Katahdin

Beth and I returned to Baxter State Park last weekend with the goal of climbing Mt. Katahdin. Arriving Saturday afternoon at Daicey Pond we were greeted with an outstanding view of the mountain. Too bad we didn't climb that day!

The occasion was significant for me in that my first climb of Katahdin was in August of 1961. Our family had been to Baxter in 1956 and my father and older brothers spent a day on the mountain, but I was too young at the time. My mother, younger brother Phil and I stayed at the campsite at Katahdin Stream Campground and according to my mother a distinguished gentleman came around with a photographer in tow, and we had our photo taken with him--Governor Baxter in the flesh.

In the years that followed, I bugged my father for the opportunity to climb the mountain myself. He insisted on a number of shorter training hikes each summer before a major climb and this year was no different. We always started with Cathead Mountain in the spring and would climb a variety of lesser peaks in the southern Adirondacks that had fire towers at the top. Hadley, Spruce, Crane, Prospect, Wakley. We climbed most of them. By August, during our summer vacation to Wells Beach, Maine, we were ready for Katahdin.

I don't remember much about the climb and other than talking about the Hunt Trail and asking dad how far we had to go, I'm guessing we talked a lot about the Yankees and the incredible home run competition between Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. By August 11th, the Yanks were on a 9-game win streak in which Mantle had 44 and Maris 42. Overshadowed was Whitey Ford's 20-2 record, quite amazing in itself. Mantle was my favorite. Maris had come from Kansas City the year before and would always be the outsider who didn't come up through the Yankees farm system. (It was only after his death many years later that I and many others appreciated Maris for his record-breaking 61 homers that year, breaking the Babe's long-standing record-with an asterisk). The Yanks would win 109 games that season and go on to win the World Series over the Cincinnati Reds.

The weather was great and the view to the South Basin and Chimney Pond was awe-inspiring. I'll never forget that.

After our climb, we bought a postcard to send to my mother--the view of the mountain from Katahdin Stream Campground.

The weather for my return hike on Sunday didn't quite match my first experience on the mountain but I was pretty happy to be able to make the return trip after fifty years. It's a tough climb, no matter which trail you take and how old you are.

Maybe the Yankees will make a return to the World Series, too. At least Mark Teixeira (32) and Curtis Granderson (31) are hitting homers at a high rate and CC Sabathia (16-6) is leading the league in wins, although the RedSox seem to be dominant when it counts this year. You never know with the Yankees and RedSox.

Mt. Redington

Mt. Redington proved to be an elusive summit in the June fog and mist as Beth, Mike and Katie and I followed the herd-path from South Crocker to the col between the peaks. Engulfed in new growth spruce we gave up and returned to the AT leaving Redington for another day. For me, Wednesday this week was the day.

Armed with research from Views From the Top and the AMC, this turned out to be one of my favorite hikes. It's really not much more than a walk in the wilderness, the climb itself is very forgiving and the views north (to the Crockers nearby and Bigelow Range beyond) are excellent. A test wind tower is apparently the reason for the trail from the logging operation below and the summit clearing and the tower has collapsed (as has the initial proposal for wind generation on the peak). The hiker's log is found in a canister marked "3984," obviously placed there before the shift in techtonic plates or the AMC guide, as it's now considered 4010. I've decided to climb all peaks in New England currently listed between 3950 and 4000 in case of a future shift.

After leaving the summit, I found the well-publicized herd-path to South Crocker and before long went off it, not once but twice, before regaining my way. It was following the recent moose tracks that threw me, but I should have known--as Beth reminded me on my return home--moose don't travel in herds.

Crossing South Crocker, I made North Crocker in good time and then crossed South one more time (4X so far in two months), catching a nice view of Sugarloaf on the way back down to Caribou Valley Road.

Redington is worth 4 South Crockers any day. Fresh off my experience with the Maine Writing Project it even inspired a poem:

Ode to Mount Redington

Through meadows of grass and spruce,
greens and browns and reds
and all hues in between,
the summit beckons as a siren,
and the legs and lungs comply.

A decade before the tree-hugger
deep inside me, stood incomprehensibly,
viewing the slopes of Redington cut clear
from the top of Sugarloaf,
before swooping down its wide slopes.

Now I follow the remnants of that logging operation
and a short trail cut to install a wind tower,
a test of the strength of currents across the summit.
The tower has blown over. I guess
they have their answer.

Viewless once, the summit is cleared as well
but pleasantly so and I search for the canister
containing the hiker's log. Elevation 3984 is inscribed but
the summit has pushed its nose to 4010 in recent years,
inviting peak-baggers like me.

A herd-path, a bushwhack to neighboring Crocker
is the choice for my descent. I gave up on that route
in the reverse and rain and fog once, a month
or two before. 'Bush'-whack it is for sure--and
spruce and hemlock branches whip my face as well.

A moose has used this route of late,
huge two-toed prints lead down to the col,
then disappear, much as that hulking animal does,
mysteriously into the brush. I'm lost.
(Moose do not travel in herds, my wife has since noted.)

I wonder what road the poet would have chosen--
herd-path, moose tracks fading
into the brush, ascent to
harness the wind for future generations--
face to face with new-growth spruce.

South Crocker

Our attempt to climb multiple 4000 foot peaks in one hike (6/28) left us in the fog in more ways than one, but we did reach the top of South Crocker, at least according to the sign there. Mike and Katie joined us for the hike which seemed pretty straight forward at the start. Heading up the Caribou Valley Road from the parking area, we strolled right past the AT and continued for an hour or so before realizing our error. The map and Mike's GPS told us that we were in the generally vincinity of where we wanted to be but only the walk back to the car confirmed that the AT was 10 minues from the parking area. After a moderate hike north on the AT, we summited South Crocker--one down, two to go?

Well, not exactly. The short bushwack/herd path to Mt. Redington was anything but short, and we finally found ourselves engulfed in pines. Frustrated and wet, we retraced our steps to South Crocker and then to the car--Redington and Crocker will have to wait for another day.

Hiking with Mike and Katie was great fun inspite of it all.. I just hope they don't think Beth and I always try to re-write "Lost on a Mountain in Maine" when we go out.

After the return home, I researched Redington and found a easier route. Considering the overcast and fog the last time, I think we'll try it again on a clear day.