Baxter Trip: Moose, Snow, Turner and Ba xter

“Day One: Thursday Oct 2

Drive up was 7 hours from Hartford(including a stop at LL Beans). Stayed in Mill. for the night at the Best Western. Ate breakfast at the Terrace's $2.99 b-fast buffet. Last 1/3 of the trip it had rained quite hard (cue ominous music here).

Day 2: Friday Oct 3

They CLOSED all trails to the mountain Friday for snow and high wind. The Trail to Chimney Poond was open, as well as the hikes around CP (Blueberry Knoll etc).

Chimney Pond got 4 inches of snow overnight on Thursday. As we approached the mountain friday morning from Millinocket we got our first few from a clearing/gravel pit/power line cut . . .and it was all white!

Friday was clear day . . .but very very windy. And cold. In the low 40s at Roaring Brook in the morning.

Denied the chance to climb Baxter, we climbed South Turner (3122)instead. Stooped at Sandy Stream Pond onthe way to Turner and watched a moose calf nibbling on twigs about 20 feets fro the big rock. Don't drink the water from Sandy Stream pond . . she peed and pooped in it. South Turner is short and steep. Once we hit the slide above treee line the wind was howling. Very difficult to stand on top. I tried to pose for a picture and kept get knocked around. Also pretty cold (not brutal, probably in the 40s . .with the high wind making it feel less).

Hiked down and then out beyond Whidden ponds. Saw two cows grazing inthe water on the back side of Sandy Stream Pond. We were very close to them (50 -75 yards or less) and a whole gaggle of people had congregated ont he other side on the big rock. The same calf was still across the pond over by the big rock.

Nothing at Whidden Ponds.

Back to the shelter (#3) at Roaring Brook by 4:00 .. . at the Trading Post by 5:00 . .. .back to the shelter with a six of Bud and a roaring fire by 6:00.

ON the way back into the park saw a large cow in a gravel pit (moose #4). Nice to hang out by a fire and relax.


Up at 6:00 am. They opened only Saddle Trail to Baxter. No Knife's edge, no Cathedral. We got on the trail up to Chimney Pond at 8:00 to make the 10:00 cut off for climbing Baxter. Bull Moose courting a cow within 50 yards of the Ranger's hut. Big guy. . .great rack.

Calling back and forth. I think it was moose speak for "how you doing". Got some nice, full frame profile shots of the bull, then he turned his head to face us, so I got those shots as well. The cow was standing, and then laying in the woods about 30 feet away. (mooses 5 and 6).

Arrived at CP at 9:40, left CP at 10:00.

Up Saddle to Baxter. Saddle was a slippery, snowing icy mess especially from the run off from the slide and into the slide itself. The walk up to the summit was also very slippery. Lots of high wind. NO visibility. Maybe 20 yards. Were at the summit at 12:00. LOTS of people on the trail, and at the summit (it was the only option available to climb the mountain). Some prepared . . some in jeans and sneakers. The day was rated Class III. NOt recomended to climb. It was just around freezing, high wind and sleet. By the time we got back down to the top of the slide it was raining ice . .then just rain. By the time we got to CP our Marmot precips were having a hard time keeping the rain out. However, the cloud cover had lifted and we got our first views of the basin. Coming down Saddle we actually got views of CP, Basin, Sandy Stream, Whidden and Turner Mtn. The clouds never lifted above the ridge. We were back at Roaring Brook by 4:00. It was pouring rain. We decided NOT to sit in our shelter for 17 hours and leave Sunday, so we packed up and hit the road. The Golden Road. The first 25 mile were paved and fine. The next 15 . .to Kadjako were really really bad. It was raining buckets and buckets and the road was not merely washboard . . .it was huge potholes from side to side. From Kodjako out to Greenville was paved. Knocked my friend's car out of alignment.

Drove through Monsoon and down to Newport. Got home at 1:00am. Waved to Twigster going through Augusta on the way up and back. Also waved to the Steeple of the library of my alma mater as we cruised by Waterville.”

“great report, sounds like an awesome trip! any pictures?

You may have mentioned this before, but did you go to Colby lee?”

“Twig --


Just droped the 3 rolls off at the motophoto. I may try to have some select shots put on a disk. Am hoping that there are some good full frame bullwinkle shots.


And yes . . .the library steeple is Miller Libary at Colby. Graduated in 1987.”

“cool! can't wait to see 'em!”

“I hope we don't get any snow this weekend!”

“Sweet trip report, sounds like an adventure.”

“I want snow!

Or at least flurries - it would be so pretty...

=D”

“- and we told twigeater to slow down on the drinking and hiking!

Nice report lee, looking forward to the bullwinkle shots.”