imzadi - Sep 30, 2008 8:50 am Date Climbed: Sep 28, 2008
attempt thwarted!!
It figures...no hurracaines have come close to Maine in quite a few years. The weekend we planned to hike Katahdin (since MAY!!), hurracaine Kyle decides to make an appearance!! They shut down the mountain...so much for being on top of the world (in Maine anyway)! Heck, got to camp out at Chimney Pond Campground and look at the beautiful mountain (when the fog and clouds allowed me to). I'm SO glad we had a tarp for that evening...
Oh well...as the old addage goes...the mountain ain't going anywhere.
All the rangers we encountered said we probably wouldn't summit because of the rain, but we went ahead and hiked anyway. We were the first group out of Roaring Brook and first out of Chimney Pond. We headed up Saddle and nabbed Baxter before 11 AM and then took the Knife Edge down, getting South, Chimney and Pamola Peaks on the way. By the time we got back to Chimney Pond, we were almost totally dry despite having soaked through our hardshells. It was a long (11 hours), hard, and pretty cold day, but totally worth it. Traversing the Knife Edge in the mist was one of the coolest mountain experiences I've had.
Hey...we were there on the 27th too!! We DIDN'T summit on the 27th...we were wet, cold, and frustrated (our lean to was TRASHED so we couldn't unpack our 40 lb backpacks to hit the summit right away). Of course, once we got unpacked and were ready to hit it (it had stopped raining, we were dry and fed)...it was 12:30 and cut off is 11:00! Despite others who went up past cut off...we "followed the rules" and stayed down. Heck, as we were staying the night, we can at least hit Baxter via the Saddle tomorrow, right? NOPE!!! 9-28...they shut the mountain down!! I almost cried.
BCJ - Aug 30, 2008 7:20 pm Date Climbed: Oct 6, 2007
Beautiful Fall Colors
The leaves were at their peak at the lower elevations and it was a perfect day. The scramble to be one of the few cars let into the park at 5am was quite the experience.
Patrick B - Aug 24, 2008 8:35 am Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2008
Great Weather
Was planning on doing Knife Edge-Helon Taylor Trail but my dad and brother chickened out with one look at Knife Edge. We went back down Dudley and up Saddle, came back down then past Chimney Pond to the parking lot. Estimated distance: 15 - 17 miles.
Pat b
irennie - Aug 20, 2008 1:55 pm Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2008
Success on Day 2
Tried to do Helon Taylor to the knife's edge the morning before but didnt like the weather so decided on Hunt Trail instead. Weather sucked but it was still a great climb. Left at 5am and had the mountain to ourselves all morning.
Tahawus - Aug 13, 2008 11:07 am Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2008
Katahdin
Climbed with Hamlin Peak via the Helon Taylor Trail from Roaring Brook. Finally had some decent weather after two days of hiking in the rain. When we reached treeline on Helon Taylor we were above a sea of clouds. The view of Baxter Peak and the Knife Edge from Pamola has to be one of the best views I've ever seen. Had a blast traversing the Knife Edge, one of the great hikes in the East. My sixth state highpoint!
Turbo - Jul 30, 2008 10:57 pm Date Climbed: Jun 26, 2008
AT SoBo
Began a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail here on June 26, 2008. Visibility was about 10 feet. Neat mountain, wish I could have seen something. :)
TiogaBradford - Jul 26, 2008 11:34 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2008
Awesome
My favorite mountain in the East now, and ranks up there with the best mountains I've climbed in the country. Same details as Tioga.
tioga - Jul 8, 2008 8:53 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2008
Long Trip
Went with my brother and father to Baxter State Park over July 4 weekend. We climbed up the Abol Trail, then circled the summit via Baxter Peak Cutoff Trail. From there my father headed to the top while my brother and I decended Cathedral Trail. At Chimney Pond we headed up Dudley Trail to the top of Pamola Peak and across the Knife Edge to the summit of Baxter Peak where we met our father, who had been waiting around the top for a few hours. Then we slowly made our way down the Hunt (AT) Trail. So, my brother and I essentially climbed the mountain twice and we were all physically exhausted by the end of the day. A great mountain!
lilmountaingirl - May 14, 2008 3:42 pm Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2007
Knife's Edge
We had a perfect day! Brought my boyfriend, a MT boy who had never hiked in New England, and taught him some things about trails in the north east! The wind whipping across the Knife Edge sounded like a train. We took Helon Taylor up Knife's Edge and back down the Saddle Trail ~ amazing 70* temps all day.
oconnellr - Mar 23, 2008 5:49 pm Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2005
Knife's edge
2nd time up Katahdin, this time gorgeous weather. Helon Taylor trail, over Knife's edge, and down Hamlin Ridge. First time up we had nothing but rain (Saddle Trail, Knife's edge, and down Dudley Trail) so it was good to see the view this time!
cms829 - Feb 20, 2008 12:00 pm Date Climbed: Feb 17, 2008
Cathedral
Summited Baxter Peak on a fairly clear gorgeous winter day. Def the toughest 4 days of my life thus far. what an incredible park!
jimegan - Feb 7, 2008 12:14 pm Date Climbed: May 27, 2006
MT KATAHDIN
SOLOED THE CHIMNEY POND/HELON TAYLOR TRAILS OVER THE KNIFE EDGE RIDGE...THE MOST ENJOYABLE CLIMB OF MY NEW ENGLAND TRIP WITH THE SUMMIT IN CLOUDS MOST OF THE TRIP, BUT THE CLOUDS PARTING ALONG THE KNIFE EDGE ON THE RETURN
Climbed via the knife edge. Fog gave my hike an eerie quality. Does the sun ever shine in northern Maine?
Six2 - Nov 28, 2007 12:52 am Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2004
Finishing the AT early
Oddly, even though I had hundreds of miles of AT left to hike, I always remember summiting Katahdin as the height of my section hike. Descended via Knife Edge and hitched back to the ranger station for my gear.
eric-griz - Nov 9, 2007 8:20 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2000
The end of the trail.
The end of my thru-hike. Descended via Knife-Edge.
imzadi - Sep 30, 2008 8:50 am Date Climbed: Sep 28, 2008
attempt thwarted!!It figures...no hurracaines have come close to Maine in quite a few years. The weekend we planned to hike Katahdin (since MAY!!), hurracaine Kyle decides to make an appearance!! They shut down the mountain...so much for being on top of the world (in Maine anyway)! Heck, got to camp out at Chimney Pond Campground and look at the beautiful mountain (when the fog and clouds allowed me to). I'm SO glad we had a tarp for that evening...
Oh well...as the old addage goes...the mountain ain't going anywhere.
woodsxc - Sep 28, 2008 1:39 pm Date Climbed: Sep 27, 2008
Rain on KatahdinAll the rangers we encountered said we probably wouldn't summit because of the rain, but we went ahead and hiked anyway. We were the first group out of Roaring Brook and first out of Chimney Pond. We headed up Saddle and nabbed Baxter before 11 AM and then took the Knife Edge down, getting South, Chimney and Pamola Peaks on the way. By the time we got back to Chimney Pond, we were almost totally dry despite having soaked through our hardshells. It was a long (11 hours), hard, and pretty cold day, but totally worth it. Traversing the Knife Edge in the mist was one of the coolest mountain experiences I've had.
imzadi - Sep 30, 2008 8:56 am
Re: Rain on KatahdinHey...we were there on the 27th too!! We DIDN'T summit on the 27th...we were wet, cold, and frustrated (our lean to was TRASHED so we couldn't unpack our 40 lb backpacks to hit the summit right away). Of course, once we got unpacked and were ready to hit it (it had stopped raining, we were dry and fed)...it was 12:30 and cut off is 11:00! Despite others who went up past cut off...we "followed the rules" and stayed down. Heck, as we were staying the night, we can at least hit Baxter via the Saddle tomorrow, right? NOPE!!! 9-28...they shut the mountain down!! I almost cried.
BCJ - Aug 30, 2008 7:20 pm Date Climbed: Oct 6, 2007
Beautiful Fall ColorsThe leaves were at their peak at the lower elevations and it was a perfect day. The scramble to be one of the few cars let into the park at 5am was quite the experience.
Patrick B - Aug 24, 2008 8:35 am Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2008
Great WeatherWas planning on doing Knife Edge-Helon Taylor Trail but my dad and brother chickened out with one look at Knife Edge. We went back down Dudley and up Saddle, came back down then past Chimney Pond to the parking lot. Estimated distance: 15 - 17 miles.
Pat b
irennie - Aug 20, 2008 1:55 pm Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2008
Success on Day 2Tried to do Helon Taylor to the knife's edge the morning before but didnt like the weather so decided on Hunt Trail instead. Weather sucked but it was still a great climb. Left at 5am and had the mountain to ourselves all morning.
Tahawus - Aug 13, 2008 11:07 am Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2008
KatahdinClimbed with Hamlin Peak via the Helon Taylor Trail from Roaring Brook. Finally had some decent weather after two days of hiking in the rain. When we reached treeline on Helon Taylor we were above a sea of clouds. The view of Baxter Peak and the Knife Edge from Pamola has to be one of the best views I've ever seen. Had a blast traversing the Knife Edge, one of the great hikes in the East. My sixth state highpoint!
Turbo - Jul 30, 2008 10:57 pm Date Climbed: Jun 26, 2008
AT SoBoBegan a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail here on June 26, 2008. Visibility was about 10 feet. Neat mountain, wish I could have seen something. :)
TiogaBradford - Jul 26, 2008 11:34 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2008
AwesomeMy favorite mountain in the East now, and ranks up there with the best mountains I've climbed in the country. Same details as Tioga.
tioga - Jul 8, 2008 8:53 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2008
Long TripWent with my brother and father to Baxter State Park over July 4 weekend. We climbed up the Abol Trail, then circled the summit via Baxter Peak Cutoff Trail. From there my father headed to the top while my brother and I decended Cathedral Trail. At Chimney Pond we headed up Dudley Trail to the top of Pamola Peak and across the Knife Edge to the summit of Baxter Peak where we met our father, who had been waiting around the top for a few hours. Then we slowly made our way down the Hunt (AT) Trail. So, my brother and I essentially climbed the mountain twice and we were all physically exhausted by the end of the day. A great mountain!
lilmountaingirl - May 14, 2008 3:42 pm Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2007
Knife's EdgeWe had a perfect day! Brought my boyfriend, a MT boy who had never hiked in New England, and taught him some things about trails in the north east! The wind whipping across the Knife Edge sounded like a train. We took Helon Taylor up Knife's Edge and back down the Saddle Trail ~ amazing 70* temps all day.
Sam Page - Apr 20, 2008 11:27 am
4xEach time by a different route.
oconnellr - Mar 23, 2008 5:49 pm Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2005
Knife's edge2nd time up Katahdin, this time gorgeous weather. Helon Taylor trail, over Knife's edge, and down Hamlin Ridge. First time up we had nothing but rain (Saddle Trail, Knife's edge, and down Dudley Trail) so it was good to see the view this time!
cms829 - Feb 20, 2008 12:00 pm Date Climbed: Feb 17, 2008
CathedralSummited Baxter Peak on a fairly clear gorgeous winter day. Def the toughest 4 days of my life thus far. what an incredible park!
giggy - Feb 13, 2008 2:33 pm
Winter Abol Climbday tripped abol slide - nice day!
jimegan - Feb 7, 2008 12:14 pm Date Climbed: May 27, 2006
MT KATAHDINSOLOED THE CHIMNEY POND/HELON TAYLOR TRAILS OVER THE KNIFE EDGE RIDGE...THE MOST ENJOYABLE CLIMB OF MY NEW ENGLAND TRIP WITH THE SUMMIT IN CLOUDS MOST OF THE TRIP, BUT THE CLOUDS PARTING ALONG THE KNIFE EDGE ON THE RETURN
TMF - Jan 17, 2008 9:14 pm
Bad WeatherSummited in a cloud the entire time, met sleet and Hail on the Knife Edge, still one of my favorite hikes.
MattGreene - Dec 1, 2007 5:56 pm
Foggy DaysClimbed via the knife edge. Fog gave my hike an eerie quality. Does the sun ever shine in northern Maine?
Six2 - Nov 28, 2007 12:52 am Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2004
Finishing the AT earlyOddly, even though I had hundreds of miles of AT left to hike, I always remember summiting Katahdin as the height of my section hike. Descended via Knife Edge and hitched back to the ranger station for my gear.
eric-griz - Nov 9, 2007 8:20 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2000
The end of the trail.The end of my thru-hike. Descended via Knife-Edge.