Baxter State Park 3K in 3Y

[EricBeOutdoors]

Hello folks!

My name is Eric. Been enjoying reading through some of the threads here, getting some good insights into New England adventures and felt like I should start a thread of my own to get some details on a quest I have in my head.

TLDR: I have hiked many of the Whites in NH, some of the Missions in MT, and have even ventured some of Alaskas beautiful backcountry. But then we moved to Maine in July 2024 and I fell in love with the North Maine Woods and especially Baxter State Park. I have always been drawn towards bushwhacking and trail-blazing. Going where few, if any, have been before. So for Baxter, I have a desire to climb all the peaks 3000ft and up, over the next 3 years. Some of the peaks don't have existing trails and one of those peaks is technically just outside park boundaries (The Bosom) but that's exactly what intrigues me. And if all goes well, I want to continue until I summit all 25 listed in The Baxter Park Peak Challenge by Peakery.

So I ask you knowledgeable people here. Has anyone had experience bushwhacking in Baxter or reaching any of the trailless peaks? Any tips or tricks or things to know? Would anyone be interested in joining in this venture?

Thank you for reading, thanks in advance for advice and Nodesse (Penobscot for "get outside")

 

[KRooney]

Have you been in touch with Puma concolor? He might know.

 

[Lone Stranger]

BSP camping is only at reserved sites so you'll have to plan your day hike summits carefully. There are parts of the park that are very hard to reach in the limited amount of time available in even a Summer day. Your success will come from careful planning. Have fun, but please respect the park and its rules. It is a very special place. Sacred to many and certainly worth protecting for all.

 

[John H Swanson]

I’ve climbed the 3000 footers in BSP.
Approaches from the north are always better than the south. The park was generally fine with day trips to these summits and asked me to check in and out and not to leave any trace. Barren was the challenge.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Best wishes on your BSP project, Eric. As of 2024, 46 hikers have completed the New England 3000-footers, and two have completed all 451 summits in winter, Tom Sawyer in February 1994 and Carl Cressey in March 2022. I attended a slide lecture by Tom Sawyer after his winter 451 completion in which he described falling asleep while walking some of the long unplowed logging roads in Maine.

I will say it because he is too humble to say so, but John Swanson, who posted above, was first, together with Dennis Crispo, to complete the 770 list, all the 3000 footers in the Northeast U.S., in 1997. That list of completers is growing, but I am not sure if anyone is attempting to complete all 770 in winter.

 

[John H Swanson]

Best wishes on your BSP project, Eric. As of 2024, 46 hikers have completed the New England 3000-footers, and two have completed all 451 summits in winter, Tom Sawyer in February 1994 and Carl Cressey in March 2022. I attended a slide lecture by Tom Sawyer after his winter 451 completion in which he described falling asleep while walking some of the long unplowed logging roads in Maine.

I will say it because he is too humble to say so, but John Swanson, who posted above, was first, together with Dennis Crispo, to complete the 770 list, all the 3000 footers in the Northeast U.S., in 1997. That list of completers is growing, but I am not sure if anyone is attempting to complete all 770 in winter.

Maybe Tom Sawyer