Sunday, June 23, 2019

On The Knife's Edge


Baxter St. Park and Mt. Katahdin

Life can be an emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes you just need to get away and find your equilibrium. I'd been daydreaming of a trip to Maine for most of my school year but never seriously looked into the logistics behind it. On the first day of my summer vacation, I found myself beside a fire with Murphy decompressing, or at least trying to. It was then that I just decided to go for it. I wanted the comfort of the road, a wild place, and a campsite. I pulled out my laptop and found a few locations along the eastern seaboard to book. I hit the road the following morning with my sights set on Baxter St. Park and Mt. Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.  Two days later, I arrived in the buggiest place I had ever been. I was entirely alone and I wanted to do the Knife's Edge...



Entry...






Early morning housework. 




I decided to complete the circuit hike beginning with the Chimney Pond Trail which consists of a steady 3.3 mile climb to a small campground at the base of Katahdin. I had no company besides a few hundred mosquitoes and no see ums. 




Roaring Brook. 
It is filled with brook trout, but I didn't care. 




Lower Basin Pond





Chimney Pond in all its glory...




From Chimney Pond, I took the Cathedral Trail, a brutally steep hike two miles up to Baxter Peak. It began with a long boulder scramble that continued all the way to the top. A few parts involved climbing on slick surfaces. 


The first group of hikers I encountered were stuck at the beginning of Cathedral. I helped them get over the first few inclines and then pushed on. I don't think they made it all the way. 



Follow the blue blaze...





Happy




The Knife's Edge looms...



Almost there...




Woods and Waters


Hunt Trail


Quite a climb to end your thru-hike on the AT


The Edge


South Peak to Chimney Peak


                                                    Down South Basin to Chimney Pond




Quite the view...







The descent on Helon Taylor was long and arduous, especially on the knees...





Slow and steady...


The Appalachian Trail Cafe


Future Goals...



Heading to the northern part of Baxter...

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