Baxter Peak - The End of The Appalachian Trail

Deede's boyfriend Tad has been doing the whole Appalachian Trail, starting down in Georgia on April 15. Deede joined him in Monson, Maine for the final 100-Mile-Wilderness in Maine, and they invited ME TO JOIN THEM ON THEIR LAST DAY (5.5 miles up to Baxter Peak on Mount Katahdin)!!! Of course I said YES!!:

We met at Katahdin Stream Campground at 8 AM, and headed up Hunt Trail.

Wendy and I spent the previous night at Katahdin Inn & Suites, and I purchased the (waterproof) Trail Map when I made the parking reservation for Thursday's hike - Baxter State Park likes to have hikers and campers use their reservation system, even though I had no problem entering/parking on my Knife Edge hike Thursday Aug 4:


I had a beautiful view of Mt. Katahdin on my morning drive:

the forecast was 50% chance of showers, but the sun seems to be breaking through.

The morning lakes in Maine are pretty awesome!:



The cute morning hikers ready for their final day!:


About 1.2 miles up the Trail are the Katahdin Stream Falls:



Deede and Tad are Very Good Hikers - splits for the first 2 miles were 25 minutes and 33 minutes. I trailed them and was able to keep up. The first breakout is a beautiful view across Witherle Ravine at The Owl (3736 feet):


Once we got above the treeline, the hike got exciting:

Baxter Peak is off to the right (out of the picture); it is a beautiful day, with the clouds coming and going.

Looking back down from the top of the trail in the above-photo:

4 miles up the trail (1 1/2 miles from the top), the trail levels out, but the clouds come-and-go:


And then they hit Baxter Peak - The End of The Appalachian Trail:





Nice of The Kids to let The Old Guy tag along!

Of course, there are GREAT VIEWS:




(can you see the orange hiker?)

It was Quite A Party Scene up there on the Mountain!


Great Views going back down:
looking down on The Owl:
Scrambling down through The Gateway


Katahdin Stream down at the bottom:


Tad and Deede traded in their Day Packs for their real packs, and that marks the end of this "Great Adventure"


Thank You God for a GREAT DAY! 12.09 miles in 7 hours 47 minutes, with an elevation gain of 3,984 feet!



Thursday, September 1, 2016
8 AM at the trailhead
12.09 miles -- hiking (7 hours 47 minutes)
331 miles - 5 1/2 hours to get home (Wendy driving almost all the way because I was EXHAUSTED)

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Art Museums and National Parks (on July 23, 2016 I finished a 6-day trip to Indiana/Kentucky/DC/Connecticut)
hyperlink: dixonheadingwest
http://dixonheadingwest.blogspot.com/