Wadleigh Stream Lean To to The Birches Campsite
So this morning required some serious decision making due to the upcoming rain in the forecast for Katahdin. Here were the choices that are possible:
1) Continue as planned, summit Big K on Wednesday, likely in the rain
2) Continue slowly and try to wait out any rain before summiting on Thursday
3) Continue faster and summit tomorrow, Tuesday
The implications of this decision will impact the possibility of a good day on the summit or a possibly miserable one. Those who know me well would have seen which choice I would make even without checking the mileage for today. I figured that a really long day today would give me the best possible chance for a decent day on the summit. The forecast for tomorrow is 50% rain, which I am reading as 50% sunny...always the optimist.
I hiked the crap out of the trail today. I covered 19.5 miles in 6 hours then did the last 13.5 in 4.5 hours with a 30 minute lunch in between. I felt good for almost the whole day until about the last 5 miles where the exertion caught up. Good thing it was a nice cool day or this would not have been possible. I finished the day around 6 pm, checking in with the ranger at Katahdin Streams Campground and moving onto the important part of the day...recovery. In a sentimental gesture, I made spaghetti with meat sauce, same as the first dinner on the AT way back in April, and drabk 3 protein drinks to help my muscles get ready for tomorrow. A few Advil and a good night's sleep and whammo! Katahdin tomorrow. Probably be on the summit around 10 am and could be in town in the mid afternoon.
It is sureal to be tented here at the base of this massive mountain that has been a focus of our lives for the past 5 years and I would not be here without the great support from Sabrina and both of our families. My climb tomorrow is dedicated to all those who have been so helpful along the way (many more than I will list right now, but a list will get posted soon) and those who will continue to help as I make my way home over the next few days.
Push it...push it real good!
- Snowfox
Sent on the go from my Peek
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