marty
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Day 1 – Katahdin and Hamlin
After arriving at the Econolodge in Millinocket the previous night, Tom P, Tom W and I were able to catch about 4 ½ hours of sleep. Out the door at 3:45 am. We arrived at the gate about 4:10 am with 7 cars in front of us. To make sure we hit the trail as quickly as possible, we used this time to fire up our canister stoves for hot tea & oatmeal and applied bug dope and sunscreen. The rangers then opened the gate at 5:00 am. They warned us that it was a heat index day and that there were possibilities of severe thunderstorms and hail. They advised us to “bring lots of water”. We then headed to Roaring Brook. After signing in, we started on the Chimney Pond trail at 5:50 am.
Chimney Pond trail was more interesting than anticipated. We had occasional glimpses of the Howe Peaks and Turners and stopped for a few minutes at the beautiful Basin Pond. We arrived at Chimney Pond at about 7:20 am.
Chimney Pond is extremely scenic. All of Katahdin opens up there for you to see, with Cathedral Ridge (our chosen route) right in front of you. After a brief easy jaunt through the woods, we entered a rough, rocky and steep section through the scrub. When you get out of the scrub, the real fun begins. It was a mile of pure exhilaration, constantly climbing up steep rock faces. Hands, fingers and arms are more important than legs on this stretch. There was one spot where we all had trouble getting up a near vertical and somewhat damp rock. Tom W. got up, but with some difficulty. Tom P. got up easily, with me giving him a butt push. On my first attempt, I slid down the rock as my boots slipped. On my second try, I had a slightly better hand hold and was able to hoist myself up. We were all happy to be over 6 feet tall. It was hard to imagine how shorter folks got up that one spot, even those with youthful enthusiasm. It was easier to imagine that we chose the wrong spot to ascend, as some sections had multiple ascent routes.
With the full sun and increasing heat, we stopped a few times. Views of the Knife Edge, the pond, the mountains to the east and the Cathedrals below were amazing!
There were a few other hairy spots on the trail. I admittedly got a bit of vertigo twice, but quickly shook it off, knowing that I had to keep going up and keep focus, or I could be in trouble. Still, it really wasn’t that bad considering how steep and open that trail is. We finally got above the third Cathedral and were amazed at how high we ascended in a mile. We all agreed that this was perhaps the toughest trail we had ever done, but also felt that it was a total blast!
After that, we ascended some noticeably easier terrain, got to the Saddle Trail and were up to the summit at 10:00 am. The summit had lots of people coming from all the various trails. There were lots of annoying bugs there, too. We scooted over near the Knife Edge (which I was glad I did not attempt), reapplied bug dope and had a snack and headed back on the Saddle.
We took the Saddle to the Northwest Basin. That trail was beautiful, with nice views of the mountains to the west (Brothers, Coe, OJI, etc.). It was also easy hiking, with a very gentle ascent toward Hamlin. We arrived at Caribou Spring and filled up a bottle for Tom P., who was running a bit low on water. The water, as my friend Double Bow stated in a previous TR, was crystal clear and ice cold.
We then took the Hamlin Ridge Trail and quickly hit the summit at high noon and the sun started bearing down on us. The descent off the ridge was very hot and climbing down the boulders was tough on the knees. On the other hand, the views were amazing, including a nice perspective of the Cathedral Trail. We just couldn’t believe we actually climbed that thing. After a bit of tough hiking below the tree line on Hamlin, it got easier and we then took the fairly easy North Basin and North Basin Cutoff Trails to Chimney Pond Trail. The last 2.3 miles were especially tough on Tom P., whose knees had swelled up and his pace much slower. About a mile before the end, a young couple were coming down the trail and were about to pass us. When Tom P. saw this, he started hiking in hyper drive, sore knees be damned. We quickly outpaced the couple and got back to the campground a bit before 3:30.
As we were leaving, a young bull moose strolled into the parking lot. I summoned my friends and a few other folks who checked him out. The moose came within 10 feet of us, not really concerned at all. I had just packed my camera, so did not get a shot. It was a great ending to the hike though. On to Millinocket we went for pizzas and brews and my friends decided to head back to Boston. I hit the sack at the Econolodge at 7:30 pm.
Day 2 – North Brother
I woke up at 4:30 and felt really good. Guess all that conditioning paid off! Decided I was going to attack North Brother that day, as I had work and family obligations on Monday. Got up, partook in the continental breakfast at the Econolodge and headed for Slide Dam and the Marston Trail, arriving at the gate at 6:00 am. The ranger told me that Roaring Brook did not fill until 6:15 am on Saturday and still had lots of open parking spots today. Apparently, the heat deterred a number of hikers. Again, she warned me of a heat index.
Got to Slide Dam about 6:30. It had rained the prior night and the woods were soaked and the skeeters, nosee-ums and black flies were swarming. I quickly got my gear ready, applied the bug dope and hit the trail about 6:50 am. It was somewhat clear, but clouds were building in the area. Saw some nice views of Doubletop and Moose’s Bosom.
The trail was quite wet but generally easy, with a few minor stream crossings with wet rocks. Came to the Coe Trail lower intersection quickly and kept on Marston, where I soon passed a nice pond on my right. At that point, the fog rolled in. After a bit, the trail got steep and rough, but became much easier at about 3,000 feet. It also became noticeably cooler and the bugs stopped completely. It was then a very easy hike up to the upper intersection with the Coe Trail. The only problem was that the trail had lots of balsam branches hanging over the trail. They were loaded with moisture and I got a bit wet.
Shortly after the Coe Trail intersection, the trail gets pretty rough. There are many slippery wet rocks to ascend and some areas the trail appeared to be nothing more than a washed out gully. The balsams were also very abundant here and I was getting pretty soaked and decided to put on my rain jacket. I then came to these four or five jumbled boulders. After a bit of thought, I figured a way to climb up it and when I stood up, I was at tree line. I then quickly ascended the final .2 mile stretch and summited at 9:20 am.
The summit was totally fogged in and the winds were whipping about 30 mph. My hands actually got cold. I sat down, had a snack, snapped a photo as evidence for Tom and Tom, briefly checked out the area and started down about 9:35 am.
The trip down the toughest section actually seemed easier than the ascent. Ran into a group of three hikers along this stretch. They were the only humans I encountered during this hike. I had an encounter with a couple other mammals, however. At about 2,100 feet, I was walking along and saw a large calf moose just off the trail. It saw me and ran. I then slowly walked around the corner and there was a huge Momma Moose about 30 feet in front of me, who was displaying Mad Cow symptoms (i.e., she stood stoic and had her ears back). I slowly backed off and waited, while mother and baby moose munched on leaves. After about 10 minutes, the black flies found me and started eating me alive. I decided to bang my trekking poles to scare away the moose. No effect. They kept on feeding. I decided to wait it out and then donned my headnet. After 20 minutes, I heard some rustling of trees and decided to poke my head around the corner. They appeared to be gone. I tiptoed up the trail, keeping a watchful eye. Thankfully they left and were out of sight.
I then did the final descent with lots of bugs joining me. Did a nice butt plant going down some rock steps covered with wet pine needles. Made it to the truck at 11:55 am and started heading on home.
As soon as I got on I-95, the radio interrupted me with an Emergency Broadcast, telling people to take shelter and get off the water due to severe thunderstorms. Within 5 minutes, an incredible storm hit with sheets of rain, hail and frequent lightning bolts. Most cars pulled off the interstate. I proceeded on with another car at about 25 mph, thinking I was glad I did North Brother early!
The trip home to Boxford, MA was long, but gave me a chance to reflect. I did an amazing, but tough hike up Katahdin on Saturday with my great friends, Tom and Tom. I followed it up with North Brother the next day and have now completed 66 of the New England 67 Four Thousand Footers, with my final hike up Mansfield planned for August 5 (Sherpa K, as you know, if I had not planned this Mansfield hike back in the winter, I would be at Bearly Live for sure). I also had the opportunity to see three moose up close and personal. Baxter State Park totally rocks!
Tom and Tom – it was awesome hiking with you, dudes! Let’s get serious about doing an Abol and Hunt Trail loop in a couple years, for a different perspective on Katahdin.
Here are some photos, all of Katahdin except the last (click View Slideshow): BSP Photos
Marty
After arriving at the Econolodge in Millinocket the previous night, Tom P, Tom W and I were able to catch about 4 ½ hours of sleep. Out the door at 3:45 am. We arrived at the gate about 4:10 am with 7 cars in front of us. To make sure we hit the trail as quickly as possible, we used this time to fire up our canister stoves for hot tea & oatmeal and applied bug dope and sunscreen. The rangers then opened the gate at 5:00 am. They warned us that it was a heat index day and that there were possibilities of severe thunderstorms and hail. They advised us to “bring lots of water”. We then headed to Roaring Brook. After signing in, we started on the Chimney Pond trail at 5:50 am.
Chimney Pond trail was more interesting than anticipated. We had occasional glimpses of the Howe Peaks and Turners and stopped for a few minutes at the beautiful Basin Pond. We arrived at Chimney Pond at about 7:20 am.
Chimney Pond is extremely scenic. All of Katahdin opens up there for you to see, with Cathedral Ridge (our chosen route) right in front of you. After a brief easy jaunt through the woods, we entered a rough, rocky and steep section through the scrub. When you get out of the scrub, the real fun begins. It was a mile of pure exhilaration, constantly climbing up steep rock faces. Hands, fingers and arms are more important than legs on this stretch. There was one spot where we all had trouble getting up a near vertical and somewhat damp rock. Tom W. got up, but with some difficulty. Tom P. got up easily, with me giving him a butt push. On my first attempt, I slid down the rock as my boots slipped. On my second try, I had a slightly better hand hold and was able to hoist myself up. We were all happy to be over 6 feet tall. It was hard to imagine how shorter folks got up that one spot, even those with youthful enthusiasm. It was easier to imagine that we chose the wrong spot to ascend, as some sections had multiple ascent routes.
With the full sun and increasing heat, we stopped a few times. Views of the Knife Edge, the pond, the mountains to the east and the Cathedrals below were amazing!
There were a few other hairy spots on the trail. I admittedly got a bit of vertigo twice, but quickly shook it off, knowing that I had to keep going up and keep focus, or I could be in trouble. Still, it really wasn’t that bad considering how steep and open that trail is. We finally got above the third Cathedral and were amazed at how high we ascended in a mile. We all agreed that this was perhaps the toughest trail we had ever done, but also felt that it was a total blast!
After that, we ascended some noticeably easier terrain, got to the Saddle Trail and were up to the summit at 10:00 am. The summit had lots of people coming from all the various trails. There were lots of annoying bugs there, too. We scooted over near the Knife Edge (which I was glad I did not attempt), reapplied bug dope and had a snack and headed back on the Saddle.
We took the Saddle to the Northwest Basin. That trail was beautiful, with nice views of the mountains to the west (Brothers, Coe, OJI, etc.). It was also easy hiking, with a very gentle ascent toward Hamlin. We arrived at Caribou Spring and filled up a bottle for Tom P., who was running a bit low on water. The water, as my friend Double Bow stated in a previous TR, was crystal clear and ice cold.
We then took the Hamlin Ridge Trail and quickly hit the summit at high noon and the sun started bearing down on us. The descent off the ridge was very hot and climbing down the boulders was tough on the knees. On the other hand, the views were amazing, including a nice perspective of the Cathedral Trail. We just couldn’t believe we actually climbed that thing. After a bit of tough hiking below the tree line on Hamlin, it got easier and we then took the fairly easy North Basin and North Basin Cutoff Trails to Chimney Pond Trail. The last 2.3 miles were especially tough on Tom P., whose knees had swelled up and his pace much slower. About a mile before the end, a young couple were coming down the trail and were about to pass us. When Tom P. saw this, he started hiking in hyper drive, sore knees be damned. We quickly outpaced the couple and got back to the campground a bit before 3:30.
As we were leaving, a young bull moose strolled into the parking lot. I summoned my friends and a few other folks who checked him out. The moose came within 10 feet of us, not really concerned at all. I had just packed my camera, so did not get a shot. It was a great ending to the hike though. On to Millinocket we went for pizzas and brews and my friends decided to head back to Boston. I hit the sack at the Econolodge at 7:30 pm.
Day 2 – North Brother
I woke up at 4:30 and felt really good. Guess all that conditioning paid off! Decided I was going to attack North Brother that day, as I had work and family obligations on Monday. Got up, partook in the continental breakfast at the Econolodge and headed for Slide Dam and the Marston Trail, arriving at the gate at 6:00 am. The ranger told me that Roaring Brook did not fill until 6:15 am on Saturday and still had lots of open parking spots today. Apparently, the heat deterred a number of hikers. Again, she warned me of a heat index.
Got to Slide Dam about 6:30. It had rained the prior night and the woods were soaked and the skeeters, nosee-ums and black flies were swarming. I quickly got my gear ready, applied the bug dope and hit the trail about 6:50 am. It was somewhat clear, but clouds were building in the area. Saw some nice views of Doubletop and Moose’s Bosom.
The trail was quite wet but generally easy, with a few minor stream crossings with wet rocks. Came to the Coe Trail lower intersection quickly and kept on Marston, where I soon passed a nice pond on my right. At that point, the fog rolled in. After a bit, the trail got steep and rough, but became much easier at about 3,000 feet. It also became noticeably cooler and the bugs stopped completely. It was then a very easy hike up to the upper intersection with the Coe Trail. The only problem was that the trail had lots of balsam branches hanging over the trail. They were loaded with moisture and I got a bit wet.
Shortly after the Coe Trail intersection, the trail gets pretty rough. There are many slippery wet rocks to ascend and some areas the trail appeared to be nothing more than a washed out gully. The balsams were also very abundant here and I was getting pretty soaked and decided to put on my rain jacket. I then came to these four or five jumbled boulders. After a bit of thought, I figured a way to climb up it and when I stood up, I was at tree line. I then quickly ascended the final .2 mile stretch and summited at 9:20 am.
The summit was totally fogged in and the winds were whipping about 30 mph. My hands actually got cold. I sat down, had a snack, snapped a photo as evidence for Tom and Tom, briefly checked out the area and started down about 9:35 am.
The trip down the toughest section actually seemed easier than the ascent. Ran into a group of three hikers along this stretch. They were the only humans I encountered during this hike. I had an encounter with a couple other mammals, however. At about 2,100 feet, I was walking along and saw a large calf moose just off the trail. It saw me and ran. I then slowly walked around the corner and there was a huge Momma Moose about 30 feet in front of me, who was displaying Mad Cow symptoms (i.e., she stood stoic and had her ears back). I slowly backed off and waited, while mother and baby moose munched on leaves. After about 10 minutes, the black flies found me and started eating me alive. I decided to bang my trekking poles to scare away the moose. No effect. They kept on feeding. I decided to wait it out and then donned my headnet. After 20 minutes, I heard some rustling of trees and decided to poke my head around the corner. They appeared to be gone. I tiptoed up the trail, keeping a watchful eye. Thankfully they left and were out of sight.
I then did the final descent with lots of bugs joining me. Did a nice butt plant going down some rock steps covered with wet pine needles. Made it to the truck at 11:55 am and started heading on home.
As soon as I got on I-95, the radio interrupted me with an Emergency Broadcast, telling people to take shelter and get off the water due to severe thunderstorms. Within 5 minutes, an incredible storm hit with sheets of rain, hail and frequent lightning bolts. Most cars pulled off the interstate. I proceeded on with another car at about 25 mph, thinking I was glad I did North Brother early!
The trip home to Boxford, MA was long, but gave me a chance to reflect. I did an amazing, but tough hike up Katahdin on Saturday with my great friends, Tom and Tom. I followed it up with North Brother the next day and have now completed 66 of the New England 67 Four Thousand Footers, with my final hike up Mansfield planned for August 5 (Sherpa K, as you know, if I had not planned this Mansfield hike back in the winter, I would be at Bearly Live for sure). I also had the opportunity to see three moose up close and personal. Baxter State Park totally rocks!
Tom and Tom – it was awesome hiking with you, dudes! Let’s get serious about doing an Abol and Hunt Trail loop in a couple years, for a different perspective on Katahdin.
Here are some photos, all of Katahdin except the last (click View Slideshow): BSP Photos
Marty
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