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In 2008 we hiked Mount Katahdin. It was my first time attempting a real hiking challenge and the hardest hike I had ever done. We were heading to Maine to attend a wedding and decided to hike the 5,267-foot mountain the day before the wedding. I had no prior major hiking experience, heck I didn’t even really work out at the time. I was unprepared but driven. Everyone I knew told me they didn’t think I would be able to do it, but I was getting tired of hearing that from people so I decided to do it anyway. This is my personal experience of the Katahdin hike, Maine’s highest peak.

We camped at Katahdin Stream campground, so we could get an early start so we would have enough time to complete the hike and spend time on the summit. There are a lot of Katahdin trailheads, each with their own distances, all being a very strenuous climb.

We chose the Hunt trail, which is the end of the Appalachian trail or what is known as the northern terminus of the Appalachian trail and a popular trail for those looking to hike to the summit of Katahdin. We both had full packs with our camping gear and food, like granola bars and sandwiches, and had only been dating for a couple months. This trip could have ended in several very interesting ways.

We headed out onto the trailhead at around 4 in the morning, it was dark and chilly but extremely exhilarating. I had never done anything like this but I knew I loved nature and couldn’t wait to see what this mountain had to offer.

Some basics about Mount Katahdin

To me this is the greatest mountain in the northeast of the US. I love the White Mountains, but this mountain is special. It is the highest mountain in Maine and is part of Baxter State Park.

Parking Lot

Day use parking, for those who plan to drive in and out the same day as your climb, will need a day-use parking reservation which you can get on the Baxter State Park Website

Weather

Pay close attention to the weather, you can get snow and hail storms in the middle of August. Try to pick a good day based on the weather windows and use common sense if you see a shift in the weather. Getting caught above tree line can be a very dangerous situation.

Best time to hike

Peak season is during the summer months, particularly June to August, but you can still encounter bad weather at this time of year, so go prepared.

Trail length

The Hunt trail is 5.2 miles of trail one way with 4,188 feet of elevation gain. Other Katahdin trailheads are shorter, or longer, it just depends.

The first mile is generally the point when your heart rate increases and you kind of feel like you might die. After a short while your body kind of adjusts and you get used to it. I had no idea what to expect at the time so when we started to ascend through the trees I found myself breathing heavy with my heart pounding out of my chest. I thought I was finished before we even started. As the dread welled up inside me I almost wanted to cry thinking how everyone was going to say “I told you so, I knew you couldn’t do it” and I just couldn’t live with that. So, I pulled up all the courage I had and pushed on.

The sun started to rise and my body started to warm up and I started feeling good again. It is really amazing how your body adjusts to the elements. I honestly didn’t know that my body was capable of such things, that it could handle a lot more than I ever threw at it. But that day on the mountain I learned a lot about myself and what I was capable of.

We met a few hikers coming off the mountain who had gotten trapped at the summit the previous day when a hail storm started, with high winds and bitter cold. The higher the elevation the more unpredictable the weather can be, I was hoping this was not going to be our fate as well.

The higher up the mountain you got the more the scenery changed. At the base you have tall evergreens and leafy trees towering over you and closing in around you, full of life. As you go up in elevation the trees continue to get shorter, the land more barren. We became surrounded by stubby little pines and hardier bushes, ones that could withstand the tough climate of the higher elevations.

Eventually the trees disappeared altogether and we were left with large rocks, boulders actually, that you had to climb to reach the plateau, a grassy area just before the final ascent to the summit. Along the way you follow the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail but if you are not careful a white mark on a rock can look like a white blaze and you can easily get into a very scary situation. Somehow, I only managed to veer us off trail once. The rocky section was my favorite. I love climbing rocks. Not in the way you see mountaineers climbing rocks, with ropes and picks, hanging off the side of a cliff, but in the climb up over big boulders kind of way.

We arrived at the plateau, an easier, flatter section of the trail. Or at least I thought it was going to be easier. This was my first experience with a significant elevation change and thinner air. Just walking on a flat surface took all I had and I was huffing and puffing in minutes, feeling like I couldn’t get enough oxygen. I had to constantly take breaks.

Come to find out this is extremely common at altitudes of around 5,000 ft. There is a condition called altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness that happens to some but usually occurs at altitudes greater than 8,000 ft and if left unchecked can become deadly. Everyone handles altitude changes differently, I tend to get out of breath but otherwise feel pretty good and I feel like over the years as I have hiked more, and higher altitudes, it doesn’t affect me quite as severely as it first did on Mount Katahdin.

We continued on and made it to the summit. We were joined by some thru hikers who had just finished the Appalachian Trail and a few other day hikers. It was an exhilarating feeling to say the least. I felt so accomplished, so proud of myself. I had achieved something that I never would have dreamed possible before then and instilled in me a serious penchant for hiking. I wanted more and I still do. That mountain changed me that day, putting me on the path to the person I have become with this avid need to wander and explore the beauty that mother nature provides. It’s the most amazing feeling and this constant driving need.

The views from the summit of Mount Katahdin was spectacular with 360 degrees of open air. There is a 1.1 mile trail that you can take along the summit called the “Knife Edge trail” with drops 1,500 feet on either side and the potential for some serious vertigo if you are prone to that. I had zero interest in hiking that part of the trail, what with my fear of heights and all, so we just sat at the summit admiring the views while we ate our lunch. Use your best judgement if you decide to attempt this trail.

The next day I couldn’t walk. Stairs were impossible. I had never been so sore in my entire life but I couldn’t help but smile at what I had accomplished. Even now, so many years later I still feel pride well up inside me when I think about what I achieved and no one can ever take that away from me.

This has led to a serious desire to conquer more mountains, hike more trails and to get out and enjoy nature more. It has also made me stronger in other areas in my life, more determined to push through adversity. If I can conquer a mountain I can conquer anything I put my mind too and it’s worked out pretty well for me so far, I have to say.

Concluding Thoughts

Some final tips for your trek. Give yourself a good amount of time to get to the summit and be able to enjoy it. Know your limits and watch the weather. Don’t be stupid, it could mean injury or worse.

This mountain is worth the hike. Go prepared and enjoy it. To help you plan for your hike to the summit check out my guide to summiting Mount Katahdin.