Appalachian Trail (day 96) - Hay Mountain to Nahmakanta Stream Lean To / mile 2154

Big day with multiple views of the final destination - Katahdin.

First thing in the morning I've climbed to the top of White Cap Mountain and got greeted by multiple views of surrounding mountains including the first sighting of Katahdin looming in the distance. Day was sunny and visibility was great.

From that point on the trail got much easier, it was running along lakes and rivers with very little elevation change. Bugs were relentless though and having longer break presented an issue, even after spraying myself with Deet they would still find a biting angle.

I've met Trademark and Diehard again and was hiking back and forth with them for the rest of the day. It looked like my schedule was overlapping with theirs and we even started to talk about ascending Katahdin together and getting a shuttle back to town of Millinocket afterwards.

Steady stream of Sobo hikers continued, I've met two middle aged guys sitting on a log and smoking cigarettes who told me it took them nine days to get here, it meant that they were hiking less than 7 miles per day, I don't think they've been getting to Georgia any time soon but at least they've been having an adventure and been spending their time in nature.

Mushrooms really started to show around which was great, I loved to spot them on the trail and photograph them in all their glorious shapes and colours.

I've got to the campsite just after 6 PM, Trademark and Diehard were camping here as well, we had a dinner together and talked about what we're going to do after finishing the trail.

Tomorrow was the last long day before reaching the Baxter Park and sorting out all the paperwork to access the Kathadin. It has been a good day overall.

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