8/30/17
The primary objective of the days at Baxter State Park was the hiking of Mt. Katahdin, the Northern end of the Appalachian Trail. We chose to ascend via Abol Trail since that’s where our camp was. Abol is a bit shorter, but steeper than Hunt Trail from what we were able to find. We got a very early start (for us at least) heading up the mountain by 8:00. I was a bit paranoid about the time and making it to the top given some of our previous adventures and the various warnings in the printed material. Turns out, the timing was a bit excessive. I think we got to the peak just before noon and given how late it was in the season, there really was no ‘hot’ part of the day to avoid. Also, the pictures we took of the trail map were wholly unnecessary since the trial was obvious the entire time.
It was fun, but also a bit disheartening, to see all the AT through hikers finishing that day having their little celebrations at the top – some brought pizza, some brought beer, special shirts for photos. A couple kids (not through hikers) brought 4-person pot pies (1 each) that they ate cold. It was discouraging only because it kind of dwarfed our day-hike accomplishment kind of like we cheated and jumped straight to the finale.
On our descent, we took the side-trail that went to Abol falls. It was a pretty easy, flat trail, but the falls were not as grand as Katahdin Falls from the day before. Still worth a few pictures.
We once again took a quick drive / side hike to scope out a new pond for moose and bear with no luck. We did spend a bit of time hiking around (and getting slightly lost). We didn’t have any fancy food, long ago eaten anything needing refrigeration, but we had some wood leftover from the previous night and gathered a bit more to have a second night of wine and bonfire in camp.
Either the start, or the iconic final destination point for all of the through hikers of the Appalachian Trail
The flatter area of trail leading to the final peak
View off the back side of katahdin
That's a big stack of rocks
The very top of Abol Trail - might be called something else by then
Cairn at the top of Katahdin
It's a thing to take a picture with the sign
It's also a thing to stand on this rock and get an "epic" photo.
Saw these two kids with family sized potpies that they hiked up to the top for a snack. Mmmm cold chicken pot pie and Gatorade.
All the people finishing the Appalachian Trail through hike on this particular day
Top down view of Abol Trail. Much steeper than it looks. There was no "walking" down this trail, it was strategically climbing and/or lowering yourself down and over large boulders.
View up Abol Trail. The blue paint swatches marked the "Abol" trail up to Katahdin. The white paint swatches indicated the Appalachian Trail.
Abol Falls
Abol Falls
Some variety of trillium on the Abol Falls Trail
The rock at the 'entrance' to Baxter State Park
The rock at the 'entrance' to Baxter State Park
