Is the "KATAHDIN" sign ready to be replaced?

[roadtripper]

It's lunchtime and I'm looking at AOC-1's recent winter trip to Baxter and I was wondering what people thought about the Katahdin sign on the summit of Baxter Peak. It's looking pretty darn beat up these days.

Do you think it should be replaced? Is Baxter even allowed to replace it? How old is the current sign?

The sign has meant so much to so many people that I really hope it makes its way into a museum once it is finally retired instead of being sold on something like ebay. (It would probably sell for $5K or more on ebay I'm guessing).

I don't really have an opinion on it yet, but I'm curious as to your thoughts.

 

[Chip]

I need to get back up there when I can actually read the sign. Must be pretty sturdy, yet.

 

[wardsgirl]

Although I do love cheeseballs, no, I do not think the sign is ready to be replaced. IIRC, the current sign replaced the previous sign about 25 years ago. Anyone else want to weigh in on that?

 

[Jay H]

Yeah, it was pretty much an iceball when we were there, Chip!

Jay

 

[Amicus]

The Katahdin sign has been replaced periodically. One from the past was on display in the middle of the little headquarters building of the ATC in Harpers Ferry, when I visited there a couple of years ago (and I assume it still is).

As best I can recall, it looked like that '88/'92 version shown by wardsgirl's pix.

 

[cbcbd]

My favorite part is when your fingers get all orange with cheeseball fuzz and you get to lick them off. Yum

Better if you can get someone else to do the job for you

 

[roadtripper]

Two Questions...

Can cheeseballs be the official snack of VFTT?

Anybody have a picture of the old sign before the current one replaced it? I'm curious as to what it looked like.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Anybody have a picture of the old sign before the current one replaced it? I'm curious as to what it looked like.

Here is 2001, fwiw...

 

[roadtripper]

Here is 2001, fwiw...

No No - the one from before the current one. From what was said above heard, it's probably gotta be 20-30 years old.

Unless the sign was actually the same?

 

[skiguy]

It should be replaced.....with a cheese ball dispenser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Riumwv-3Oh0

 

[chomp]

The sign was replaced in the late summer of 1999, so it isn't even 10 years old yet.

Here is me in 1999 with the current sign when it was virtually brand new:

http://gallery.backcountry.net/chompat99katahdin/aaf?full=1

It got replaced a few weeks before I got there, and we were all disappointed. We wanted our photo with the "old" beat up one. Here is a photo from 1998:

http://www.trailgallery.com/photos/4/816s.jpg

 

[roadtripper]

The sign was replaced in the late summer of 1999, so it isn't even 10 years old yet.

Here is me in 1999 with the current sign when it was virtually brand new:

http://gallery.backcountry.net/chompat99katahdin/aaf?full=1

It got replaced a few weeks before I got there, and we were all disappointed. We wanted our photo with the "old" beat up one. Here is a photo from 1998:

http://www.trailgallery.com/photos/4/816s.jpg

Oh wow, the current one is only 10yrs old and it's already partially unreadable.

What did Baxter do with the one that was replaced in 1999?

 

[marty]

Two Questions...

Can cheeseballs be the official snack of VFTT?

Anybody have a picture of the old sign before the current one replaced it? I'm curious as to what it looked like.

I have one question back to you, Greg:

When did cheeseballs replace Gushers as your official snack?

 

[wardsgirl]

OK, I was wrong in my original estimate. Here are two cool old pics of old signs though, courtesy of the BF.

I still vote for cheeseballs!

 

[BF]

Katahdin Sign

Note: The Katahdin 1988 sign is in two pieces.

 

[chomp]

Note: The Katahdin 1988 sign is in two pieces.

Good catch. That would make me lead to believe that they replace the sign about every 10 years. You can still see the orange paint on the 1992 version.

 

[ColdRiverRun]

Here is me in 1999 with the current sign when it was virtually brand new:

http://gallery.backcountry.net/chompat99katahdin/aaf?full=1

Lol! The sign is the only thing that looks brand new! The rest of the photo looks like it came from the 70's! The fact that the other guy is wearing sneakers and carrying a wiffle ball bat for no apparent reason is awesome.

It should be replaced.....with a cheese ball dispenser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Riumwv-3Oh0

Seriously, I've just found the woman of my dreams.

I still vote for cheeseballs!

You got to love the outfits. Boots, gaiters, winter hat and fleece while sporting a pair of short shorts!

 

[Silverfox]

Quick shot from August 2008, OTHH on Katahdin

sign pretty worn out but readable

due to high winds that day we moved the wiffle ball field down further on the Tableland..my knuckle curve was really moving that day....

that being said..we sure knew where we were on the top..the sign..even though barely readable..and the small print really wasn't..served its purpose as something to hold onto in the gale....amazing that thing has not blown away..

or maybe it has..

pic at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/silverfox777/sets/72157615897463406/

 

[BF]

Katahdin sign

Now, here's an old sign!

 

[roadtripper]

Now, here's an old sign!

Awesome pic, thanks!