With such an easy trail to walk on, we were soon back down in the leafy hardwood grove near the trailhead, only two hours after leaving North Brother's summit.
Arriving back at the trailhead, Jenn broke out the champagne from an ice-filled cooler, and she toasted to my 111er completion. It had been, as I had hoped, a picture-perfect day and summit, definitely befitting a peak list completion event.
Another couple had just finished hiking the same time we did, and we got them to take a quick shot of our celebratory drink.
I'd like to also take a moment to thank Jenn, who has faithfully been with me for the last seven years' worth of 4000-footer ascents, starting with
Mount Moriah in New Hampshire back in the fall of 2004. Even though she did not have any intent to complete her own ascent of all 115 peaks, she was always there -- winter and summer, sometimes with a healthy dose of bushwhacking (which Jenn just
loves, by the way).
Now, even though I've consumed many bytes over the internet to tell you about my little achievement, I will point out a little-known but interesting fact: North Brother is Jenn's
109th 111er peak. She only has six more peaks to reach the same goal. She has stated that she's got little interesting in doing so, but, well, we're only talking six peaks here...
After completing the hike, we had to endure a fairly tedious and dusty drive back down the main park road. After having our car thoroughly coated inside and out with fine dust, we made it back to pavement. A few parting shots of Katahdin from the shores of Upper Togue Pond, and we headed back west along the Golden Road, bound for Ottawa.
