Baxter Peak, Mt. Katahdin

Mt. Kathadin, oh what a story to tell. All 3 of us where doing it together. It's 5.2 miles via the A.T. (Hunt Trail) to Baxter Peak, the highest point on the massif. Got to the trail head at 6:50. 2nd car in the lot, but slowly filled up as we got ready. Trail traffic through the day was busy, but not like some trails can be. 1st mile was a decent trail to Katahdin Falls. After that it went to hell right away. Steep is a mild word till the Tablelands. Followed a ridge line up to Tablelandd. Deeply rutted waist to shoulder deep. Boulders and rocks to.climb. Basically a stream up for over 1 1/2 miles. Then 5th class climbing to the Tablelands with a few placed metal rungs. One rain squall during the climb. Made it to Thoreau Spring about 5:00. Tarren and I went onto Baxter Peak to get to the northern terminus of th A.T. Back down to Ginger about 7. We decided to head down Abol trail to our campsite as it was 1 mile shorter a Seious down climbing to tree line. Headlamps were donned at 9 and we got back at 11 L.M. Totally exhausted by then we went to bed. In the morning hitched a ride to ger the car at Katahdin  Stream.  About  10:00 A.M.as we were packing up my friend J.D. Beauregard came wandering into camp. He was headed up the mountain. He will try and join us in Maine every once and awhile.

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