btausend
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Date of Hike: July 30, 2014
Trails: Helon Taylor, Knife Edge, Saddle, Northwest Basin, Hamlin Ridge, North Basin and Chimney Pond
Peaks: Pamola, Chimney, South, Baxter and Hamlin
Trail Conditions: From the Roaring Brook Campground we were briefly on the Chimney Pond trail before turning left onto Helon Taylor trail. Helon Taylor trail starts off as a nice trail, in the woods with a gradual climb. It levels off, crosses a brook and then begins to climb. When it begins to climb there are a lot more rocks and you start to enter a boulder field. As it breaks through the treeline it is all rock and steep to Pamola peak. Some climbing over the rocks is required.
Knife Edge was a little more difficult than I expected. Climbing down from Pamola Peak toward Chimney Peak is very steep. Climbing up to Chimney peak is also very steep. The width of Knife Edge varies from a only a couple feet to as much as 8 to 10 feet with steep drop offs. This is not a trail to be on if you have issues with heights or in bad weather.
Saddle, Northwest Basin and Hamlin Ridge up to Hamlin Peak are basically rock covered trails, generally good footing with gradual descents and ascents. The rest of the Hamlin Ridge trail down to the North Basin trail is all boulders and slow going. The North Basin trail is wet, rocky and plenty of roots. The Chimney Pond trail is a high traffic trail. There are some smooth dirt sections, but most of it has plenty of rocks. You cross the river plenty of times, but most crossings are bridged.
Special Equipment Used: We started out using trekking poles, but once we got to the treeline on the Helon Taylor trail we put them in our packs because they we just getting in the way with all the rock climbing we were doing. Once we got to Baxter Peak we got them out again for the rest of the day. You could do the whole hike without poles. Bugs were not an issue so no bug spray was needed.
Comments: I hiked this with my son Nicholas. The gate to Baxter State Park opens at 6 am. I got there at 5:55 am and the gate was already open and letting people in. From the gate to Roaring Brook Campground it is 8 miles with a speed limit of 20 MPH so it took at least another 20 minutes to get to the trail head from the gate. The weather was better than forecasted, partly cloudy, great views, a light breeze and no rain. It was a great, but long day to cover this 11.4 mile hike.
Brian
Trails: Helon Taylor, Knife Edge, Saddle, Northwest Basin, Hamlin Ridge, North Basin and Chimney Pond
Peaks: Pamola, Chimney, South, Baxter and Hamlin
Trail Conditions: From the Roaring Brook Campground we were briefly on the Chimney Pond trail before turning left onto Helon Taylor trail. Helon Taylor trail starts off as a nice trail, in the woods with a gradual climb. It levels off, crosses a brook and then begins to climb. When it begins to climb there are a lot more rocks and you start to enter a boulder field. As it breaks through the treeline it is all rock and steep to Pamola peak. Some climbing over the rocks is required.
Knife Edge was a little more difficult than I expected. Climbing down from Pamola Peak toward Chimney Peak is very steep. Climbing up to Chimney peak is also very steep. The width of Knife Edge varies from a only a couple feet to as much as 8 to 10 feet with steep drop offs. This is not a trail to be on if you have issues with heights or in bad weather.
Saddle, Northwest Basin and Hamlin Ridge up to Hamlin Peak are basically rock covered trails, generally good footing with gradual descents and ascents. The rest of the Hamlin Ridge trail down to the North Basin trail is all boulders and slow going. The North Basin trail is wet, rocky and plenty of roots. The Chimney Pond trail is a high traffic trail. There are some smooth dirt sections, but most of it has plenty of rocks. You cross the river plenty of times, but most crossings are bridged.
Special Equipment Used: We started out using trekking poles, but once we got to the treeline on the Helon Taylor trail we put them in our packs because they we just getting in the way with all the rock climbing we were doing. Once we got to Baxter Peak we got them out again for the rest of the day. You could do the whole hike without poles. Bugs were not an issue so no bug spray was needed.
Comments: I hiked this with my son Nicholas. The gate to Baxter State Park opens at 6 am. I got there at 5:55 am and the gate was already open and letting people in. From the gate to Roaring Brook Campground it is 8 miles with a speed limit of 20 MPH so it took at least another 20 minutes to get to the trail head from the gate. The weather was better than forecasted, partly cloudy, great views, a light breeze and no rain. It was a great, but long day to cover this 11.4 mile hike.
Brian
