[at-l] completed thru hikes??

[Snodrog5@aol.com (Snodrog5@aol.com)]

As of 9/15 279 northbound thruhikers had summited Katahdin.
I posted this back on 9/16:
"Rather wet weekend at Baxter. Some pretty soggy thruhikers in the Park
recently, including Hayze, El Torro, CZ-Burger, Milkshake, Happy Pancake,
Lady Bug, Snowbird, WDSTK, SemiPro, Geek, Budda, Santiago, Walking Wounded,
Weeper, Serendipity, Spider, B.Free, Buckshot, Space Monke, Disco, Sunny D,
Gear Girl, Lambkin, Sobo the Northbounder, Just Do It Ray, and Sunshine.
Cupcake and Trippin' Ant were the 278th and 279th northbound thruhikers to
climb Katahdin this year. So far 748 "Long Distance" hikers have stayed at
The Birches."
The ranger at Katahdin Stream Campground is keeping track on forms supplied
to him by the ATC. He's handing out the 2000 miler certs, and told me about
ten per cent of the hikers didn't take one. I'll get the numbers from him
after Columbus Day weekend and post them again.
Reports from the Monson Post Office, Shaw's, and the Pie Lady last weekend
figure the numbers of  thruhikers are down about 20% this year.
TJ