Katahdin in Winter

Katahdin from Abol Stream

In mid-January I led a six man expedition into Baxter State Park.  Over four days we skied and hiked to camps at Roaring Brook and Chimney Pond, then summited Katahdin’s Baxter Peak and nearby Hamlin Peak before returning home safely.

Preparing for the trek to Roaring Brook
(photo courtesy of Rick Mulhern)

In the winter, Baxter State Park’s roads are unplowed so there are long approaches to the campgrounds surrounding Katahdin.  To handle all of the climbing and camping gear needed for our summit attempt, team members skied or hiked while carrying backpacks and also hauling sleds with additional loads.  On the first day we traveled approximately 13 miles, from the park entrance at Abol Bridge to Roaring Brook Campground.

Dinner in the Roaring Brook Bunkhouse
(photo courtesy of Rick Mulhern)

At Roaring Brook we stayed in a comfortable bunkhouse heated by a woodstove.  For our communal dinner, we enjoyed a delicious lasagna hauled in on one of the sleds!



Ascending the Chimney Pond Trail
(photo courtesy of Rick Mulhern)



Crossing one of the Basin Ponds

In the morning, we stowed our skis under the bunkhouse and hiked up to Chimney Pond.  Along the way we passed over one of the frozen Basin Ponds; above there, the trail steepened and narrowed.



The Chimney Pond Bunkhouse



Inside the Chimney Pond Bunkhouse

At Chimney Pond, we first settled into the bunkhouse.  As at Roaring Brook, the Chimney Pond Bunkhouse provided a warm and spacious place for us to eat, sleep and relax.
Later that afternoon, we ascended to a clearing near the base of the Saddle Slide to assess our summit route and practice ice axe skills and other alpine climbing techniques.

Practicing ice axe skills
(photo courtesy of Rick Mulhern)



Approaching the Saddle Slide
(photo courtesy of Rick Mulhern)

The next morning, we left camp early for our summit attempt.  Our route ascended the steep Saddle Slide, then proceeded across Katahdin’s tableland and up the summit dome to Baxter Peak, the highest point in Maine.  We climbed through blowing snow, which created a whiteout in snowfields on the summit dome.

Ascending the Saddle Slide
(photo courtesy of Rick Mulhern)

Whiteout on the summit dome
(photo courtesy of Rick Mulhern)

Dann, Ben and Trevor on Baxter Peak

After reaching Baxter Peak, we descended back to the tableland and then up to Hamlin Peak where we spent only a few cold minutes.  Our descent route followed the narrow crest of Hamlin Ridge, over rocky pinnacles and then down into the woods between Katahdin’s North and South Basins.  Eventually we made our way back to Chimney Pond, arriving at the bunkhouse 6 hours and 15 minutes after we started.

Ben, Mason and Trevor on Hamlin Peak

Descending Hamlin Ridge
(photo courtesy of Rick Mulhern)



Chimney Pond bunkroom

That night we slept well after happily celebrating our success on the upper mountain.  In the morning we began our long trek out of the park to civilization, first pulling and riding our sleds down to Roaring Brook before skiing or hiking back to our cars at Abol Bridge.

Trekking out from Roaring Brook
(click here for video courtesy of Ben Jessup)

This trip was my seventh into Baxter State Park in winter; every one of them has been memorable and enjoyable, whether we summited or not.  Contributing to and sharing such a wonderful experience while remaining safe was our team’s greatest success.

Chimney Pond and the South Basin

  

Check In from Baxter Peak

Jay on Katahdin's Baxter Peak

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Check In from Chimney Pond

The South Basin Cirque from Chimney Pond

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Check In from the Roaring Brook Bunkhouse

The Roaring Brook Bunkhouse

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Ice Fishing for Smelt

Smelt Shanties at James Eddy in Dresden, Maine

On the night of January 8 and early morning of January 9, I went ice fishing for smelt with my friends Jerry and Fred.  Smelts are small, flavorful fish often caught through the ice on tidal rivers in New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. 

Fred and Jerry watch the lines

We rented a shanty at the James Eddy Smelt Camps in Dresden, Maine.  James Eddy is on the Eastern River, a tributary of the Kennebec.  The shanties are rented for either an incoming or outgoing tide; we fished the entire outgoing tide, a duration of approximately 6 hours.

Holder for a set of ice fishing lines

We fished using two sets of lines, each line bearing one small hook baited with a piece of sandworm.  The bait is presented at shallow depths, often as little as 4-6', so no reel is necessary.  When a smelt takes the bait, the line begins to move back and forth and the catch is retrieved by hand.

Fred waiting for a bite

The bite was slow but steady, and at the end of the tide we had a couple of dozen smelts in our buckets.  They are delicious when battered and fried!

Smelts

 

Check In from James Eddy Smelt Camps

Smelt Shanties at James Eddy in Dresden, Maine

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