Maine

Katahdin. By TJ aka Teej (Self-photographed) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Trail Miles: 281
Highest Point: Mount Katahdin, 5,267 feet

The finish of a northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail is reminiscent of a bicycle ride I did a few years ago in Chattanooga.  The ride is called the Three State Three Mountain Challenge.  The 100-mile ride starts in Tennessee, travels up Raccoon Mountain.  Raccoon is a long climb of several miles, but it is not overly steep or strenuous.  After descending Raccoon Mountain, riders cross over into Alabama and soon climb Sand Mountain (I grew up on Sand Mountain about 50 miles south of here).  Sand Mountain's climb is shorter than Raccoon Mountain, but it is also steeper and has several switchback curves that can be intimidating to navigate.

Sand Mountain is a relatively broad plateau, and bikers have quite a few relatively easy miles before they cross into Georgia.  By this point, the ride is approaching 90% complete.  You would be home free if not for that third mountain, Lookout.  The climb up Lookout Mountain takes place at Burkhalter Gap, which is probably the hardest climb I have ever ridden on a bicycle.  Not only is it more than two miles long, it is incredibly steep.  About a third of riders have to get off their bikes and walk the final few hundred feet (I did not; I made it all the way).

Maine is like Lookout Mountain.  After struggling with climbs and long distances for months, a hiker is faced with the hardest section of all right there at the end.  The trail is slippery, tricky, and good footing is sometimes hard to come by.  Another thing hikers must consider here is the resupply of food and needed equipment, especially through a stretch known as the "Hundred Mile Wilderness."  The Maine section is the most remote on the trail, and opportunities to obtain needed items are scarce.  Careful planning here must be done well in advance to make sure one does not run out of food.

A section of trail here in Maine called the Mahoosuc Notch is known as the toughest mile of the AT.  Hikers must travel over, under, around, and through boulders.  The squeeze through some areas is so tight that a hiker must take off his backpack to be able to fit through it.

Boulders in Mahoosuc Notch.  Public Domain photo.

The final climb and the terminus of the trail is mighty Mount Katahdin, located in Baxter State Park.  This last ascent is tough, tough, tough.  The weather here is very unpredictable, not to the extreme of Mount Washington to the west, but still something that must be planned for.  Many thru-hikers find themselves racing the calendar to get to the top of Katahdin.  The trail is closed after October 15th by the Baxter State Park officials.  Conditions after this date are simply too unpredictable and potentially dangerous, especially considering the remote location and difficulty to access for rescue personnel.

The Katahdin ascent on an unusually beautiful day.  By RichardMarcJ at en.wikipedia [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

 Katahdin means "preeminent mountain" in the language of the natives to the area.  I would say they described it well.  It is a rocky and steep climb that is a challenge to someone just going on a day hike.  For someone who has walked 2,000 miles already by this time, it is a fitting challenge to complete the quest.  The weather beaten sign at the summit of Katahdin is a welcome sight for thru-hikers who can add their names to the 2,000 miler list once they reach it.  

The end of the trail.  By kworth30 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kworth30/2275256845/) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons