Canoeing in Baxter State Park

Most people come to Baxter State Park in Maine to hike, but it's also a really nice place to canoe. The park service rents canoes for $1 an hour. My son and I had this mini-island all to ourselves for a picnic. For dessert there were wild blueberries. 

Matagamon Lake was dotted with islands and ringed by mountains. The large scale was impossible to capture with a camera. We paddled for three hours and spotted only a couple of canoes and no power boats or houses. We kept company with loons and a bald eagle.

My son once spent 6 weeks paddling and poling (when you stand and push off the riverbed with a pole, like punting) up the Allagash and Penobscot rivers, following Thoreau's journey to Baxter. He did this trip through Chewonki Wilderness Experiences two years ago. Back at Baxter with me this July, he was my stern-man and guide. In a reversal of roles, I felt safe in his care. My "boy" just turned eighteen and is no longer a minor!

 We paddled for an hour and a half looking for an island with low banks, where it would be easy to come ashore. After lunch we headed back before the afternoon winds got too strong. 

Even with a map, we missed the turnoff to Trout Brook but found it soon enough. The banks somehow reminded me of the Thames in England, only wilder and buggier. My son guessed that camping at Trout Brook Farm wouldn't be too pleasant. Bug nets were necessary even at midday, although the lake downstream wasn't buggy at all.

Our campsite was at a smaller pond, South Branch, nestled in the mountains. 

Another easy trail led to a waterfall.

We camped in a lean-to in case it rained, but the only time it did during our 5 days at Baxter was driving 2 1/2 hours between campsites. 

We came prepared in mid July for bugs. The black flies were especially bad in the evenings. They breed in slow moving water, like the the stream feeding South Branch Pond. A smoky campfire kept them it bay and our bug nets made for better sleeping. 

We also shared our campsite with nesting Merlins, a fish-hunting falcon. On our last day, the fledglings decided to take their first wobbly flight. The ranger was very excited when we showed him the nest. I'm sure the Merlins chose our campsite for the spectacular view. It was a lovely place to swim and wash away the grime of camping. We couldn't use soap as this was our drinking water too. Every day we pumped or boiled many pints.

There were canoes to rent at South Pond too. The placid, small pond would be ideal for inexperienced paddlers and young children. I relaxed in my camp chair, watching the wind ripple the the reflection. The golden light still glows inside me.

Mt. Katahdin, Maine

Mount Katahdin at 5,268 feet is the highest mountain in Maine. It marks the northern end of 
The Appalachian Trail. Over 2,000 miles, the AT is the longest marked footpath in the world. 

My son has summited Katahdin twice and dreams of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail one year.
Hiking with me, our aim was to climb only 2/3 up Katahdin to Chimney Pond. This was six-miles roundtrip 
from Roaring Brook campground. My son did all the planning, including rations and campsites, for our 4-night 
visit to Baxter State Park. We split the 4 hour drive to the North Woods from our home in coastal Maine. 

The view at one third up Katahdin was in itself worth the climb. 

In mid July at this high elevation, the bugs weren't too bad and the Mountain Laurel was in bloom. 

It wasn't a difficult climb, but the rocky footing made it challenging. Hiking boots and poles were a good idea.
We were aiming for that plateau valley, another mile and a half above us: Chimney Pond. 

Chimney Pond is ringed by jagged peaks with crystal clear turquoise water. It reminded me oddly of Switzerland.

We were allowed to pump water and to picnic by the shore but not to swim. 

We needed warm fleeces more than a dip in the water anyway. Although it was in the low 70's at the base,
it was 10 degrees colder at Chimney Pond. The wind was gusting too. 

Often the summit trails are closed due to bad weather or high winds. My son says that up on the Knife's Edge
trail, it feels like you can touch the clouds. I got scared just looking up at it. The Native Americans
refused to climb Katahdin. When there was thunder, they believed the gods were rolling boulders up there.
People have died on its steep slopes, but exposure poses a greater threat.

My favorite view of Mt. Katahdin was from back down at Sandy Pond. This photo was taken
on the same day as the opening shot. The weather changes so quickly there.
We hiked with raincoats and rain pants, fleeces, food, 2 liters of water each, purification tablets,
sunscreen, first aid kit, compass, map, headlamps and most important of all: my DSLR camera. 

The next day, we climbed an "easier" mountain, South Turner. The first mile was flat through woodland marsh,
but the second mile climbed 1,700 feet. It went up and up and up. Once we got above the tree-line, high winds
nearly knocked me over. I decided to quit at 200 feet from the summit. We were passed by a girl scout troop.

The view of Katahdin was stunning, but my vertigo returns just looking at this picture.
My hands were shaking so much it was hard to hold the camera steady. 
Now you know why I didn't summit Katahdin.

My sense of equilibrium returned back down in the woods.
Being in the wilderness brings me both challenges and peace.

I'll be posting more Baxter photos in the coming weeks, focusing on moose, canoeing and wildflowers.