Mt. Katahdin sits in Baxter Hill Park in northern Maine within a vast wilderness area surrounding the park.  It was a long drive from Vermont, but it was absolutely beautiful at every turn.  After checking into my room I decided to read the first chapter of Bill Bryson’s, ‘A Walk in the Wood’, which was a big mistake as the first chapter describes a variety of ways a bear can kill you in the woods.  Abandoning the reading I turned on the TV to one of two channels I could get only to find a movie called ‘Bear’.  Not only did I have a now have a visual memory of how many ways I bear could kill you in the wilderness, but I was now second guessing the idea of climbing alone the next morning.  I woke up early to check in at the entry gate before it closed at 7am and arrived at the trail head.  I followed Chimney Pond trail up to the Saddle route.  It was not an easy climb, especially because I felt I was on high alert for bears. And every time I heard a noise in the woods, I stopped to wonder if it was safe to continue moving forward or should I turn around!  But, I arrived at the summit safely.  I briefly enjoyed the views and decided to try taking ‘Jack Knife’ down.  A big mistake.  It’s an exposed ridge, with very steep drops on either side and the wind had picked up.  After about 15 minutes making my way along the jagged boulders I saw two ladies heading my way who encouraged me to turn around because of the wind, which I did and headed back to the Saddle route.  This route (as do all the others) require some bouldering, which I found very challenging.  It made me a little bit more nervous than I usually am, as the drop is very steep.  Now I know why Henry David Thoreau didn’t make the summit!!But, as I was descending I noticed a group of young men encouraging another young man down the mountain.  This man was terrified and crawling, facing toward the mountain, on his hands and knees.  After witnessing his struggle I was encouraged to keep moving forward, slowly and methodically.  I was very thankful once the steep bouldering was behind me.   And once I was back at my car I felt beaten up from head to toe.  Mt. Katahdin was my most difficult climb yet!  And I was off to Lubek Maine to run a 52kg road race in two days.  Oh boy…