Anyone ever do this hike? Planning on doing it mid-July. Looks crazy. There's parts of the trail where you only have a foot or two on either side of you before it drops off a 1000 feet..
Rob, I have been to the top of Katahdin 4 times. My last trip started at Roaring Brook and we hiked to Pamola peak. Took the Knife's Edge across to the peak of Katahdin and from there we went to Chimney Pond and back to Roaring Brook. This is listed as a 12 hour hike but we did it in 7. Two weeks later I lost the skin on the bottom of my feet. Wear good boots and watch the weather. If you have a fear of heights it is not for you. Some areas are hand and foot climbing and the drop is 2000'.You may want to plan for a few days to get the weather window. Great approaches to the summit all over the park as well as other hikes in the lowlands where wildlife is abundant. One year we were hiking near Daisy Pond and came face to face with a moose,very cool. Google Gulf Hagas for my favorite hike in Maine.Oh yeah, make sure you are in shape....
Thanks for the info, Chris. That's awesome you did it. We're going to start at Roaring Brook and go up the Helen Taylor trail to the KE, down the backside of the Saddle and out through Chimney Pond. I am afraid of heights when the only thing keeping you safe is you. No railing to hold you from going over, no ropes. I saw a video of a kid absolutely petrified up there. But this is something my friends have wanted to do for a while. I have a good six months to train mentally and physically for it so I will be ready.
Back when all reservations were opened January 1st with preferences to Maine residents, I had a pal in Maine that got us signed up.
First night at roaring brook, went up to Katahdin on the Cathedral trail- crazy- goes up like 2400 feet in 1.2 miles- that is steep. Then next night at Davis Pond lean to. Total Wildneness. Then over to Russell Pond scene of my one and only brook trout blitz. My friend and I are in a canoe- available for use. Its about 7 pm and all is perfectly still. Then these insects come out and the water erupts and I caught 9 brookies on 9 casts with a mepps spinner and the last one I thow back, a beaver comes out of no where, takes the fish and swats the water with its tail.
Next morning, Bull Moose on Russell Pond and back to Roaring Brook, Baxter is an awesome place and I mean awesome before that word has been used to excess. 200,000 acres and maybe there are 200 people in the park outside of Roaring Brook.
My friend is afraid of heights but I went on knife edge for a good while and its like walking on a Jetty so you do that all the time. Just don't fall off the Jetty.
I like that analogy, Wader-Dad( jetty). Makes me feel better. My friend is scared of heights but he wants to "conquer his fears." He's a paramedic, EMT...gotta admire someone like that. It's pushing me to do it. No way am I going to climb all the way up there just to stop and turn around.
Baxter does look incredible, I've been checking out pics online. Absolutely beautiful.
I have hiked the peak at least twice and all the four thousand footers in the park, and quite a bit of the other trails. I have been over Knife's Edge and it looks a lot more scary then it is as far as heights. I don't like heights, I should say ledges, and although its steep you would be fine. The main problem would be weather and bugs. Snow kept us off the Saddle which is one of the the easier ways up, we went Cathedral which is non-technical boulder climbing most of the way up. After doing knife's edge we went down Dudley. This was late June, the blackflies were the worst I have ever seen them. We were hiking with bug nets on and it was clouds! We were miserable coming down but it really kept us moving. The park is amazing, I love it. Its a great place to learn to flyfish because the brookies are hungry! Have a blast it makes me want to go again this coming year. I have stayed at Russell Pond but I would really like to hike in and stay at Wassataquoik Lake, there are leantos that are on an island and can only be accessed by Canoe, a beautiful place surrounded by brook trout.
SOA- Awesome post, thanks. Feeling more confident about it now..
Never even thought about bugs. My friend who I'm going with has hiked Katahdin several times, but never mentioned that. I am definitely going to pack a bug net now..
I have a question. If I take the Helen Taylor up to the KE, down the Saddle, etc. will I encounter the Chimney? Everyone says that's the hardest part. But it sounds like you might have been climbing it on your hike. Thanks for any insight.
Looks like the same route we took Rob. Chimney Pond is a great place to stay if you can get reservations there.You will hike right into that camp on your descent.Hikers keep their food suspended so the bears can't reach it. Not many bluebird days there.The ultimate for me would be to approach it from the north but that would require days of hiking. Many years ago we took the Abol Slide down from the Peak;loose scrabble rock for 2000' is not fun. You will get a taste of that on your way down from Katahdin to Chimney Pond. If you are fortunate, you will taolk to some thru hikers at the summit. Crazy accomplishment.Good Luck,that is an awesome trip,and yes,reservations can be made Jan.1st but I think you have to be a Mainer.
Chris, thanks again. I think we are actually going to camp at Moosehead and make the long drive in around 3:30 am to ensure a parking space. Someone also posted a link in another forum where you can reserve a space ahead of time so we should be all set.
If you want to do a hike this spring/summer, I'm planning on doing three before Kathadin in the White Mtns and possibly VT, and also a couple after. I'd be down to go whenever...
If you are staying there make sure you check out Gulf Hagas for a day hike. Beautiful scenery and close by to Moosehead region.A whitewater rafting trip is also a great call in that region and a lot dicier than you might expect.Four weeks out of a hip replacement and I am thinking such hikes may be a possibility,something I haven't considered in years.
Oh man didn't realize you had surgery. Sorry to hear that and best wishes moving forward. I had reconstructive surgery on my ACL 4 years ago and never thought I'd be doing mountains again, but not long after my surgery I hiked Liberty in NH. I was in a lot of pain, but it was an awesome feeling of accomplishment. i know having your hip replaced is whole other animal though. Thanks for all your suggestions. I will definitely check out videos/pics of Gulf Hagas...
The gap between Pamola and Chimney is probably the hardest part of the Knife's Edge. Mostly for the fact that you have to scramble down and up a small gap and its steep on both sides, if you have a heavy pack, enlist the help of a friend/spotter. I would not classify myself as a fit hiker, I've always been overweight (not built for climbing), but I have strong legs and that is helped me power through. This is a strenous hike but most definetly doable for an average hiker like myself.
Now also consider that access to the park is so limited that you have to get there ridiculously early. We once got there at 5am and waiting in line at the gate but we were too late. We were pissed but we ended up going to Gulf Hagas, which as Seadangles mentioned is a great hike. The "Grand Canyon" of Maine and at the end of the hike, its an out and back along the river, there are some very deep pools and smooth rocks that make for a great waterslide into pools.
The reservations have been changed and I believe now you can reserve a spot no more than 4 months from arrival. I believe to eliminate all the early-birders that normally snatched up all the spots come January 1st. Chimney Pond is a fantastic spot to stay, its majestic, its also a great base camp to do Knife's edge.
Another great but challenging hike in Maine is the AT fromrt.4 to rt.16. It covers 4 peaks over 4000' and 11 over 3500'. Three days of nothing but wilderness. Up and down the whole time. An accomplishment I will never forget.Sugarloar,saddleback, the horn,all great peaks to add to your list.
I have hiked Katahdin once from from Kadahdin Stream Camp Ground up the Hunt Trail. I would like to try again from another route. Knife Edge would be out since my hiking partner does not like heights. Thanks for the video of Knifes Edge. It was neat to stay in the park for camping, definitly rustic, remote, and non comercialized.
Bazza, there are tons of videos on youtube and mainelyhiking.com of Katahdin and other killer spots in ME. Gives you a good sense of what you're up against.
Linear Mode
