Jesse Metzger, 19, of Newton, Mass., whose trail name is “Sputnik,” celebrates his Appalachian Trail thru-hike Wednesday atop Mount Katahdin. Upset with some hikers’ behavior, Baxter State Park officials want groups affiliated with the AT to address their concerns or potentially find another northern terminus. “That would be seen as a very big deal,” Sputnik said.
Josh Frank, 14, of South Portland casts on the West Branch of the Penobscot River near Abol Bridge. Mount Katahdin looms in the background.
James Lunning, 22, of Minneapolis, who goes by the trail name of “Attrition,” hikes down Hunt Trail after climbing Mount Katahdin early Wednesday and watching the sunrise. “I think the arc of the trail is perfectly designed for northbounders to end at Katahdin,” he said.
Jensen Bissell, Baxter State Park’s director, put park-trail tensions in the spotlight with his stinging criticism on the park’s Facebook page of Scott Jurek, who celebrated a record AT run with champagne and was given summonses.
Day hikers enjoy a near-perfect day at the summit of Mount Katahdin.
Day-hikers make their way toward the Knife Edge after summiting Mount Katahdin. The majority of alcohol and drug offenses on the summit are likely committed by day-hikers. But with a summer staff of 60 in a 209,000-acre park, Baxter managers do not send rangers to the summit – an arduous hike – every day.
Thru-hiker Sarah Morse of North Berwick, aka “Leap Frog,” pauses near the summit of Mount Katahdin on Wednesday. “To go through the 100-Mile Wilderness and end at Katahdin was just perfect,” she said. “It would be unfortunate if thru-hikers would cause Baxter to close the park to the AT.”
Outdoors 
