The Views of Baxter (VOB) Game

Since the "Guess which peak" games have been so much fun when people post mystery pictures on VFTT, I thought I'd start a regular game.

Since I'm working on all the summits in Baxter State Park and there are so many views that nobody else gets to see, I thought It'd be fun to test your Baxter knowledge and map interpretation...

So, here is the 1st of many to come!

Tell me where the shot was taken from. Bonus points for those of you that can do it without looking at a map. Using a map, I don't think this one is too difficult.

As I progress with subsequent peaks I'll post pictures in the same way. I won't write any trip report until someone has guessed the peak.

spencer

I would guess it's the Katahdin massif from the northwest, probably from North or South Brother looking across the Klondike.

I guessed it was either that or the Traveler but then looked at a map and figured there is nowhere to stand near the Traveler to get that view. Besides I think there is too much above-treeline area to be anyting but Katahdin.

Pb, I think Spencer is giving us the subject, and it is just the viewpoint that remains to be identified, yes?
I'm not using a map, so it could easily be from a peak that I can't name off the top of my head. I'd say this is a view from the south to southwest roughly, more or less a variation of our more typical views from say Abol Bridge. Also, you can guess from the shadow of that lone cumulous cloud that the sun is more behind us than behind the subject (indicating that we are looking more north than south). We're up on some ledges, but not terribly high. I want to say Sentinel, just because it's over there somewhere?

It looks like the view from the south gate. But you are on a peak taking the picture, right?

I'd say Sentinel also without looking, but the angle looks a bit too far South. Could be just me though...

OK, so I'll change my mind to the south. Since that must be the Abol Slide and the view is close in, likely north of the park road with none of the ponds in view, how about Abol Mountain.

I thought Abol mountain too, but only after I looked at the map for a peak in that area.

I know!

That's taken from the road near and outside the South Entrance (going into Roaring Brook).

I agree with Artex.

Artex said:

That's taken from the road near and outside the South Entrance (going into Roaring Brook).

Click to expand...

dms said:

I agree with Artex.

Click to expand...

Really? But don't you feel the photographer is standing up on some hill or small mountain to get this particular view.

And more importantly, Spencer has told us he's working on the "summits of Baxter", right? Do you think he would put up a roadside snapshot to launch his sure-to-be-famous VOB game, particularly when his portfolio includes cool stuff like "Dawn on South Turner"?

Tramper Al said:

Really? But don't you feel the photographer is standing up on some hill or small mountain to get this particular view.

And more importantly, Spencer has told us he's working on the "summits of Baxter", right? Do you think he would put up a roadside snapshot to launch his sure-to-be-famous VOB game, particularly when his portfolio includes cool stuff like "Dawn on South Turner"?

Click to expand...

Perhaps... but I say it's a trick. I've taken many pictures from said location that are framed nearly identical to Spencer's. I could be wrong, but I still stand by my answer.

Artex said:

I've taken many pictures from said location that are framed nearly identical to Spencer's.

Click to expand...

If you're looking at your framed pictures, and particularly if the FOREGROUND is the same, then you must be correct, yes?

To second guess Spencer further though, I notice that he has been back here several times since posting his question, and he has not confirmed any answer as correct. I don't think he'd leave us hanging, so I wonder if no one is correct (yet).

Looking at a crude map now, I wonder if he is talking about Trout Mountain (not actually in the park) or even "Unnamed peak along powerline cut by road between Togue access raod and Abol Bridge".

I don't know, clearly.

This is so much fun! watching you all squirm...

Tramper, how can you tell I've been back? I don't think I've ever noticed that feature.

Anyway, it is in fact, Abol Mtn. The bump in front below Katahdin is Rum Mtn. (another one I'll be after)...

It all started as I was planning on hiking Katahdin via Abol Slide on my last day of a month-long vacation.

I stopped in at HQ to make sure Abol was open and they assured me it was. By the time I got to Togue, they had "closed" the trail. So, as a backup, I had thought about whacking to Abol Mtn.

and that's what I did. The highlights included the first beautiful skies in a looong time and stumbling across an old lumber camp and its remains.

Quite a trip with many cuts and scrapes to show for it. I was quite surprised to find such views from the actual summit, which was otherwise among one of the most massive, blowdown patches I've waded through...

spencer

And you made us wait all day!

Nice Picture!

You had me fooled. Got another?

I have lots others, but I'm going to do one picture per summit and I'll post them as I hike them (from now on).

spencer said:

Since I'm working on all the summits in Baxter State Park ...

Click to expand...

That's quite a project, as I recall there's a bump on the far side of Webster Brook that could prove interesting. How often has this been done?

One of the most interesting discrepancies in USGS maps is nearby. If you look at the SE corner of this map http://docs.unh.edu/ME/harr54se.jpg there is a 990 bump that does not match up with the adjoining one just right http://docs.unh.edu/ME/kata49sw.jpg . Stop on your way home sometime and see if there is really a cliff there

Here is a picture generated from my GIS which includes seamless DRGs (digital quads).

I think the discrepancy you mention is that in the UNH '49 map you are looking at the left edge of the left of the two peaks and in the UNH '54 map you are looking at the right of the two peaks. Note that the town boundary goes over the summit of the right peak and just south of the left peak.

The '49 map only shows an elevation of the left peak of 950 while in the '54 map it has "grown" to 990. Simple elevation revision?

Did I miss some glaring error?

spencer