Mount Cardigan;

Topo map of Cardigan...

Map of Cardigan & Lakes Region...

First contact - November 1991

A late autumn hike was our first encounter with the Holt Trail.   The PhDs, accompanied by a young work colleague guest, Felix, traveled to the mountain after the foliage was off the trees.  
The weather was clear, the temp was in the mid 30s at the trailhead when we arrived.   The base features an AMC sponsored house (a large old bunk house, not a Hut), but it was inactive, being too late in the season.

The trail leading from the base was wide and uneventful for the 1st half mile.   After that, the trail began a slight climb. There were still bridges over waterways, and cultured paths.
We reached a point where the trail split; into the easy and the hard parts. We were guided only by descriptions in the AMC book. The indication was that the Holt Trail was "hard".
As the path continued, we encountered increasingly difficult challenges in the trail.  
The first was a rock chute up a substantial incline. This was our first indication that the trail offered more challenges that we anticipated.

The trail continued with increasing difficulty. Finally, we broke into the rock faces of the false timberline.   With thr summit tower in sight, we encountered the most substantial climb of any hike we had ever done.  The rock faces became impossibly steep for a short stretch. It was a pivotal point in the event.
Tom was the first up the face. The steepness was unprecedented but we were helped by outcroppings of adjacent rocks.  The challenge proved extremely difficult for Felix, whose trail equipment was far below par. With duct tape on his sneakers, we pulled him to safety up the precipitous climb.

Once over the steep portions, the rounded summit was relatively easy. We continued to the summit, dominated by an active ranger tower.   The summit was calm, but cold; in the 20s. While on the summit, we encountered a fairly large senior citizen group, hiking the same summit route, but avoiding the difficult Holt Trail.
We left the summit, continued east across glacier scarred rocks, to the more gentle rock faces of Firescrew, the nearby peak.   The trail across this more gentle peak was uneventful; we collected some mineral specimens, & began the long loop back to the base trail.
Once down, we rejoiced in the accomplishment, and proceeded on home; knowing we had encountered the most difficult (if short) hike in all our travels.

 

2nd encounter; PhD + family hike

In the early fall of 92, we planned another attempt on the Holt trail, this time with family members.   Feeling like veterans, we brought rope along for the assault on the steep part. 3 PhDs, each with an offsping, set out on the somewhat familiar trail, not revealing the threat & challenge to the novices.   the foliage was near peak on this event & the color of the hardwoods from the lower elevations was quite pretty.
We suffered the long climb to the steep slopes, employed the ropes, and achieved the summit, & a great view to the east, including the Lakes.
Because it was still in season, the ranger tower was manned, & we were privileged to a visit into the tower. My not quite candid shot of the ranger remains as a picture of stalwart seriousness.   This time, we took an alternative route back; down the exposed rocks west of the summit, and through a simple wooded trail back to the base.