Friends of Baxter State Park Sign Auction

[peakbagger]

Looks like a pretty nice set of signs for sale this year

The annual Sign Auction is open for bidding. — Friends of Baxter State Park

Our Friends of Baxter State Park sign auction is a chance for you to bring home a part of your favorite place, Baxter State Park. Each year, we collect retired Park signs some of you may have seen on one of your own trips!

www.friendsofbaxter.org

The one sign they have never auctioned is the one at the end of the AT at the summit. I think the AT museum in PA has a retired one and would guess that the new MATC trail crew facility may end up with one if and when it gets built. Maine Appalachian Trail Club destroys all their old signs as they feel it would encourage theft if there was a market.

I havent seem if AMC is having their annual auction yet, but in recent year the selections tended to be more obscure locations with a couple of high visibility ones to keep up the bidding. RMC now auctions theirs in the spring.

 

[maineguy]

You can buy replica trail signs from a number of vendors on the web. I know, I bought one years ago. Here is one for Katahdin:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1507023693/24-distressed-katahdin-summit-sign?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=mt+katahdin+trail+sign&ref=sc_gallery-1-1&pro=1&edd=1&sts=1&referrer_page_guid=f761997f37c.2ce1f95040c81954ecb7.00&plkey=4aa0b0025243c5dfe81a0c3c309aa59fd22300fc%3A1507023693

In many cases, you just take a picture of the sign you want and they make it for you. I have one, and the only way you can tell it is not the real deal is that on the actual sign the Forest Service spelled Carrigain wrong.

 

[sierra]

The Hamlin sign looks to be in fantastic shape, I wonder why it's being retired, are they changing out the signs to a new design?

 

[peakbagger]

My guess is it lacks reference to the distance to Northern Peaks trail junction?

 

[peakbagger]

Someone really wanted that Helon Tayor Trail sign.