MA/NY/VT Marker Access Update:

These directions assume you have Jack Parsell's Tri-State Corners in the U.S. publication.

From the metal gate behind the Humes yard, (obtain permission from the Humes before crossing their property) follow the well-defined jeep trail. You'll be moving generally westward in Vermont but close to the MA/VT state line. Stay on this route, always bearing left. There are 2 bridged stream crossings and 1 wet crossing before reaching a VERY steep section of this route at a small grassy clearing. Here, bite the bullet and make the .2 mile ascent. Though a formidable up, this killer-climb is the best guarantee that your track is correct. A few blow-downs will be encountered as you go.

Note: At the clearing, ignore the less steep vague trail fork to the left. There is a good trail going to the right which also reaches the top and, though longer, it's more gradual. (Refer to your Hopkins Memorial Forest map for this loop. See below.)

Once on top, continue westward .2 mile to a distinct lop-sided 'T' intersection. Tend left here, also. Disregard any Williams College "posting signs" which provide no reference to reach the marker going this route. The trail undulates a tad, going generally southward for another .2 mile. At this writing, there was a blow-down and a tangle of limbs. A brief detour left regains the main trail. Not far beyond is another stream crossing. The Williams College lean-to is on the hillside to the right. On reaching the stream and lean-to, you'll have gone about 25 yds. too far but you're "in the ballpark." Going back to the above blow down - there's a vague trail immediately beyond that point which leads uphill to the marker about 75ft. Two dead tree poles frame this inclined path to the tri-point. A GPS can be helpful. Jack Parsell has good coordinates of N42 44.760 / W73 15.905. From Northwest Hill Road the round trip distance to the marker is about 2 miles.

HMF map: Write or visit the Center for Environmental Studies, Kellogg House, Williams College, Box 632, Williamstown, MA 01267. I wrote them, included a business-size SASE, and received 2 maps.

For a free download of Parsell's publication: Corner Corner, www.bjbsoftware.com/corners

Focus: If you use these directions to reach the marker, please comment on this site for fine-tuning purposes.

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.