We were awoken at sunrise (around 430) by tiny biting flies that had penetrated the tent. Not fun, but it meant we got to see the sun come up and gave us an early start on the day.
After packing up we drove back to Katahdin Stream Campground where the AT followed the Hunt Trail up Mount Katahdin. Many day hikers were already present as it was a very popular trail. We started the 4200 ft ascent, passing a warning sign on the way up. With a good plan and good weather we continued up the trail.
The hike was challenging with lots of big rocks and scrambles. We met a hiker on his way down, having turned back after falling and scraping up his arm. He told us "I don't want to have to be rescued", which is a good motto.
It's difficult to capture the nature of the trail above the treeline, but you can see the rocky climb here. The trail goes right up the center of this image.
The trail led through "The Gateway" to the flatter "Tableland" with expansive views all around. We passed Thoreau Spring named after the writer, who had hiked up Katahdin himself. It's impossible to capture the grandeur of the views from the top of the mountain.
On the way up we passed Candyman and K-Won who were coming down after finishing their through hikes. We got a group photo for K-Won on the mountain.
Finally we reached the peak of Katahdin and the northern terminus of the AT. I had completed 1173 miles of the trail this year. Combined with my hike in 2014 I had finished hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. It felt unreal.
We celebrated with some cookies and trail mix as I sat and tried to wrap my mind around the fact that I had made it to the end.
After some time we had to make our way back down off the mountain. Taking the Abol Trail was recommended by many people instead of returning on the Hunt Trail. It was incredibly steep, but slightly less precarious than our route up. The day was hot and climbing down exposed rocks above the treeline was a warm endeavor.
At the bottom we ran into Candyman and K-Won hanging out with Candyman's parents. They had even made me sign.
The group offered to drive us back to Katahdin Stream Campground so we got a little car ride in together before saying goodbye. Really amazing to catch some trail magic at the end of the journey.
Looking up from the parking lot we could see the mountain we had just climbed and had a newfound appreciation for.
And with that done, we climbed back into the car and began our long trip home.