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Baxter State Pk Hiking Trip - Oct 4 & 5, 2005

A return to Baxter State park. About two days too early for peak foliage, and the weather wasn't quite as clear as it had been two years before, but a grand trip nonetheless: this time I did the loop over the Knife Edge and Hamlin Peak.

Photos are organized by date, with a bit of narrative for each day.

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Day 1: Mt Katahdin

Spent the night at Abol Campground, then got up early, drove to Roaring Brook, and took the Helon Taylor trail to Pamola Peak. From there we crossed the Knife Edge (cautiously, due to wind) to baxter05 Peak, walked down the saddle to Hamlin Peak, and returned to Roaring Brook via Hamlin Ridge.

you should see an image here Not far from the trailhead, a view of Pamola Peak in the distance. Our trail goes along the top of Keep Ridge, visible to the left of the peak.
you should see an image here As we start to climb we can see clouds in the valley below us.
you should see an image here A view towards Turner Mountain
you should see an image here Another view of the clouds below Turner Mountain.
you should see an image here Approaching treeline, a view north to the Howe Peaks and North Basin
you should see an image here Matt stops for a photograph.
you should see an image here From here you can see Hamlin Peak as well as Howe Peak.
you should see an image here A view of the Knife Edge from below. South Peak is at left, Pamola Peak at right, with Chimney Peak next to Pamola Peak.
you should see an image here Looking down Keep Ridge at the clouds below.
you should see an image here A bit further up Keep Ridge, with Matt in the shot for a sense of scale.
you should see an image here A larch tree turned dwarf by altitude and yellow for fall.
you should see an image here One more view down Keep Ridge as we approach Pamola Peak.
you should see an image here A southerly view - the clouds have lifted but the air remains hazy.
you should see an image here South Peak (left) and Baxter Peak seen from Pamola Peak. Baxter peak is actually slightly higher, but South Peak is closer and so appears taller in this view.
you should see an image here Next, we have to walk along the Knife Edge, seen here.
you should see an image here A view over the Saddle. South Brother is barely visible in the distance.
you should see an image here View east to Turner Mountain from Pamola Peak
you should see an image here Panning slightly northward from the previous shot.
you should see an image here Stepping out onto the Knife Edge: view downhill.
you should see an image here Somewhat further along, the Knife Edge widens enough to permit photography again. A lone hiker looks ahead to South Peak.
you should see an image here Zoomed in on the hiker.
you should see an image here Looking back east along the Knife Edge
you should see an image here Zoomed in on Matt as he makes his way along the ridge.
you should see an image here Pamola Peak. Matt is visible at the right edge as he continues to approach the seated hikers.
you should see an image here If not for the camera strap in the way, this might have been my best shot of the series.
you should see an image here Pamola Peak from south Peak. It's interesting to compare this with a you should see an image here Pamola Peak seen from Baxter Peak. This shot was intentionally made as similar as possible to you should see an image here The Tableland west of Baxter Peak.
you should see an image here Hamlin Peak, with the Saddle in the foreground and the Northwest Plateau behind it.
you should see an image here From the Saddle, looking west down the Great Basin. Pamola Peak at right with Chimney Pond at its base.
you should see an image here Panning right to show more of the Knife Edge. Cathedral Ridge in shadows in near distance.
you should see an image here From the northern end of the Saddle, a view southeast to Pamola, the Knife Edge, and Baxter Peak.
you should see an image here Hamlin Peak.
you should see an image here Howe Peaks seen from Hamlin Peak.
you should see an image here From Hamlin Peak, the North Peaks Trail leads to the Howe Peaks, the highest and westernmost of which is visible in this photo.
you should see an image here From the top of Hamlin Ridge, a view down into the North Basin and across to Turner Mountain.
you should see an image here Hamlin Ridge from above.
you should see an image here The north side of the North Basin. Looks like some interesting rock climbing...
you should see an image here Hamlin Peak rises above the shadow of Baxter Peak as seen from Lower Basin Pond.
you should see an image here South Turner Mountain from the Chimney Pond Trail, not far from the Roaring Brook trailhead.

Day Two: North Brother

A painfully early start, and a quick up-and-back on the Marston Trail before the long drive home.
you should see an image here I couldn't get my camera to focus quite close enough, but I think this shot still manages to capture this colorful yet camouflaged forest denizen.
you should see an image here Small Pond.
you should see an image here Doubletop Mountain in the morning mist. Compare with you should see an image here Fort Mountain seen from the summit of North Brother.
you should see an image here South Brother (right) and Mt Coe seen from North Brother.
you should see an image here A view northward from North Brother.
you should see an image here On the return trip, another view of Doubletop.
you should see an image here Fall colors by Small Pond.
you should see an image here Foliage along the Tote Road.
you should see an image here More foliage.
you should see an image here Foliage shots taken from the car, without stopping - through the sunroof.
you should see an image here Farewell, fall foliage.