We wanted to come back in 79 but March was too warm that year so we spent a great week in the Gunks instead. Winter 80 found us back once again with a slightly different crew. Joining Dave and I this time was Mark Chauvin, Ollie Wallock, and Tim Gotwells & George from Plymouth. This time I was pretty focused on filling in some gaps on the main face. Dave and I quickly took a spin up Black Gully between the Armadillo and the Flat Iron. When the rain came again, we had enough black memories to be a wee bit pessimistic, but Katahdin threw us a curve. After one day of rain, cold clear temps arrived for breakfast and we raced out of the cabin to have at it. Mark and I ended up doing the obvious line direct to the cairn at the top of Baxter Peak. He did a great job on the thin ice of the crux. Not hard climbing, but hard to protect. Tim and George did a nice route over to the right that same day. Dave and I finished the trip off with a quick trip up Waterfall. Best to rap from the top of the ice ... its a long slog to the South Peak from there.
DAVE WALTERS AND MARK CHAUVIN WITH A PARK RANGER AT ROARING BROOK ON THE WAY TO CHIMNEY POND AT KATAHDIN, MAINE
THE NORTHEAST FACE OF BAXTER PEAK FROM BASIN PONDS AT KATAHDIN IN BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE
DAVE WALTERS CLIMBING IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF BLACK GULLY AT KATAHDIN,BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE
DAVE IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF BLACK GULLY, KATAHDIN, ME
DAVE CLIMBING A VARIATION FINISH TO BLACK GULLY, KATAHDIN, ME
TELEPHOTO OF THE DIRECT EAST FACE ROUTE, SOUTH BASIN, BAXTER PEAK, KATAHDIN, ME
MARK CHAUVIN APPROACHING THE BIG NORTHEAST FACE OF BAXTER PEAK KATAHDIN, ME
MARK CHAUVIN CLIMBING EAST FACE SNOWFIELDS ON THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE 'CHAUVIN-COLE' ROUTE, KATAHDIN, BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE
MARK CHAUVIN AT THE BASE OF THE HEADWALL ON THE DIRECT EAST FACE ROUTE AT KATAHDIN, BAXTER STATE PARK, ME
MARK CHAUVIN LEADING THE CRUX PITCH ON THE FA OF THE 'CHAUVIN-COLE' ROUTE, KATAHDIN, BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE
MARK BELAYING AFTER THE CRUX ON THE FA OF THE DIRECT EAST FACE AT KATAHDIN IN BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE
MARK STARTING PITCH 3 ON THE 'CHAUVIN-COLE' ROUTE, KATAHDIN, ME
MARK CLIMBING IN THE UPPER COULOIR ON THE FA OF THE DIRECT EAST FACE AT KATAHDIN, BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE
MARK AT THE TOP OF THE DIRECT EAST FACE OF BAXTER PEAK, KATAHDIN, BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE
MARK LOOKING BACK AS WE START THE DESCENT
LATE AFTERNOON LIGHT ON THE TOPS OF PAMOLA AND CHIMNEY PEAKS AT KATAHDIN, BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE
OPEN WATER AT CHIMNEY POUND, KATAHDIN, ME
DAVE WALTERS LEADING THE 2ND PITCH OF WATERFALL GULLY - NEI 4, CHIMNEY PEAK, KATAHDIN, MAINE
DAVE AT THE TOP OF THE CRUX PITCH, OF WATERFALL GULLY - NEI 4, CHIMNEY PEAK, KATAHDIN, BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE
DAVE ON THE SUMMIT RIDGE AFTER THE LONG SLOG UP THE LOW ANGLE GULLY, KATAHDIN, ME