Falmouth Enterprise, Tuesday, October 30, 1962, Page 9

Susan Goes Hiking Above the Timberline

Susan H. Pierce, a senior at Bourne, is the envy of all her fellow students because she climbed Mount Katahdin in Millinocket, Maine.

Susan and three friends began their climb at 7 in the morning. Each took a knapsack and canteens of water. It was a five mile climb to the top of the treacherous, towering mass of rock.

For the first mile the climb was easily made, but after reaching the timberline, wearied by "the long ascent, the nimble adventurers were almost ready to end their journey.

Iron rails were hooked to the sheer rock to aid the tourists. The wind made proper balance almost impossible; one slip would have meant disaster.

On the way up the group took pictures when it was possible to do so. One of the most interesting sights, according to Susan, was a beautiful waterfall located about two miles beyond the timberline Susan and her friends could fill their canteens with the cool, fresh water dropped by the falls into a natural reservoir carved into the mountains by the flow of water many centuries ago.

They reached the summit at 2:30, ate their lunch and rested for an hour.

It was easy to see the surrounding area from this elevated position since the sky was clear. Susan could see ponds and rivers at least ten miles in each direction.

"It looked," she said, "as though someone had dropped a mirror and its pieces scattered in all directions."

Before descending, the group wrote their names in a book on top of the mountain to prove their adventure. The trip back down seemed longer and rougher.

Although It was a wonderful experience, Susan vows she will never attempt to climb a mountain again.