Another Katahdin Rescue

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peakbagger

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https://bangordailynews.com/2019/06...-rescued-from-katahdin-after-fall-from-trail/

FYI Saddle trail is still closed so the Hamlin Ridge is the easiest route down. I wonder if visitors to the park may be getting in over their level of ability by taking other trails from the east side since Saddle is closed. I personally avoid it due to the potential for rocks being dislodged by other hikers but it is very popular route.
 
https://bangordailynews.com/2019/06...-rescued-from-katahdin-after-fall-from-trail/

FYI Saddle trail is still closed so the Hamlin Ridge is the easiest route down. I wonder if visitors to the park may be getting in over their level of ability by taking other trails from the east side since Saddle is closed. I personally avoid it due to the potential for rocks being dislodged by other hikers but it is very popular route.

I find the headwall on Saddle to be very annoying with all the sand and talus. I've done Helon Taylor, Knife Edge, Cathedral and Hamlin Ridge trails and that section of Saddle is probably my least favorite and most sketchy.

Do you know if the Dudley Trail is open this year? I could have sworn I saw an article or Facebook post a few weeks ago that it was being evaluated and possibly would be opening in a few weeks but I can't find it now. Assuming I confused it with another trail. I'll be up there next week and this is the only trail I haven't taken on the East side of Katahdin so I was hoping to do. I know you're pretty familiar with the area so if you have any info it would be appreciated.
 
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I am not aware of any official announcements

I did post this last year in a Baxter thread

Last years annual report (2017) indicated that the Dudley may be open in 2019 but not completed. I havent seen any recent updates and expect that if it does open it will be "soft" open late in the season without a lot of publicity. BSP does not like to over promise.

When I went to "opening day" in 2018 the ranger did not think it would be open for a couple of years as its not a rebuild as much as a major reroute similar to Abol. They has planned to rebuild North Brother Trail up the summit cone and he had commented that due to amount of work on Dudley that was pushed out several years. Best idea is ask a Ranger when you get there.

I looked up the 2018 report https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DZ7I5_yyybHXTY35D3SGbyFMP-Ar1OR9/view and it had this statement. This was presented in June of 2019 so I expect its good source
Relocation work also progressed on the Dudley re-route. This trail, closed in 2016 after an
avalanche removed a portion of the trail at the junction with the Pamola Caves access trail,
required a major relocation of about 1 mile in difficult terrain. Crews worked out of Chimney Pond.
This effort will likely require 2 more seasons of work to complete.
 
Last edited:
I am not aware of any official announcements

I did post this last year in a Baxter thread

Last years annual report (2017) indicated that the Dudley may be open in 2019 but not completed. I havent seen any recent updates and expect that if it does open it will be "soft" open late in the season without a lot of publicity. BSP does not like to over promise.

When I went to "opening day" in 2018 the ranger did not think it would be open for a couple of years as its not a rebuild as much as a major reroute similar to Abol. They has planned to rebuild North Brother Trail up the summit cone and he had commented that due to amount of work on Dudley that was pushed out several years. Best idea is ask a Ranger when you get there.

I looked up the 2018 report https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DZ7I5_yyybHXTY35D3SGbyFMP-Ar1OR9/view and it had this statement. This was presented in June of 2019 so I expect its good source
Relocation work also progressed on the Dudley re-route. This trail, closed in 2016 after an
avalanche removed a portion of the trail at the junction with the Pamola Caves access trail,
required a major relocation of about 1 mile in difficult terrain. Crews worked out of Chimney Pond.
This effort will likely require 2 more seasons of work to complete.

OK. Thanks. The last article I could find was March 2019 and indicated it didn't seem likely they'd get open in 2019. The post I'm thinking of was probably for another trail, maybe related to the delayed snow openings as opposed to trail work. I'll check it out next week and see what "the latest" is.
 
Other than the loose talus, I thought Saddle was the easier way up and down. By BSP standards somewhat blah, however, the others are spectacular looking into the various basins or across the Knife Edge. Saddle was the last trail I did in old racquetball sneakers, I was much more agile back then......:eek:
 
Other than the loose talus, I thought Saddle was the easier way up and down. By BSP standards somewhat blah, however, the others are spectacular looking into the various basins or across the Knife Edge. Saddle was the last trail I did in old racquetball sneakers, I was much more agile back then......:eek:

Yes most of that trail is definitely very comfortable and certainly easier than others but that head wall is certainly not a lay up, especially when lots of people are on it. I came down Saddle the day I went up Cathedral so I was running earlier than most people so I didn't see many people here, which I was glad about. Seemed like you could eat a lot of rocks on a busy day. The ledges are nice and blocky like the other trails but the volume of sand and talus on it is what makes it tricky in my opinion. Reminds me of South Slide on TriPyramid or the slide on Owlshead. Plenty of "fall on your ass" moments possible with the lack of traction.
 
Yes most of that trail is definitely very comfortable and certainly easier than others but that head wall is certainly not a lay up, especially when lots of people are on it. I came down Saddle the day I went up Cathedral so I was running earlier than most people so I didn't see many people here, which I was glad about. Seemed like you could eat a lot of rocks on a busy day. The ledges are nice and blocky like the other trails but the volume of sand and talus on it is what makes it tricky in my opinion. Reminds me of South Slide on TriPyramid or the slide on Owlshead. Plenty of "fall on your ass" moments possible with the lack of traction.
Some of us remember the old Marston Slide Trail.
 
I did the Marston Slide about 5 years ago, its still in fine shape. It still has a few blazes but the exit is not obvious. it was a serious bushwhack off the top of it to the trail. The Marston definitely tops Flume and North Tripyramid
 
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