Listen to the rangers. I grew up in the distant shadow of MT Katahdin. Kick off your shoes and take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of Upper Togue Pond after your hike. This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated. He had a tremendous respect for life, and he had a sense of natural strength, intelligence, and warmth that was infectious.. She outpaced me all the way. I did cut open my leg to a loose rock. Are you saying it once took you 1.5 hours to go 1.1 miles and it took you and your girlfriend 4 hours?! I worried that my wife would be angry if she found out. Once you break the tree line, however, it quickly becomes very rocky, requiring careful footing and some hands-and-knees scrambling. Both hikes were pretty tough, but the knife edge for me was intense. He and his 25-year-old nephew lost the trail Wednesday morning in dark and foggy conditions. Post your experience and the trail conditions (with the date of your hike) in the comments for others! Research which trail youd like to hike and try and reserve a campsite or parking spot where that trail begins.Its important to have a backup plan. The crystal clear waters of Roaring Brook made for a great water source (treated) and we brought about 2.5 liters apiece. The climb is challenging, so you need to be in good shape, and the Knife Edge is amazing for us adrenaline junkies who love heights, but you have to be patient with those on the trail who are intimidated by the conditions. Pamola Peak guards the eastern end of the Great Basin and is a popular peak because of its proximity to the Roaring Brook trailhead. You still need to gain thousands of feet in elevation, however, youre able to do so in more mileage. The sharp descent and immediate ascent between Pamola Peak and Chimney Peak at beginning of Knife Edge Trail is essentially 90-degree vertical. MILLINOCKET, Maine (WABI) - A Massachusetts man has died after a hiking accident in Baxter State Park. This is a fun class 2. I would not do it again because of all the people on the trail. FOLLOW Me! This is a great spot to stop for a snack and to take in a breathtaking view of the mountain ridges that you will soon be climbing. Nothing beats the view from that summit that I can think of in the NE USA or Atlantic Canada. Energy chews are another great item to bring along as well. After around 1.5 to 2 hours of steady climbing, the trail reaches the bottom of the slide. If youre forced to take your chances on a first come first serve parking space, you need to be prepared to wake up early. The route eventually drops below treeline and crosses a small brook, and after 3.2 miles you will rejoin the Chimney Pond trail and arrive at Roaring Brook campground soon thereafter. He was the consummate local/metro newsman in his career as an editor at the Berkshire Eagle & Boston Globe, and he was my ultimate model. It is very important that you pack multiple high-energy snacks for your trip. His philosophy of Wilderness First, Recreation Second lives on through Mount Katahdin and Baxter State Park. having done both Cathedral and Knife Edge, I would recommend either doing one or the other. Roaring Brook trailhead (45.91944, 68.85737) has a campground, a ranger station, and outhouses at the parking area, but dont expect to find potable water. Once while doing the knife edge, with my two sons, my younger son tried to hide his fear by just soldiering. Realizing later I should have returned by saddle trail and chimney pond I decide the shortest way is the original plan across knife edge, except my girlfriend isnt going to be up to it. I have hiked neither Helon Taylor nor the Knife Edge and do not intend to do so with my 78th birthday coming up next month. A line of cars will form at the gate. Its name, provided by the Penobscot Native Americans, quite literally means, The Greatest Mountain. Depending on the season and time of day, there can be quite a crowd at the summit of Mount Katahdin, all eager to take photos with the 5,267-foot summit sign. Percival P. Baxter, once the governor of Maine, donated the land of Baxter State Park to create, protect, and provide the people of Maine a wilderness area. Officials say 75-year-old Donald MacGillis fell 50 feet off Knife Edge on Mount Katahdin. I and a few classmates from Bowdoin again sheltered at Chimney Pond, climbed to the summit (timed to arrive just before sunrise, which we did), and again did the Knife Edge. Please honor this mission while hiking Mount Katahdin and remember, its wild out there. Thank you for supporting The Virtual Sherpa so I can continue to provide you with free content!Want content early? 3rd being via the Knife Edge. File photo of Knife's Edge on Mt. Katahdin, Massachusetts man dies after falling from Knife Edge at Mt. Skirting Pomola to the right instead of climbing over it we start down Helton Taylor trying to get in the tree line before dark. But one state over and roughly 200 miles away, there stands a mountain that draws adventurers from all over to the rural back roads of Maine, the lush forests of Baxter State Park, and trails that are more like a game of rocky hopscotch. Most of the edges are very steep but not sheer. If weather looks bad though turn around and head in. From Maine to Georgia and beyond, Katahdin has been one of the Northeasts premier hiking destinations ever since the Appalachian Trail was completed in 1937. Check the mountains weather on the day and the night before your trip, and talk to the ranger before leaving onyour hike. Keep in mind that the shortest trail isnt necessarily the easiest. The view of the inner basin from the Knife Edge Trail on Mount Katahdin. The trail starts out quite mellow and you will immediately pass the Helon Taylor trail junction on your left. Each reservation must be presented at the entrance gate on the morning of your hike. They can make a Day Use Reservation for any time in the summer season as of April 1. Flexibility in trailheads and hiking dates can go a long way! And it is the most difficult section of the whole hiking trail. Not anytime soon. A few years later now in our 40s I agree to my girlfriends wish to climb it. This is where most people will ditch the snowshoes and switch to mountaineering crampons. Breaking above the tree line on the Helon Taylor Trail bringssome tougher climbing but also beautiful views. The weather on our fateful day started out with crystal blue skies but quickly turned to fifty foot visibility with an estimated 30 mph cross winds as a front moved in from the east. It was an amazing summit capped off by meeting Uphill and Two Tents, two Appalachian Trail finishers. Chimney Pond can be seen far below and the daunting Knifes Edge trail presents itself as the crux of this loop. Also, hiking in Baxter is very different than say, the White Mountains as everything seems to take much longer than one would think. There are a number of campgrounds within Baxter State Park where you can lay your head after hiking Mount Katahdin. Knifes Edge in my 20sno problem. They got in touch with authorities who told them to shelter in place until daylight. late! In downtown Millinocket, about an hour away from the park,youll finda number of inns, cabins, lodges, camping, and bed-and-breakfasts. A kind ranger met us on the way back and lent us a flashlight to improve the visibility of the trail (better than the headlamps!) Ive watched peoples videos of crossing Knife Edge and none equal the experience of being there. Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. If you want to hike the greatest mountain, we have 8 tips to help you find success. Lots of exposure. A Massachusetts man has died after a hiking accident in Baxter State Park. This is handy knowledge to have, and if you make it to the Togue Pond Gatehouse between 4 and 6AM, you can usually park in line and hope to get lucky. A Foggy View of Knife Edge Hiking Mount Katahdin. There is no permit required to hike Mount Katahdin. The lands in the park were gifted to the state by former Governor Percival Baxter between 1931 and 1962, and as such are required to remain forever wild. This means that you will have to abide by such arcane regulations as no pets allowed, no power equipment such as chainsaws, generators, or Bluetooth speakers, no public consumption of alcohol, no drones, no children under the age of 6 above tree line on Katahdin, and no wearing of white cargo pants after Labor Day. People from near and far have heard of Mount Washingtonthe highest point in the Northeast, some of the strongest winds in the world, and mountain views that can leaveeven the staunchest of hiking skeptics breathless. He studied civil engineering and graduated with honors. Follow the blue blazes along the rocky arete, carefully making your way down towards a high saddle on the ridge towards Chimney Peak. It was raining sideways, incredibly windy, and about 40 degrees when we made it to Pamola Peak. Being above treeline means you are fully exposed to the elements including wind, rain, hail, fog, lightning, snow, and cold. This is a fun class 2 scramble with a section of class 3 hiking. The Medical Examiners office is working to determine what caused his death. Katahdin is a great challenge but it is so much more than just another hike. And I can't find any details. function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
Lost some toenails due to some ill-fitting socks as well. Yes, I climbed Katahdin twice. We climbed to the summit and navigated the Knife Edge. Its possible youll even meet folks completing the incredible 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail thru-hike, as Mount Katahdin is the final destination on thatroute after the Hundred-Mile Wilderness. There is no additional charge to you. This loop starts at the Roaring Brook trailhead, so be sure to reserve a spot four months in advance of your hike or you will risk passes being sold out. This will be the trail that you finish your loop on, and if poor afternoon weather conditions are forecast you may want to do this loop in reverse. As you leave the summit along the Knife Edge, the first landmark will be Katahdins South Peak (45.90208, 68.91685). It all depends on which hiking route you plan to take. Follow this trail steeply uphill until you break treeline and get the payoff for which this loop is known for. Part of me wants to do the AT someday, but that thing look terrifying! Connecting the Helon Taylor Trail to the Knife Edge Trail, Pamola Peakis a great spot fortaking a break on a nice day. He knows our route but being nightime doesnt send anyone to look for us. In this video, we hike up to Baxter Peak, the top of Mt. Ive made knife edge in an hour and a half so I figure if it takes 2 we still have 3 hours of light to make it back to the car. I always had great weather. Have you ever hiked Mount Katahdin? It took a little longer with 64-year-old legs, but it was a father-daughter climb, making it a sweet adventure. And once you reach the Chimney Pond Trail, the hiking eases up considerably, with flatter terrain and lovelybridges. Dam, which I had done. A funeral is being held on Friday at 3:30 also at Brookings-Smith officiated by Pastor Jon Ouellette.Gifts in Mr. Stetsons memory may be made to the Maine Muscular Dystrophy Association, 39 Mechanic Street #100, Westbrook, Maine 04192. Thanks again for a wonderful article. Marcy & Washington behind her, I agree forgetting Kahtadin is in a different league. We woke up in our campsite near the park at 5:00, leaving at 5:30 to arrive around 6:00, then started our hike at about 7:15 and ended at about 4:40. Along with packing high-protein snacks, its imperative that you pack enough water for your hike. That decision really helped, because I was sucking fumes toward the end. Distance: 11.8 miles, round-trip In this video, we hike up to Baxter Peak, the top of Mt. With over 4 inches of rain overnight, the Knife Edge and other trails were washed out. For a while before you hit that rock and exit the trees and after that, its very much a rock scramble, and I really enjoyed rock hopping, especially on the way back down. Plot out your itinerary ahead of time: Decide on your route, andmakeyour Baxter State Park campingor parkingreservations. The Best Loop, 9 Mi. The Knife's Edge is an epic approach to Baxter Peak. Park officials tell us that around 11:30 a.m., someone called 9-1-1 to report the death. It is possible to hike in the opposite direction; although the chimney at Pamola Peak seemed like it wouldve been very difficult from the opposite direction, there was a mother-son duo that were doing just that as we arrived. The mans body was brought down from the summit with help from the Maine Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter. We stayed at a hotel in Millinocket and made it to the gate early, but there was already a long line of cars. We got in line, 5th car back, at 6:57am, but didnt get to the rangers station until 7:03, i.e. According to a tweet from his son, MacGillis was a journalist who had worked as an editor for the Berkshire Eagle and the Boston Globe. According to the Brookings-Smith website, Mr. Stetson always lived his life in his own genuine way. Family and friends may call at Brookings-Smith 133 Center Street in Bangor on Thursday evening from six until eight. 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