MOUNT GREATEST MOUNTAIN

September 7th - Temps were in the low 70's with a nearly cloudless, bright blue sky. We climbed and returned via the Chimney Pond and Saddle Trails, supposedly the least innocuous route to the peak.

As US state high pointers, we had just summited the hardest of them all, east of the Mississippi. A.T. thru-hikers, going by the Hunt Trail, hike the most difficult section of the A.T.'s 2175 miles, to reach the northern terminus, Mt. Katahdin's Baxter Peak, 5268 ft., almost 1 mile high.

In '97 I made the summit via the Helon Taylor and Knife Edge. Some say it's the "only way to go." I agree - a real hoot...in good weather, that is. Before going that route I had heard the K.E. was as narrow as 3 feet. Correction: In some places it was only twelve inches across! Once, I remember placing my foot on a flat rock that was only a little wider than my boot.

Diane needed Baxter Peak for her 35th high point; I needed it for the only one of my 38 which lacked a summit shot. I remember dancing nimbly along the K.E., greedily snapping away with my Nixon EM only to learn later that the film was never advancing. From that time on, camera-overkill has been my modus operandi. Now, I usually take one for slides, another for prints, a digital, and maybe a disposable. This approach works well but my graphic results are redundant not to mention the weight of the equipment. Diane operates pretty much the same, sometimes lugging her clunky camcorder.

The day prior to our climb, we visited the Baxter State Park Gate House for maps and other info. Ranger Boyd Brown there reminded us that the term Mt. Katahdin was technically a misnomer. It's a native Indian name meaning "greatest mountain" which then translates as Mount Greatest Mountain. I think I like that better.