Sometimes the Summit Isn’t in the Cards

On Sunday, July 19, my husband and I departed Abol campground with the full understanding that the weather would likely not be working in our favor to make it to Baxter Peak. The forecast was calling for 35- 50 mph winds on the summit, and although no precipitation was predicted, wind speeds of that nature are not something I would subject myself to unless necessary. As we climbed, we received the updated weather forecast for the day, and it confirmed that the Above Treeline Class was a class 4. Kevin and I accepted quickly that a hike to treeline was where our Sunday adventure ended. We hiked to the top of the Abol Slide, getting tossed around by some aggressive wind gusts, took a couple of pictures, and turned ourselves around to head back towards the parking lot. As we descended, there were moments where the clouds blew out, and we had a good view, but the wind did not ease at all.

We took this opportunity to pass all those other hikers who might still be pushing towards Baxter Summit without having heard the broadcast weather forecast. We advised of the Above Treeline Weather Class day and took opportunities to educate on necessary clothing and gear to avoid hypothermia in sustained winds. Remember the mountain will always be there on another day when the weather is more favorable. The measure of a successful hiking day is your safe arrival back at the trailhead. While this is not a decision that a lot of people arrive at lightly, turning back from a summit is a sign of a hiker practicing good risk assessment and analysis. Many outdoor recreation activities come with risk, and evaluating and reassessing the risk of your activity could be the difference between you returning to the trailhead at the end of the day.

Stay safe out there!

Cassandra Stewart

Millinocket, Maine