NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Katahdin (Baxter Peak) (attempt), ME
Trails
Trails: Chimney Pond Trail, Helon Taylor Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, August 4, 2014
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: We were already in the park, at Nesowadnehunk Field (transferring to the East side of the park this day). The drive over is 25 miles on narrow, windy dirt roads, and takes an hour or more. We made sure to get to Roaring Brook before the park gate opened at 6:30, and the lot was already 1/2-full. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The one crossing was an easy rock-hop. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: No issues. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: No dogs in Baxter State Park. 
Bugs
Bugs: Some mosquitoes here and there. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Lost a hat, found it later on our descent. 
 
Comments
Comments: With a 40% chance of rain/t-storms we gave a go at the Knife Edge anyway. We made good time heading up as the bulk of the hordes headed up the Chimney Pond Trail, but it started steadily (though not heavily) raining at 8:30. At treeline around 3500 feet, we saw the cloud deck continuing to lower and heard a few rumbles of thunder in the distance. With one hiker coming up saying it looked like a wide front that would take at least 3 hours to pass overhead, we decided it would be better to abort and try again on a nicer day. Neither of us needed the summit, we just wanted to enjoy the Knife Edge, and doing it in the steady rain was not going to be the kind of fun we were after. We saw many folks still heading up as we descended, many ill-equipped (cotton, sneakers, little to no gear, etc) but most of them apparently continued on. It rained our whole way down and until around 11:30, after which the sun came out for a while. A massive thunderstorm rolled through at 6PM, catching a lot of folks still on the mountain, but all those that signed in the trailhead log did eventually make it out according to the ranger.

The weathermen missed on this forecast (they claimed it was all going to be PM rain, how did they miss the front?!), what can you do. The Knife Edge will have to wait for another trip.  
Name
Name: madmattd 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2014-08-06 
Link
Link: https://mattshikes.blogspot.com/ 
Bookmark and Share Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.

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