Travelers and Doubletop

[dms]

On Saturday my son and I did the Travelers. This is definitely one of the nicest loop hikes I've ever done. First, you have the remote setting in the northern part of BSP. Second, because of the remoteness there are not a lot of other hikers around. Third, the peaks are drop dead gorgeous! Open ridges and summits with views in all directions. Fourth, it's a strenous endeavor, 10.6 miles with the a total elevation gain of 2300ft in the first 2 miles. Fifth, it was peak foliage! On a beautiful fall Saturday we saw only 3 other parties. Up to a few years ago most of the loop was a bushwack, my hat goes off to those who undertook it pre-trail. I will post some pics in the am.
On Sunday, we did Doubletop another Baxter gem! We came in from the north, a nice first moderate mile, then, bang, right up the fall line. I love the trails in Baxter, no frills, just go for the summit, steep and a great workout! The .2 mile summit ridge is wide open with views in all directions. We saw 3 other folks all day! It was the most perfect inversion I've ever seen, the valleys covered in fog and clouds and just the upper reaches of the peaks showing. I will post pics on this in the am.
I now have only 4 3k's left, and my son and I are headed back up to Baxter for Thursday and Friday for some more fun!

 

[Gris]

Ditto - best maintained/park trail I've ever done anywhere!

 

[onestep]

I now have only 4 3k's left, and my son and I are headed back up to Baxter for Thursday and Friday for some more fun!

I'm hoping you two do at least 2 peaks up there! This is turning out to quite the year for "completers"...

Onestep

 

[dms]

Thanks Kurt! I was a young man when I started the 3k list, but I have been doing it so long that now I am entitled to the "senior discount" when I go out to eat after my hike. I hope to get my 3 remaining BSP peaks done before the park closes next month. Thankfully, they are fairly "easy' ones.

 

[spencer]

It was a pleasure to meet you on Sunday, Dennis. I'm glad the timing working out perfectly so we could chat for a while.

I was up on Lord during that inversion and since it's only 2225 feet I was in the middle of it, so no views... I'm glad you got them from Doubletop.

spencer

 

[cbcbd]

Sounds like an awesome trip. Doubletop is a pretty sweet little mountain:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/cbcbd/baxter/DSCN2140.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/cbcbd/baxter/DSCN2149.jpg

 

[F-Face]

We're heading up tomorrow for 5 days in BSP - this is on our list to do as are The Brothers/Fort loop.

 

[dms]

Spencer, thanks for going out of your way to come over to meet me, I hope we can get together for some hiking soon. BTW, if'n you got free time I'll be there Thursday and Friday!!!

 

[dms]

Pics at http://community.webshots.com/album/554229685fjeEmy

 

[Paradox]

I never cease to be amazed at what you can find on google.
Try:
http://oasis.harvard.edu:10080/oasis/deliver/~sch00273

It seems to be the same Keppele Hall described on the plaque. Well, at least the dates correspond. It seems his wife accomplished more than he did.

 

[dms]

Thanks for the link. I really didn't see anything in those records that would explain why the memorial is on Doubletop. Maybe our resident BSP expert Spencer has some more info on Mr. Hall.

 

[Paradox]

Yeah, the only thing mentioned was that they lived in Maine for a short while. Also, his father may have been a Brevet General during the Civil War. There is another site I found, but you need to pay for a subscription. Oh, by the way great hike, TR, and pictures!

 

[spencer]

I don't know the relevance of the K. Hall plaque. I know I've read about it somewhere but I can't think of where. It was important b/c the plaque predates that parcel being added to the park (1945, I believe) and it was a big deal that it was left there. Other plaques in the park are directly related to P. Baxter or the park itself. I think the Hall one is the only one that doesn't follow suit.

The only Hall I know anything about in the park is Lester Hall. He was a buddy of Jake Day and they did some relatively early tramping in the Doubletop area together. Hall also is one of the builders of the Northwest Basin Trail. I don't know if he has any relation to our mysterious friend, K. Hall. It's kind of like assuming all Pelletiers around here are related... just plain wrong.

spencer

 

[dms]

Maybe the Governor had a soft spot in his heart for a heart broken widow!

 

[Papa Bear]

Doubletop Survey Marker

I was interested in the survey marker you found on Doubletop.

I saw the stamping "MC NAIR 1929" so I looked it up in the NGS database. Initially I found this: RF0726, but that seemed strange, since it was for a survey marker on Horse Mountain, which I had never heard of. I checked where it was and it seems it is a peak overlooking Grand Lake Metagamon, near the road into BSP from the north gate. So I said to myself "Oh, he must have been hiking up there and mixed the photos up". But then I looked further and found that there are no less than 6 stations in northern Maine, and the datasheets for all of them say "A U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DISK STAMPED MC NAIR 1929", and all of them are on mountain tops under fire towers, including Horse Mountain, Beetle Mountain, Norway Bluff, Big Spencer, Sobunge Mountain and Deboullie Mountain. And this list must be just part of the whole story, since it didn't include Doubletop (not unusual - many USGS marks are not in the NGS database). It seems like Mr. Mc Nair, whoever he was, was a busy guy in 1929.

Question: are there remains or foundations or any remnant of an old fire tower on Doubletop? I assume there was one there, but I didn't notice when I climbed it a couple of years ago. I think the only one left standing in BSP is on Burnt Mountain, Spencer can correct me.

 

[dms]

PB, I took that photo closeup for your benefit! I know you enjoy the history associated with them. Yes there are some remains, I found 4 stanchion plates bolted into the ledge shelf just before the summit boulder. There also was a piece of the fire tower ladder used as a climbing aid to get to the fire tower ledge.

 

[Papa Bear]

Recycling at its best

PB, I took that photo closeup for your benefit! I know you enjoy the history associated with them. Yes there are some remains, I found 4 stanchion plates bolted into the ledge shelf just before the summit boulder. There also was a piece of the fire tower ladder used as a climbing aid to get to the fire tower ledge.

That is very cool. Especially the use of the old ladder. Recycling at its best. And thanks for thinking of me - yes I do like to see these things.

Rambler and I came over from the south (and returned that way) and we didn't notice the ladder, so I'm guessing it's at the top of the north trail that you used.

Oh, one more thing - I understand the use of climbing aids such as a ladder, disqualifies a peak from being counted on the NE 3K list! ( Only kidding )

 

[spencer]

The one on Burnt isn't standing, although the concrete footings are there. The remnants of the one on Horse is in a heap about 5 yards from the summit.

There are none standing in the park.

spencer

 

[el-bagr]

I climbed the Burnt tower to just below the locked cab on 7/4/04. (We also discussed this briefly in this thread.)


I found this page referencing a 2005 removal:

Burnt Mountain, Nesourdnahunk Township
This tower was removed in accordance with the Baxter State Park Regulations of "Shall forever be kept and remain in the Natural Wild State". Burnt Mountain was the last standing tower in Baxter State Park. The tower was completely removed as a non-conforming structure, although the footings are still in place.

Anyone know how it was removed? Helicopter or truck?

 

[RoySwkr]

Question: are there remains or foundations or any remnant of an old fire tower on Doubletop?

When I was there in ~1992 the whole tower was there, unbolted and pushed over onto its side. That was done to a lot of towers including Trout Mtn. Not sure why they left the ladder when they removed the rest.
1997 http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/5923/dtop.jpg
1934 http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/5923/dtop3.jpg