Baxter State Park; photos of Katahdin

Baxter State Park, Maine Tim, Rick and Dann on the Summit of Katahdin

On the summit of mile-high Katahdin; 5280 feet. (aka. Baxter Peak) Highest point in Maine; and Northern end of the 2000 mile Appalachian trail. First ascent of 'K' for me, but we all have gone back many times since. Knife Edge trail in the background. We did KnifeEdge round trip, to summit of Pamola and back, then to Baxter Peak, Northwest peaks, and down Hamlin Ridge. Very long day, 12 hours on the trail. Perfect weather. Summer solstice and full moon weekend. Stayed at Chimney Pond campsite for three nights! (Tim, Ricky, and Dann)

Cow moose and two calves at Chimney Pond backcountry campsite
Cow moose and two young'uns on the trail near Chimney Pond campsite at Baxter. She *almost* mauled Dann the night before! Never seen Dann so scared in all my life!!

Stayed here too long. First bolt was a half mile away; second one nearly got us all!
Summit of Pamola, five minutes before lightning almost killed us all! Everyone's hair was standing strait up! A bolt a hundred meters away lifted us into the air. Nearly bought the farm.

The Knife Edge and Pamola summit between Rick and Dann!
First part of "Knife Edge" trail (2000 foot drop on both sides; trail 3 feet wide in places!) Pamola summit in background, halfway between Ricky and Dann. Next day we climbed up Dudley Ridge to Pamola summit (up left ridge line), almost blasted by lightning in big thunder/hail-storm during lunch on summit. (Rick was constipated the whole weekend; that is why he has that look on his face!)

Huge blazer our last night! We hiked everything we had planned from the upper base camp at Chimney Pond in our first three days, so we decided to move down lower for our last night since rain was predicted. It did rain, so we went around and invited the entire campground to join us. Hauled many logs back to camp. Very wild night! (Rick at right (in the fire trying to dry out), he eventually tried to sleep in the rain on the picnic table!)

Baxter State Park, Maine Six hour drive from Boston, but truly the ultimate backcountry experience
in New England.

And when ya go, Acadia National Park is right next door!!