6 Hikers Evacuated from Katahdin Knife Edge (Hope: live, expenses, park)

[OutdoorLover]

It took members of the Baxter State Park rangers, North Search and Rescue rangers, and the Maine National Guard to get six Maine hikers off Mt Katahdin alive. One young woman fell unconscious - not clear if that was dehydration or hypothermia that got her.

https://www.pressherald.com/2023/08/...our-operation/

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

It took members of the Baxter State Park rangers, North Search and Rescue rangers, and the Maine National Guard to get six Maine hikers off Mt Katahdin alive. One young woman fell unconscious - not clear if that was dehydration or hypothermia that got her.

https://www.pressherald.com/2023/08/...our-operation/

Yikes, probably both dehydration and hypothermia. It doesn't sound like they were prepared. That is a rough hike. Here Is a video of the Knife Edge.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGCQVCpEq2w

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

Yikes, probably both dehydration and hypothermia. It doesn't sound like they were prepared. That is a rough hike. Here Is a video of the Knife Edge.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGCQVCpEq2w

I hike that mountain most every year, and am always baffled by how unprepared some are be it type of footwear, insufficient water, or just being out of shape. People already struggling before the real "climb" actually begins. Thankfully many of these folks have enough sense to turn around before it gets to that point, but are always those few who don't have sense. Katahdin is the REAL deal, and by no means a beginner's mountain. Yet you swear with some of these folk, it's the first mountain they attempted in years and years. I just wish people would respect it more, even the more seasoned of us typically start the season out with a "warm up" mountain and maybe a few more. But every year it seems to get worse. I know NH fines people for mountain rescues as a result of hiker negligence, perhaps ME should consider the same (or have they and I missed it?). This kind of stuff not only puts the rangers (as well as co-hikers) in danger, but also ties up scarce resources that could always be needed elsewhere.



Of course we don't know the full situation in this case, but leaving the summit at 5:30pm and heading across the Knife Edge was clearly a reckless decision. Hopefully this girl is OK, but maybe at least a few others will take something away from this.

[svband76]

The youth of today think everything is a joke. No accountability. The dumbing down of a generation.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by svband76

The youth of today think everything is a joke. No accountability. The dumbing down of a generation.

Youtube makes everybody an "expert" on everything.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by massnative71

I hike that mountain most every year, and am always baffled by how unprepared some are be it type of footwear, insufficient water, or just being out of shape. People already struggling before the real "climb" actually begins. Thankfully many of these folks have enough sense to turn around before it gets to that point, but are always those few who don't have sense. Katahdin is the REAL deal, and by no means a beginner's mountain. Yet you swear with some of these folk, it's the first mountain they attempted in years and years. I just wish people would respect it more, even the more seasoned of us typically start the season out with a "warm up" mountain and maybe a few more. But every year it seems to get worse. I know NH fines people for mountain rescues as a result of hiker negligence, perhaps ME should consider the same (or have they and I missed it?). This kind of stuff not only puts the rangers (as well as co-hikers) in danger, but also ties up scarce resources that could always be needed elsewhere.



Of course we don't know the full situation in this case, but leaving the summit at 5:30pm and heading across the Knife Edge was clearly a reckless decision. Hopefully this girl is OK, but maybe at least a few others will take something away from this.

Yeah, the 5:30pm part is what got me too. Though I guess maybe they didn't have much choice. They were heading back to the Roaring Brook Trailhead. The Knife Edge would be the most direct route back to the trailhead.

On the subject of having the good sense to turn around, I was just watching this YouTuber finishing her Appalachian Trail thru hike. They had to turn around half way up Mt. Katahdin when they got hit with 40 mph wind driven freezing rain. She nailed the summit the next day in much better weather.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFrbzsIP9r0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCZG-42u_N4

[7th generation]

They should pay all expenses of the extrication if it is determined they were reckless by their actions.