What it’s like to hike Maine’s scariest trail

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 31, 2024

The jagged backbone of a stone giant, Knife Edge stretched before us. On both sides of this narrow ridge, the earth fell away, a near vertical drop of more than 1,000 feet. It occurred to me just how ridiculous it was to hike across it. But what’s life without a dash of absurdity? So I took one careful step, and then another. The mile-long ridge of sharp granite bridges two peaks atop Maine’s tallest mountain, Katahdin. Some call it the scariest hike in Maine, others claim it’s the most dangerous. It’s all a matter of perspective. Katahdin is located in Baxter State Park, which recorded its first death in 1933. Since that time, the park has seen more than 60 deaths. I don’t wish to scare anyone away from this trail, but I want to acknowledge the risks.