Maine, 2010

August of 2010, My wife, Alice and grandson Austin and grand daughter Hannah (Shaun and Jamie's, Shaun was part of my Tetons trip in 08) Drove off for Benedicta, Maine to meet up with our friends to share the same cabins we did several years earlier, on Plunket Pond. We drove up to 1000 Islands, NY to camp, then drove into Canada to get to Maine.
While cabining along the pond, Alice and I drove into Millinocket and were picking blueberries off the side of the road, near a grocery store. Later, we drove into Baxter Park region and found raspberries to pick....ohhhhh fresh blueberries and raspberries, just can't be beat!
The objective, of this trip, was that (some of) the same group that climbed up to the tree line of Mt Katahdin were to attempt it again (of that group in 07 I was the only one to summit via the AT. Left-right: Jessica, Hannah, Herb, Marriane, Tom, myself. (This was to be Hannah's shake down test hike, for going into Glacier Nat'l Park, the next month with Mark and I and Ron.) We started at Roaring Brook campsite about 7AM, carrying light backpacks of water and food, for the mile high 4 hour ascent. The good park ranger asked if we had flash lights. We all left ours at the cabin, so he issued one to us... good call Ranger, thanks! Climbing up to Chimney Pond for a short break, then taking off climbing the Saddle Trail up a very steep ascent, to the spine just below summit of Baxter Peak. I was actually going to split at Chimney Pond and go up the Knife Edge, but at the advice of the ranger, we all stuck together... very prophetic call! I was in exceptional shape, riding a month earlier around Lake Erie with Ron. 600 plus miles prior and 747 around the lake, my capacities were the best they have been in ages! Poor Herb was feeling the ascent! Not to mention his hip! Yet all of us made it above the tree line! The girls Jess and Hannah were exceptional! Marianne was staying inside herself to overcome her fear of heights. Tom... outstanding! The hard part was over, now the actual ascent, less than a mile away... over boulders! (Remember, vertical height is different than the trail distance! Katahdin is 1 mile high)
WE MADE SUMMIT!!! What an awesome feeling! To have summited this myself in 07 then with my dear friends again is just a great experience. I was so proud of all them!
"It's a round trip. Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory!" (Ed Viesturs). So goes the saying. The more difficult part of climbing (I do NOT consider this type of "climbing" in any way shape or form, comparable to scaling a mountain using equipment and scaling true vertical seams! My intent is to simply WALK. Poor Herb! by the time we made it back to descending the steepest section, he was "bonking". He had "hit the wall" late in the ascent, and was taken in hard by this time! I was worrying about him when he would put all his weight on the trekking poles as he descended the steepest section. Marriane was pumping him full of power foods. Eventually we all made it back the the ranger station at Roaring Brook... at almost total darkness. Once again, our "rangel" (ranger/angel) protected us..Could this have been the same "rangel" experience Tim, had in the Tetons, at Heart lake, of 08? some people call this "trail magic". Not me.. I only see the hand of the Lord in all this. Awesome Herb made this ascent on shear tenacity! I would never recommend a hike such as this taken so lightly, but Herb made it! As did all of us! I am glad I did not take the Knife Edge and Tom ALMOST was going to go with me. This was a time we needed each other. The Knife Edge is still there....another trip will be had for this ascent! FYI: The Knife Edge depicts a trail up to the summit. As the name implies, the Knife edge is precarious as the path is about 4-6 feet wide for several 100 yards.... and the both sides are shear drops! But the view is spectacular!
This is a view of Plunkett Pond. One of the many awesome golden sunsets.Hannah(Mac) was awesome, first time in a Kayak, she is a natural. Austin, as a 9th grader, I would love to have taken him up the peak, but he just wasn't ready, mindset, for it. The two 17 yr old girls, Hannah and Jesse...power hikers! Hannah IS ready for Glacier, as I knew she would be! Marriane was great. She overcame her Acrophobia! Herb!! Tenacious!



L-R Front; Jesse, Hannah B. Marriane, Alice, Hannah Mac L-R Rear: Austin, Herb, Mike, Me




Great food, great friends, great scenery, the loons, no moose. I LOVE Maine!