Kathadin TRIP REPORT

“a report of my trip last week to Baxter. Hiking and rafting.

“Day 1.

Stayed inthe Augusta Ecno Lodge. Ate at Applebees.

Kids swam in pool. Dad's had a couple of beers.


Day 2: Morning:

On road to Millinocket. Got off road long enough to tour the campus in Waterville. One of my buddies managed to pry the kids out of their gameboys long enough for thme to acknowledge that their Dad went to school there.

Afternoon:

Arvived in Millinocket around 11:30. Grabbbed lunch at a deli/bakery. Drove out to the Togue Pond entrance. and on out to Roaring Brook.

Hiked out to Sandy Stream pond. The first time in 1/2 dozen trips NO moose. Had promised a van full of 4 boys and two other Dads there would be moose. Pointed at a stump across the pond and declared it to be a moose. Argued strenously with anyone who disagreed.


Hiked 3.3 miles up to Chimney Pond. It was HOT and HUMID. And BLACKFLIES. Kids and other dads were STUNNED at the beauty and sheer ruggedness of the glacial cirque. In spite of having lied about there being moose at Sandy stream pond, my reputation somewhat restored.

Ate dinner, got bitten. got bitten some more. Some one steals our last two beers from the pond. we are pissed.


In our shelters by 9:30. Temperatures drop into the low 30s. Bastard black flies all die. die blackflies die. NO bug problems overnight.


Day 3.


A SPECTACULAR morning. 34 degrees. Crystal clear and dry. On the trail by 8:30.

Party of seven up the Cathedral trail. 3 kids scamper. One kids lies on belly and cries.

Two Dads scamper. One dad lies on belly pretending not to cry.

It is steep. It is sheer. It is exposed. I love it.

Rounding the second Cathedral we lose another kid to hysteria (mine this time).

The pitiful cry of "i'm gonna die i'm gonna die bounces off the rockwalls of the glacial cirque. Followed by growls of "just shut up and climb".

One Dad gets dropped on a hand assist up a ledge. Ooops.

Kids are handed from Dad to Dad up obstacles. More threats of imminent death.


Summit.


A top 10 day on the summit of Baxter peak.

Given the trauma associated, not with the difficulty of the Cathedral trail, but with the exposure, we decide not to do the Knife's Edge.

I am still in mourning.



Down the Saddel Trail, lunch at CP. Out to New England Outdoor Center. Cabin Tents.


Dinner at the Scootie In in Millinocket. Joined by a college buddy who has a bush flying service.


Up at 5:30. rafting the lower west branch of the Penobscot. Class IV and III rapids. Small boat. More choruses of "i'm gonna die".

Newbie guide puts us sideways to a 4 foot haystack in a class IV rapid. I go "swimming". ANother Dad also goes swimming.

New chorus begins: "My dad is gonna die. My dad is gonna die." (my youngest (9) was extremely distressed. He couldn't see my holding the line around the boat. my head was out of his sight. I tried yelling up to him, but he wasn't hearing me.

I swim the Class IV rapid. Loose sunglasses. Son hysterical. Dad gets legs run over by boat trying to get back in.

No damage done.


Oh. Saw BULLWINKLE at Abol Stream campground bridge area. Kids Thrilled. Dad's reputation preserved.



Ride home.

Stop in Freeport. By new sunglasses. Also Tent, windproof microfleece, back pack for elder son, hydration pack for both.


Elder son (12) moved WAY too fast up and down. Means only one thing: he's not carrying enough. All three older boys leave Northface outlet store with new women's sized back packs. Next trip they won't be moving quite so fast.


Wish I was still there.


A day in the north maine woods being bitten by blackflies, beats a day at work.””

“great report...more reports need to be as "abreviated" as this one...sounds like fun...can't wait till mine gets old enough for similar things”

“You started a seperate thread. I'll post my reply here as well. ;)

“LMAO!!

I'm heading up there to retrieve my AT thru hiker friend in August. Seriously can't wait.

You're trip report just made the anticipation go up about 10-fold.

He'll hopefully be summitting on 8/20 and then we're spending the rest of the week goofing off in ME. We might have to do the other 3 summit routes. ;)

Thanks for the laugh. :D””

“I was up there a couple weeks ago - took Helon Taylor to Knife Edge and came back down Saddle Trail and Chimney Pond. No moose though :(

Flippin' loved Knife Edge...every hike should be like that.



Great TR by the way! Any pics to share?”

“Hey I was thinking about you lee!

Loved the trip report, sounds like you guys had a blast!”

“nice report. I love reading about peeps taking their kids into the woods. I am not going to agree that all trip reports should be this abbreviated, but they should all be this entertaining (or else be abbreviated if peeps want ther TRs read :)).”

“Great trail report. Gonna be there with the family on Sunday. Can't wait!”

“Very cool report!

I was in that boat when my boys were little schitts...............carrying my own pack and my youngest boy's pack while shoo-ing his leaden keister along the trail.”

“lmao! great trip report lee”

“love the report. Glad all of you had a blast.”

“Thanks for the props.


It was a great hike. All the kids did well considering the challenge presented by the Cathedral Trail.”

“LMAO! Glad you had a great time!”

“8 years ago my wife and I visited a cousin of mine who lived on the coast south of Bangor. THey loaned us their car one day for us to drive up to Katahdyn. THis was before I was a hiker. We saw one moose about 400 yards away in a bog. He was up to his neck in the bog and had one rack missing. It was an awe inspiring moose incident! ha.”