Katahdin

It might even make you reconsider the old say that all mountains in the East are just foothills in comparison to those in the West. Outdoor icon L.L. Bean uses Katahdin in its logo. The mountain is the most difficult non-technical climb in the East. Trails have a tendency to go straight up.

The most spectacular route involves taking the mile-long Knife Edge, which combines 2,000 foot drops on either side of the trail with at a times a nearly technical route. It"s definitely not a trail to get caught on in bad weather. The above photo shows Katahdin as seen from Pamola. The Knife Edge is the trail on the left.

Everything about this mountain and how the State of Maine handles it will charm you.

Baxter State Park is very rigorous in restricting access. Pets and electronic devices such as cellular phones are strictly forbidden. You should book months in advance if you want to camp. If you want to day hike, you should show up at the gate early in the morning .(e.g., 6 a.m. on popular late summer weekends) if you want in. They close the gates when the daily quota is filled.