It rained last night and was misting as I walked this morning but the afternoon has been warm and sunny.

July 28, 1981

Finished the long journey today with the climb of Mt. Katahdin. The "Big K" as its know on the trail lives up to its Indian name meaning "Greatest Mountain". The rangers tell me that today is the best day so far this year to climb - it is cool and very clear. From the summit I could see at least as far north as Chamberlain Lake and as far south as the Bigelows on the horizon. Katahdin is a beautiful mountain. Some of those on the summit today claim it is the best climb east of the Rockies. One fellow claimed flatly that "It doesn’t belong here". And in a way he is right - it has a different feel and texture from the other eastern mountains. I’ll be back to climb it again! When I returned to Katahdin Stream campground I found Pete sitting (sleeping) on the porch of the ranger station. It would have been great to have him to finish the trip with me but he could not quite catch me once he fell behind.