katahdin knife edge

“has anyone hiked this section (twigeater, gforce)? how dangerous is it? how extensive mountaineering gear is needed? ropes, biners, do i actually need a harness? is it a class 4 or 5? any info from someone who has hiked it would be greatly appreciated.”

“I have! Pennsy Hiker, Fritz, Wolfman's Brother and I did it last October during Twigeater's Hike Maine! trip. Check out that thread for more info and pics.

It's perty skeery, but I think a better word is exhilerating. None of us had any problems, which is not to say are adrenaline wasn't pumping. The path is anywhere from 6 feet to 6 inches wide, and a good part of the time it's "one wrong step and you're dead" to a 4000-5000 foot drop below. We did come across one dude going the other way on the edge who had his arms out like a Boeing 747 and was hyperventilating through his nose at like 7000 rpm. He didn't even see us until he came right up on us since his eyes were glued to his feet.

I don't mean to make it sound like it's super-treachorous. You could do it with ease so long as you don't have a history of vertigo. It was very, very rewarding to hike that stretch.”

“what about the chimney? i read that requires some technical climbing”

“So, drunk would NOT be a good condition to hike it?”

“I believe there's a technical climb called the chimney, not to be confused with Chimney Notch, which is on the Knife edge.

My son did the knife edge when he was 12, and my nephew did it the first time when he was around 9 or 10. He does it every year with his dad and a friend. I did it once 10 years ago, but I get vertigo and probably won't be doing it again. :)”

“maybe drunk would be a good condition to hike it in, let's do it! ;)”

“you don't need any climbing gear. If you've climbed before(w/gear), this will be a walk in the park for you. I think it's considered a dangerous hike b/c if you twist an ankle or break something, it would be extremely difficult to get rescued if you couldn't get out yourself. Also factor in weather conditions that can change pretty drastically I think.”

“Wanna set something up? I'd love to do it.”

“Not a techinical climb. Coming down off Pamola into the notch and then back up to the ridge requires picking your foot and hand holds. . .but nothing extraoridinary.

You certainly get the sensation at times (as Artex described) that you could fall forever. But the reality is that in 99% of the Knife's Edge you'd bounce first. I remember only one truly exposed, drops on both sides, narrow section, but even that was ten feet wide or so. There are some sections on which you are skirting a bump and have rock on one side, and drop on the other that two people couldn't pass on.

I have my submitted for October at Roaring brook and Chimney pond and hope to be up there then.”

“Yeah, that Chimeny Notch section of the Knife Edge was sweet! You look at it and go "holy sh--! How am I going to do that?" It's a good 50-ft. (????) near-vert drop down and then a near-vert back up. Once you're doing it, you see the route up and down, and you realize it's much more doable than how it looked from the start. Very, very fun scramble!!!! :-)”

“Artex --

that look . . .down into and back up the other side of the Chimney almost did my hiking partner in.

We had come up from Chimney Pond over Pamola. About half way up scrambling over those boulders she threw her day pack at me and said "you carry it". So I had my daypack on, with her daypack strapped to it. I stuck way way out and off balance. I had to be careful to remember that my back stuck out more, so that it didn't push me off a cliff.

We had a nice rest at the peak, and then strolled over and looked into the abyss. She almost quit. Then we saw someone coming down the other face and up toward us. You suddenly realized . . .wait . . .there is a trail there. SO we headed down into the notch.

SHe mostly crawled across the open drop off areas. And kept yelling at me to get down. I was giving her vertigo!!”

“I did it about 5 years ago, in July, and it was nothing to get too stressed over. You definitely do not need climbing gear, just a healthy dose of not being afraid of heights.

That being said, if the weather were bad, I think it would take the stress factor up several notches.

That also being said, it is still one of my top 5 hikes of all time.”

“wow great beta, everybody. i re-read what i read about the technical climbing, and realized that i was describing something off to the side, not the route itself.”

“yea im planning on a 5-6 nighter in baxter in september. i havent sent my application for reservations yet, tho. i want to spend at least one night each in chimney, roaring brook, and katahdin stream campgrounds. once i get reservations confirmed, ill post a trailtalk trip. look for it sometime in april”

“"and, in most places, you'd bounce first"

thats ummmm really comforting

heh”

“er”

“Please keep us all posted.”

“wow. thats rocky. doesnt look like too precipitous drop at that point,”

“It isn't "rocky," it is ALL rocks, nothing but rocks. :)

No picture I have seen can do it justice. Much like most any truly spectacular place on earth.”

“Hey check my name out!!! I work in construction and often walk the I-beams, so take it from where it is coming from.

I was walking on the knife edge and actually asked another hiker where the knife edge was. I was informed that I was on it, how much narrower and steeper did I need it?

Actually, I never found any area of it to be less than 3 feet wide, some of it more than 6 feet wide, and it is some 1800' almost straight down on both sides, but you are standing on terra firma. Firm being the word. The footing is solid, the views fantastic. If altitude and vertigo are a problem for you, bear that in mind.

Enjoy!!!”

“Okay, this is coming from a newbie....the first time I made it to the top of Katadin was last Sep. so I have to say that it was a challenge for me to finailly reach the top. First attempt didn't make it, we ran out of time. Course this was up Cathedral Trail, bad move on my part.(I'm ascared of heights, shaking in my boots actually), but I didn't give up.

As far as the Knife Edge goes, for me forget it!! I could barley stand up there never mind walking across it. For some reason I was feeling a little wozy, had to just sit there. A few times I really wanted to look over the edge and give it my best shot at stepping out over near the edge, but just bring myself to do it. I was a little disappointed in myself, I really did want to try, but I got over it and decided that I just wasn't able to.

So what I'm saying is that it was the most amazing sight to see to see the top of Katadin, well worth every bit of it!!!”

“Quit teasing me with all this talk of knife edge....”