AT (Katahdin Stream to Abol Bridge) - September 7, 2002

[askus3]

Date of Hike: Saturday, September 7, 2002

Pictures: link to Gallery - Baxter Park Trip - Album I - #9 - Blueberry Ledge pictures

link to Gallery - Maine Appalachian Trail - Album I - #4 This is for the pictures from Katahdin Stream CG to Abol Bridge. Pictures 28-50.

Route: This hike originates at the Golden Road crossing Abol Bridge over the Penobscot River. Here we follow the Appalachian Trail northbound to the junction with the Abol Pond Trail. At the kiosk here, we make a right on this trail. We go two tenths mile and make a left on the new Blueberry Ledge Trail. We followed this trail in its entirety to the Appalachian Trail backpackers campground and shelters called Birches Campground, strictly for thru-hikers. Now we make a left onto the Baxter Park Tote Road. At Katahdin Stream Campground the Appalachian Trail comes in on the right descending from Mt. Katahdin. We continue four tenths along the road, make a left turn and follow the Appalachian Trail south all the way back to Abol Bridge. Note we followed the AT 9.2 miles on this hike.

Total Distance: 15.1 miles

Difficulty: moderate

Conditions: excellent

Weather: Sunny 70s.

Participants: Aaron Schoenberg, Dean Gletsos, Alex Lantino.

Hike Statistics: Total elevation gain: 1,250 feet.

Circular hike. (Although we could have started hike at Katahdin Stream Campground, we chose to start at Abol Bridge, outside Baxter Park to save another day's entry fee.)

0.0 600 8:20 AM Abol Bridge - Start of Hike
0.6 600 8:30 make left off road
0.9 600 8:35 cross Abol Stream
1.1 600 8:40 Jct. Abol Pond Trail - kiosk
1.3 630 8:45 make left on Blueberry Ledge Trail
2.5 900 9:15 leave ledges
---- 1210 9:40-9:50 high point - picking blueberries
5.5 1150 10:50-11:10 Birches Campground
5.9 1060 11:20 Katahdin Stream Campground
6.3 1080 11:30 turn left off of Baxter Road
6.4 1070 11:35 Tracy Pond outlet
6.5 1060 11:40 AM Elbow Pond
7.3 1100 12:05 PM Jct. Grassy Pond Trail
7.9 1087 12:15 Daicey Pond
8.6 1050 12:40-12:45 Toll Dam
8.7 1030 12:50-12:55 Little Niagara
8.9 950 1:05-1:45 Big Niagara Falls - lunch
9.7 830 2:05 Balanced Rock
11.1 610 2:45 Nesowadnehunk Falls - at the confluence
of Penobscot River
---- 610 3:05-3:15 stop along the Penobscot River
13.3 610 3:45 cross Foss & Knowlton Brook
13.6 610 3:50 cross Spring Brook
14.0 600 4:05 Jct. Abol Pond Trail - kiosk
14.4 600 4:10 cross Abol Stream
14.7 600 4:20 make right on road
15.1 600 4:30 PM Abol Bridge - end of hike

Trip Report: This hike was planned for the completion of following the Appalachian Trail in Baxter State Park. On the new 2002 edition of the DeLorme Maine Road Atlas a new trail the Blueberry Ledge Trail appeared. With this trail, it facilitated making the hike a circular from Abol Bridge, as opposed to the original plan of this being an open ended car shuttle hike.

The Blueberry Ledge Trail is a nice new trail, mostly in the Maine woods. You could tell the trail is new because of all the freshly cut branches and tree stumps. Some can easily trip you up. The grades on the trail were mild and the views are limited. But this trail will be especially remembered for the bountiful luscious wild blueberries and raspberries that we consumed. At one point around the highest point in the trail, we made a lengthy stop just to feast on the fruit. We did not come across any other hikers along this trail. It ends at the Birches Campground. This is exclusively a thru-hikers campground consisting of two shelters, a tent platform and a privy. Many backpackers use this new facility as a last night out before ascending Katahdin.

The rest of the hike we travelled the Appalachian Trail southward back to Abol Bridge. The route of the AT is far more circuitous and scenic than the Blueberry Ledge Trail in which we came. Along the trail, we passed four thru-hikers finishing their trek northward to Mt. Katahdin. We also came across many other hikers, walkers, and families out on a warm afternoon along the trail. We even came across several fishermen.

Although there was one spot between Elbow and Daicey Ponds we were unsure of the route, the trail for the most part was very easy to follow.

I did a little wading at Big Niagara Falls where we made a nice lunch stop. The trail along the Nesowadnehunk was a pleasant path past pretty pools, small rapids, waterfalls and along the babbling brook. After the confluence into the Penobscot River, the trail is a nice river walk. Also, from Tracy Pond were some phenomenal views of Mt. Katahdin as well as from Abol Pond where I took some great pictures of Alex consuming berries.

At the completion of this hike we noted that we hiked over seventy miles and 21,500 feet of ascent in seven days. We got ourselves in excellent condition, that by this day, this 15 mile hike, although the longest hike of the trip, we considered the easiest.

The leaves are beginning to turn just a little. We also are considering hiking the next section south on the Appalachian Trail, south through the One Hundred Mile Wilderness to Monson.

We enjoyed the wildness of Baxter, the remoteness of the Gulf Hagas and the beauty of this scenic region and its majestic mountains. Now we have this report, numerous pictures, and memories to remember our trip by.

NOTE: The Hundred Mile Wilderness trip has turned from a possibility into a planned trip with a proposed detailed itinerary. It is being scheduled for August 28 - September 6, 2003. This will be a quasi-backpack with two nights out camping on the trail and the remainder staying at lodges off the trail and relying on car shuttles along lumber roads for day hikes. Those that want to backpack more can be accommodated. The trip will be done at a moderate pace with ample time for leisure stops to enjoy the scenery and also time to walk along various spur paths to special points of interest. For more information contact Aaron Schoenberg:
askus3@optonline.net

[pedxing]

Very Nice indeed!