1-Lead-Up. As if saying the name over and over for
months wasn't enough. From Whitecap on, with each
succeeding viewpoint, Katahdin gets bigger and bigger
looming like Olympus in the wilderness.
2-Ascent. Each phase of the ascent has its own unique
twist. The view up to and later down on the Owl, the
view of the many lakes just to the west, climbing on the
rungs leading up to the gateway and finally the last push to...
3-The Tableland. After ascending the steep sides of
Katahdin, the top of the mountain is relatively flat and
completely above treeline. Nowhere else can the moment
of triumph be savored like this.
4-The Sign. More than just a campy tradition, the sign
connects this extraordinary place to the entirety of the AT
experience. Each is what the other is all about.
5-The Drop. From the summit, one looks almost straight
down almost 3000 feet to Chimney Pond. I have never felt
more relaxed being one step from death. Maybe that's what
it feels like to be on top of the world.
Ta Dah!