ok, it worked....3rd time to Maine in the last year...went to Acadia with my wife and kids and went to the winter gathering...I like Maine...
Took Taylor 10 and Jordan 14....drove 550 miles form long Island, took 2 days...hiked into Chimney pond 3.3 miles , 1500 ft elevation...taylors first backpack, Jordans 2nd and my 3rd in 2 years..i know it's not much but the weight adds up, especially the emergency clothing for just in case, which was needed...I also carried my video camera because i figured what's an extra 2 lbs...it was worth it...this report is much shorter than the first...i was proud of my kids and myself for taking our time and not complaining to muck getting to the lean to....we ate and stargazed...next morning we would hike katahdin...
Wake up and eat...9 am start..up Cathedral and down Saddle...no knife edge for us, i can't watch them and myself..Cathedral was tough..I think 1.7 miles 2400 vertical...small rocks...big rocks...very big boulders...then on top of the cathedral lots of broken red rocks...the clouds came bringing drizzle/fog.....the fleece and ponchos went on for the last 1/2 mile....we were fogged in at the summit with loads of people...we ate and left after 1/2 hour...i didn't want to wait for a view in case the weather got worse...the hike down saddle is rough for a while...i hiked in front of Taylor helping her down some drops, she's on the short side, I kept reminding her that if she was to fall that she should fall on her butt and not do a forward roll...later on the Saddle trail was beautiful with small trees growing on the sides....we made it down and I went for a short swim in a pond on the other side near the bunk houses...took Taylor with me..jordan didn't want to...we hiked out in the am and went site seeing near the cars...We spotted a mother moose and her baby and then another moose eating, it was cool!
Drove to Katahdin Stream for 2 nights...stargazed that night and hiked up the Owl trail the next day...3 miles, 2400 elevation..kids did belly ache but made it...beautiful views and met Paul and his son (7)...then i promised my kids to go swimming at Ledge falls...that was tthe best part of the trip for them...a natural rock slide into pools of water...it was great...that night no star gazing for them, but i did, i wanted to take in the Maine stars one more night....we drove back the next day app 500 miles, I broke up the ending of the trip by going on a car felly for app 1 hour..kids liked getting out of the car and me to...slept at moms place in Eastern Long Island then drove home Sunday...I wanted to drive to the gathering late Saturday but it would have added 150 more miles....unpacked the car and repacked it to go on a 5 day trip to the exact extreem..the Jersey shore!...that's another story, but i did go para sailing there!...big thx to Spencer for giving me the advise on where to stay in Baxter when I mailed out the reservations 5 months ago...also thx to everyone else who pm'ed me about Baxter..Thx VFTT, the city boy has enjoyed the last 3 years in the country, maybe not every weekend but as much as i can...be safe everyone!
Well I'm sure being young and energetic helped......Glad you had a great time! Baxter is so magical, wish there was more time for it. I love that place every time I go and enjoy reading other trip reports from others visits. 
