PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 11, 2025
Baxter State Park is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the individual or individuals who carved initials into the sign at the summit of Mount Katahdin. Park officials reported the “act of vandalism” in a social media post Thursday. The letters “H.M.” and “J.M” were carved into the middle of the Baxter Peak sign on Katahdin, which marks the 5,268-foot summit of Baxter Peak and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. According to photos posted by summiters in a Baxter State Park Facebook group, the initials were carved into the sign on or before Aug. 28.