The mile-high summit of Mount Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak, marks one of the spectacular endpoints to the Appalachian Trail, but as six hikers found last week, the mountain can also be extremely dangerous.
A 20-year-old hiker reached the summit of the mountain during the late afternoon, but was unable to go farther while descending the mountain’s infamous Knife Edge Trail on Saturday, Aug. 26. Her group called 911 and a ranger didn’t reach them until 11:30 that night, Kevin Adam, director of Baxter State Park, told the Associated Press.
Over the course of that time, the hiker had lost consciousness, Adam said.
The rocky trail was narrow for eight people — two rangers and six hikers — who hunkered down until daylight, Adam said to the AP.
View of the sunrise on Mount Katahdin during an overnight rescue. (Photo courtesy North Search and REscue)
Adam said the hiker was airlifted the next morning to a hospital, where she was later released from the emergency room.
Meanwhile, members of North Search and Rescue climbed the mountain to assist, and engaged in an 11-hour rescue guiding the remaining five hikers to the bottom.
Five rescuers — two from Baxter State Park hiking the Dudley trail and three from nonprofit North Search and Rescue hiking the Helon Taylor trail — converged at Knife Edge to help, according to a social media post from North Search and Rescue.
Knife Edge on Mount Katahdin. (Photo courtesy North Search and Rescue)
It was at 2 a.m. that the rescuers made the call to shelter in place until morning.
“With wind speeds gusting up to 30 mph and the temperature falling, our members utilized the gear and equipment we are required to carry to hunker down on top of the mountain and wait till day light,” the post read.
North Search and Rescue continued with what happened the following morning. Around 8 a.m. on Sunday, a Maine National Guard helicopter was overhead, and by 8:10, members were working to evacuate the remaining five members of the hiking party.
A night view from Mount Katahdin during a 21-hour rescue. (Photo courtesy North Search and Rescue)
“Over the next 11 hours, members sometimes lifting, carrying and guiding the party members and with support from another North member who heard the call that water was running low jumped into action arriving in time half way up the trail with something like 10 bottles of water,” the post read.
Hikers joined up with family and friends at Roaring Brook Campground at the base of the mountain in a “very tired and sore” state, according to North Search and Rescue.
All told, the rescue took 21 hours, North Search and Rescue said.
