The End… For Now.

Where did I go?

I’ve done quite a bit these last few months since finishing the Appalachian Trail, but first, I’d like to talk about those last miles out there.

Maine

You mean, the best state on trail? This was a popular trail opinion that totally aligned with my own. Maine was amazing. From the first days of walking in Maine, we knew it would be our favorite.

I woke up at 5am to cross into Maine on my own, then waited 3 hours for everyone to catch up for this picture!

Maine was the first state that Kaboost and I entered with a tramily. It wasn’t something we necessarily sought out, but I definitely wanted one from the beginning. Finally, we had that. We called ourselves the U.S.S. Boat and were TWELVE hikers strong… it was nuts. We had myself (Starlight), Kaboost, Kegstand, Walmart, Scatter, Ketchup, Single Wide, Dunkaroo, 501, Double D, Spark, Cheeto, and occasionally were joined by others.

Catch me in the 2024 Hiker Yearbook – this is the picture I used. Some things are just different in Maine 😉

On top of The Horn… if you couldn’t tell.

Our first Maine experience was with a life long resident of the state. He helped us out, drove us to and from trail, and even let us tent in his yard. We got to hang out with his dogs, Bandit and Songo, and spend his birthday with him. This was just the beginning of the hospitality Maine had to offer.

Ketchup and I while we led the pack.

We hiked without much issue until the Saddlebacks, when Kaboost woke up feeling terrible and was sure he had a fever. With that fever he hiked up and over three mountains, sticking a little behind Ketchup and I throughout the day.

Abandoned homes on the military property. Kinda spooky!

The next day he was still feeling ill, so we decided to take a shortcut to The Main Roadhouse. We were anticipating all of us would get sick now, since we shared a pot of coffee (sippy-sips, we called it) each morning. A hostel would be the best place to stay and relax until we all got through the worst of it. Our shortcut did not go as planned, and should honestly not show up on the FarOut maps… it was a military facility. We were trespassing.

On the Main Roadhouse Bus!

Luckily for us, we were deemed not-too-sketchy and they just drove us off the property. None of us complained though, getting driven to the road saved us a few miles and it had been raining and cold all day. It was only four of us in our group, though. Ketchup, Kegstand, Kaboost, and I had gotten a bit ahead of the others. We got the last four spots at the hostel and felt guilty that everyone else would be out of luck. We also felt terrible later that night, when we learned their trip on the shortcut had been a much longer process. They went the wrong way around the lake and had to walk the whole way to the road, so it was dark out by the time they were at the road. Everyone was safe though, and that’s what was important!

Most of the U.S.S. Boat is pictured here, not including Cheeto or Spark, and with the addition of one of our favorite trail angels and his dogs, Bandit and Songo.

We stayed at The Main Roadhouse for that afternoon and for two full zero days… we all ended up sick of course and were waiting it out as long as we could to rest. The weather was foggy and a bit dreary for that whole week and we wanted a glimpse of Mama K so bad, but never got one from a distance.

On Moxie Bald I had the bloodiest fall I ended up taking on trail, and it still really wasn’t too bad. At the time though, it felt like the world was ending. I don’t do well with seeing my own blood, so I was thankful the others were there and Kaboost stuck around as I cleaned myself up. I couldn’t have asked for better moral support! We woke up early the next morning and made the final steps towards Monson, Maine.

The only internet appropriate picture taken at the Rest Day Sauna…

In Monson, we of course stayed at Shaw’s Hiker Hostel. We also went twice to Rest Day Sauna and did the Hot Sauna & Cold Plunge. It was a Maine lake in October so it was really cold, but we enjoyed it so much! While at the hostel, I called my parents to help me out a little. I decided I needed a puffy coat for the 100-miles and didn’t have the funds. Thankfully, they were able to help me out and we considered it an early Christmas gift. I was grateful for the extra warmth, as it was needed in that last stretch!

Shaw’s had quite the large group on October 3, despite being so late in the season!

The 100-mile-wilderness party.

The 100-Mile-Wilderness was shockingly not as wild as the name lets on. While the cell service was just about nil (for AT&T, at least), there were several dirt roads going through that allowed trail angels to trek out to provide to the hikers. We did the food drop Shaw’s offered and it was so worth it to not have to carry all of that food the first few days. At Jo-Mary Road, where the food drop was, we had a bit of a party. Shaw’s brought out sodas and pizzas, and a trail angel named Watchman brought out lots of food and beer as well. Probably 20-30 hikers stayed by the road that night and had a big hangout by the campfire. It was the perfect way to say farewell to the trail, as we all knew we had less than a week until we were back at home, sleeping in real beds, having access to real showers and toilets, etc. 

Our first peek of Mama K… even though we could just barely see her.

On October 11th we headed from Abol Campground to the top of Katahdin. We still had never seen the peak, as the weather simply refused to clear up for us. This proved to be a big problem once we were above tree line. I was in tears when we decided as a group that it was too dangerous to keep going, and we turned around together. I’d been dreaming a recurring dream throughout that week that I’d gone home without hiking up Katahdin. In the dream, I’d simply forgotten to do it. Now with the feeling that we really might go home without touching that last blaze, I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks.

I took this at Abol Bridge on October 10th, the afternoon before our intended summit day.

That night we stayed in a hotel, and the next night at Appalachian Trail Hostel & Outfitters. We decided October 13th looked more promising than any other day that week, and decided as a group that we would try one more time to summit. Unfortunately, Walmart, Scatter, and Single Wide decided to leave on the 12th rather than attempt another summit, but they all had their own reasons and it was okay. We wished they could have been there, though.

We were so lucky to see the northern lights (even with the naked eye!) at the Abol Campground. This had always been on my bucket list and it was just as beautiful as I’d always dreamed it would be.

This was when we decided to turn around.

Finally, our first view of Baxter Peak.

The morning of October 13, 2024, we saw it. In the distance, as we drove from Millinocket, we saw the peak of Mount Katahdin.

Finally, there was hope.

We were so grateful to have the most perfect weather, and to have made it just in time. The park closed for the season the next day.

Spoiler alert: We made it. I got ahead of everyone because I wanted to feel all the emotions on my own as I headed up the mountain. I started this trail on my own, and wanted a moment to see the end on my own. Kaboost caught up with me right before the top, and we summited together.

Shortly after, we saw Pepstep and Sweetwater catch up to us, then the rest of our group caught up. We had done it. After having to turn around two days earlier, it felt like such an accomplishment to be standing there at the top of the final mountain of the Appalachian Trail.
6 months and 3 days after touching the first blaze, I was finished.

Now, it was time to go home.

A picture taken by a photographer around the time we summited.