Date Hiked: 7/8/07

Conditions: Trail from Roaring Brook to Chimney Pond in good condition, some wet rocks, but nothing compared to the lively stream I encountered last fall. Saddle trail in good shape, encountered some erosion from tableland to Baxter peak. Trail seems to have been very slightly re-routed in places there.

Special Required Equipment: None required, but trekking poles, plenty of water, perhaps a purifier if it's warm out, and some bug dope would be helpful.

Comments: Picked up my companion in Orono at 7am, and drove north with a weather report that listed a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, perhaps even some hail. We had a parking reservation at Roaring Brook, so we decided to just climb what we felt safe doing, given the conditions.

Weather was mostly sunny when we arrived, and remained so when we reached Chimney Pond. We decided to take the Saddle up to treeline and re-evalualte. It was still sunny, so we went up to the tableland, where we could see what the weather was doing on the other side. Still looked clear, so we went to the summit. Sunny weather provided a really nice view, but some humidity in the air limited our view to 50-60 miles. Still a nice day, and what a view it is down into the Great Basin!

The tableland was rather chilly, but oddly, the summit was calm and warm. We started a descent across the Knife Edge, but when we'd nearly reached South Peak, dark clouds started forming, and we decided to turn back and descend via Saddle again, in order to be somewhat better protected. The storms that threatened never materialized (well, not until we were safely in the car and on the road, and even that was only rain).

Descent via Saddle and Chimney Pond trail was fine. Steep, rocky, rather tough on your knees, but fine.

It was my first ascent of Katahdin (I'd done Chimney Pond before), and I found it thoroughly enjoyable!

Submitted by: Chris S.