[at-l] Baxter/Katahdin/ report :O)

[Snodrog5@aol.com]

Details first-
 The woods are DRY DRY DRY. Baxter is considering closing outlying sites and 
instituting a complete fire ban. The Bangor paper reports dozens of brush 
fires over the weekend.
 Hardly any snow left on the West side of Katahdin, the East side is still 
buried. Chimney Pond won't be open for weeks. Temps 70 days/35 nights.
 The Hunt Trail (the AT up Katahdin) was still closed today. The MATC was on 
the job clearing blowdowns, but snow below treeline is the hazard that might 
keep it closed until this weekend. The Abol Trail was open and several hikers 
summited on Saturday and Sunday, more were going up this morning. At least 
one South Bounder (Hi Jim! ) was in the park, but has gone to Monson and will 
hike North to be able to do the AT up the mountain.
 I hiked the AT south from Daicy Pond, out to the river, two very nice new 
plank bridges! (thanks MATC!)
 Blackflies were out, in spots. I'm normally immune, and scoff at blackfly 
horror stories-but YOW were they swarming this weekend!
Non-details- :O)
 Fiddleheads, trilliums, apple blossoms, barn swallows, jackrabbits, many 
moose, lotsa warblers, song-full hermit thrushes, ravens, several ruffed 
grouse, nuthatches, chickadees, flickers, mergansers, goldeneyes, 
butterflies, white throated sparrows, crossbills, robins, grackles, redwings, 
a few whitetails, cookie stealin' gray jays, kingfishers in pairs, loons, an 
osprey, and a great blue heron.
-TJ
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