BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 1, 2025
Battered by the wind and soaked by the rain, she thought the end had come for her atop Katahdin. But Beata Kosc, 47, of New York survived a miserable night on the Knife Edge with her hiking partner, 32-year-old Courtney Doyon of Maine, and a man and boy turned back from the summit by Pamola’s fury.Her ordeal atop Maine’s highest peak came just weeks after Tim Keiderling and his daughter, Esther Keiderling, died during a May 31 trek up the mountain. They spent the night fighting strong winds and chilly rain, holding onto the rocks to avoid falling. Finally, after daybreak on July 25, rescuers reached the group, bringing food, warm fluids and clothes, as well as a tent for Kosc to shelter in. Despite the humbling experience, Kosc told the Globe she is determined to hike Katahdin again. “This mountain taught me to be prepared for the unknown,” Kosc told the newspaper “It reminded me how strong I am.”