Four hikers who spent Thursday night stranded on Katahdin’s Knife Edge have been rescued from the mountain in Baxter State Park.
On Thursday night, two separate hiking parties became stranded on the trail, which traverses a narrow ridge near the summit with steep drop-offs on either side.
One party included Courtney Doyon, 32, of South Portland and Beata Kosc, 47, of New York, who suffered a knee injury. The other group comprised a man and a juvenile, whose information Baxter State Park Director Kevin Adam did not immediately have available.
Rangers were able to communicate with the hikers through the night by texting and advised them to shelter in place, Adam said.
In the morning, rangers climbed the mountain from Chimney Pond Campground and Roaring Brook Campground, reached the group and assessed their medical condition, including setting up a tent in which to treat Kosc. The rangers also delivered food, drinks and warm clothes.
A Maine Forest Service helicopter tried to reach the group to airlift Kosc but was prevented by cloud cover hovering over the mountain top, Adam said. After several tries it abandoned its attempts.
Early Friday afternoon, rangers escorted the three uninjured hikers down the mountain. More Rangers and search and rescue volunteers went up Helon Taylor Trail in case a helicopter was again prevented from reaching Kosc.
At 5:45 p.m., a Maine Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter and crew out of Bangor was able to lift Kosc in a basket hoist. The helicopter landed in Millinocket where it was met by an ambulance.