January 10, 2014
Over a two year trial period, Baxter
State Park will extend the Park camping season to October 25, 2014 and October
24, 2015, at selected sites at Daicey Pond, Katahdin Stream and Abol
Campground.
Selected sites:
- Katahdin Stream: sites 20, 9-12, 16 and 17 and the Birches
- Abol: sites 24, 18, and 9
- Daicey Pond: cabins 4, 5, 7 and 10
This trial
camping season extension will allow Park management to assess the interest and
use of available campsites in the latter half of October. This trial does not constitute a permanent
change to the Park’s camping season, but will allow Park management to
evaluate the actual visitor camping use during this period.
October can
provide some of the nicest hiking weather of the year, but can also provide
sudden and deadly weather, particularly above treeline on Katahdin or the
Traveler Loop. The Park’s only staff
fatality resulted when Ranger Ralph Heath perished in a sudden and severe
snowstorm on October 29, 1963 while attempting to rescue a stranded hiker on
the Knife Edge.
As with any
hiking in the Park, Park Rangers advise all hikers to remember that rescue
assistance can be hours or days in arriving; to be prepared for conditions and
take responsibility for their own safety; set a turn-around time and stick to
it; and to remember that the real goal is to return safely to the trailhead.
