Hunting Moose in Baxter State Park + Hiking Chimney Pond Trail – Part 2

After my Alarm woke me up, I sluggishly crawled out of my sleeping bag, the temperature outdoors was 38 levels, and that’s regular this time of 12 months and particularly within the park, but it surely didn’t make it really feel any much less chilly. I slipped on my boots, just a few layers, and grabbed my backpack filled with digital camera gear and set off. There have been a few photographers forward of me on the path, and so they have been straightforward to identify with their large 600mm lenses. I made it to my spot in what felt like no time, and there have been already 6 different photographers there. That being stated, they have been all extremely good and didn’t thoughts me exhibiting as much as the get together late with my digital camera. Although the precise spot I wished was already taken, I used to be nonetheless capable of get the same one on the boardwalk of Baxter State Park.

That is Half 2 of a 2-part story. I extremely advocate studying Part 1 earlier than continuing to this text. 

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Gear Checklist

For those who got here to this text to only see what gear I’m utilizing – no drawback – right here you go!

The seven of us waited there for two hours that morning with no indicators of any moose. Whereas this was unlucky, that is normally the result for many wildlife images shoots. Endurance is essential, and whereas we weren’t visited by any wildlife apart from just a few birds, it was nonetheless a surprising morning on the pond for images. The Fall foliage on the mountains seemed superb with the orange morning gentle, and I couldn’t have requested for higher situations. I talked with just a few of the opposite photographers that morning whereas we waited, and I used to be shocked to listen to a lot of them had been on the pond each morning for over per week, hoping to catch a moose however had been unsuccessful. Whereas I’m not an skilled on the motion and behavioral patterns of the North American Moose, I had heard that the present drought we’re in, blended with increased temps and winds, was to not their liking on the Pond.

After just a few hours of ready, I packed up my gear and walked again to camp. On my stroll, I figured that since I hadn’t seen a Moose that morning, I would as nicely spend the remainder of the AM doing one thing I loved to get one thing out of the journey. That’s after I very spontaneously determined to hike as much as Chimney Pond.

Chimney Pond Path in Baxter State Park

After altering, I hit the path head for the 6.6-mile round-trip hike with roughly 1500 toes of elevation acquire. Whereas I don’t take into account this hike to be very onerous, it’s onerous in your toes and ankles. By the point I acquired again to the automobile, I used to be glad to be finished, as my toes have been killing me, however let that be a lesson to myself to not put on tainers on a rocky path like this (I’m additionally out of mountain climbing form). The path to the Pond is nicely maintained however even on a Tuesday morning was very talked-about as many individuals had aspirations to climb Katahdin that day.

After a bit over an hour of mountain climbing, I had made it to Chimney Pond, the place the temperature dropped from a pleasing 65 levels to a windy and chilly 35 levels on the pond. Chimney Pond, at about 2,914 toes elevation, is a traditional tarn—a small, round lake occupying the ground of the South Basin cirque on Mount Katahdin’s east facet. It fashioned via glacial processes following the retreat of the Laurentide continental ice sheet throughout the Pleistocene’s Wisconsin stage. Alpine valley glaciers eroded the underlying Devonian granite pluton, carving U-shaped valleys and steep cirque partitions, whereas a small terminal moraine dammed the basin to impound water from surrounding slopes. This moraine, composed largely of contemporary granitic particles, possible dates to a post-Presumpscot readvance (after 13,000 years in the past), although radiocarbon dates from pond sediments recommend deglaciation occurred at the very least 9,000–11,000 years in the past, with potential delays from sediment flushing. Surrounding options just like the Knife Edge arête spotlight ongoing frost and mass-wasting motion shaping the panorama.

After throwing on my hoodie and snapping just a few photos, I rotated a headed again down the mountain to my automobile after which started the lengthy drive dwelling to edit the entire photos you will have seen on this very article. I hope you loved this small piece and would possibly now be impressed to go to Baxter State Park if you happen to dwell within the space.

Patrik Orcutt

Patrik is a contract photographer who has been fortunate sufficient to see a number of the world and doc his travels together with his digital camera. He has labored for the U.S. authorities as a Public Affairs Officer documenting Multi-Nationwide Particular Forces Coaching across the World. He’s at present engaged on changing into a Blackhawk Pilot for the Military whereas being an avid gear junky and out of doors fanatic.