Friday night the scouts third consecutive September trip to Baxter State Park to climb Katahdin since I was made the scout master. This is notoriously everyone's favorite trip. It certainly offers the most variety. Last year, I had to turn people away because we had limited spots. This year, I had to coax people to say yes. It was initially scheduled for September 11-12, but I switched the dates to September 25-26 because more people said they could commit. I felt bad doing so because one of our new scouts was able and willing to go on the 11-12. I decided that because his dad was going with him, and since they booked their own campground, they could still make the trip happen if they wanted to. And I could schedule a date that would allow a bigger group to go. I mean, it's not a fun scout trip unless the boys have other boys to be with. I'll admit, I'm getting old and boring. A few days before the trip, two people backed out, which left me, and the Dauks. I called Peter to see if he was still interested, admitting I was willing to go with or without them, but that I would understand if they didn't want to go. With the forecast, they decided that they really wanted to go. We pushed forward, as planned.
On our drive up to Baxter, it crossed my mind that we could do something unique with us being a small party. I proposed starting the hike at 2:00 am, and getting to the top by sunrise. But I wasn't sure if they would be up for the idea since Nate was newer to hiking bigger mountains. I knew he could handle it because he is a rugged, fit kid that doesn't really complain about things. In a five mile hike last summer, he basically blazed the way for all of our scouts by leading the charge and setting the pace. He certainly could handle it. Pete is in great shape. I floated the idea to them and let it play on their mind. They really took to the idea, and were up for it. I don't think they totally knew what to expect on the trail, otherwise they may have declined. But I knew they could handle it.
We got to the campsite, and didn't even do a campfire. We laid out our sleeping bags in lean-to #11 in the Abol Campground, and went to sleep early. Like clockwork, we got up and began our hike at the decided time. The moon was full and bright, which lit our way for short while. We actually watched the large moon turn orange and set around 3:30 am, and saw the night sky transition to darkness. The milky way was sprinkled brightly above our heads, with shooting stars streaking in our peripherals. We pushed up Katahdin, scrambling boulders up the Hunt trail. Hiking it at night was a challenge in itself. After 5:30 am, dawn broke, and a giant silhouette was shown before us. We got to the boulder field, and the summit commanded our attention, back lit by a soft hue. We walked the saddle and passed through an icy Thoreau Stream that struggled to flow.
After getting permission to run ahead of the party and summit, I pushed in my race against the sun. It had been an amazing hike with many natural wonders on display. But I wanted to see the main event, the sunrise. I can't say I was there for the initial rise, but I did see the sun when it was not yet fully peeking over the horizon. In that moment, the glow was so soft I felt that I was seeing everything through a mango filtered lens. Great show, great show. One of the most impressive things I saw was Katahdin's shadow stretching far into western Maine.
On the way home, Peter commented to me that this trip will probably go down as one of the most memorable experiences of his life. The reconnaissance mission-like feel of going in the morning, the natural wonders, and conquering previous fears of heights. Nate said the same thing. It's moments like these that make me believe in the Boy Scouting program. It's not the merit badges, decor, or knots. It's the physical, mental, and spiritual challenges that make you a better man.
