After a treacherous night on Mount Katahdin, injured hiker recalls story of survival
Rising just shy of a mile above sea level, Katahdin means the 'greatest mountain' in the Penobscot language.
The crown jewel of Baxter State Park, Maine's highest peak draws
tens of thousands to the northern wilderness each year. But even the friendlier trails carry risks. And the peak's
Friends Courtney Doyon, left, and Beata Kosc, right, smiled and posed for a photo on the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine on Thursday.
Beata Kosc
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During the pandemic, Kosc took to the mountains, finding solace and community in nature.
Last year, she set out to hike the entire Appalachian Trail,
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Last week, she prepared for the difficult climb with her friend, Courtney Doyon, 32 — researching the weather conditions, trailheads, and the mountain's history.
A deeply spiritual person, she was fascinated by the legend of Paloma, the protector of Katahdin. A graduate student of clinical psychology at Columbia University, she meditates and believes in higher powers.
The spirit of Paloma resided on the mountain, the Penobscot Indians believed, and fiercely defended it, unleashing brutal cold and storms on those who dared to make the climb.
At 7 a.m., Kosc and Doyon began their climb under a warm sun and clear sky. In their backpacks, they carried windbreakers, rain jackets, flashlights, an aluminum foil blanket, water, and more. At the last minute, Kosc chose to leave a thermal base layer hoodie behind, a decision she would come to regret.
They reached the 5,269-foot summit with relative ease, taking in the endless green trees over lunch.
Mount Katahdin in Maine.
Beata Kosc
They took off on the treacherous Knife Edge trail around 4 p.m. But as the wind picked up, Kosc lost her footing, awakening an old injury to her knee. The throbbing pain slowed her down, and as the sun set, she decided they should take shelter by two stony ledges.
As the night stretched on, the weather took a dangerous turn. When two headlights approached around 10 p.m., the friends thought they were hallucinating. But it was a man with his son, about 13, who pushed forward despite the women's protests.
Concerned for the boy's well-being, they decided to call authorities for help. Within the hour, the two hikers had returned to hunker down with Kosc and Doyon, unable to continue after all.
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By 2 a.m., the situation had become dire. Drenched from the whipping rain, they wrapped their arms around the slippery rocks to keep from tumbling over the edge.
Over the phone, a park ranger advised the group to make their way to the tree line. But Kosc was lightheaded and overwhelmed by the pain that now seized her entire left leg. They decided to stay in place, trying to share a small thermal blanket as the temperature plummeted.
Daylight, and rescue, seemed far away. It felt like a punishment from above, Kosc thought.
'The spirit of Paloma humbles the hikers by the extreme weather changes. ... I'm feeling there is a great chance I will die,' Kosc recalled. 'In that time of desperation, I was really trying to surrender to God's will, and I did.'
When dawn arrived, heavy fog obscured their view and delayed their rescuers.
But by late morning on Friday, search and rescue volunteers and park rangers reached the group, providing them with dry layers and hot liquids. Some of the team escorted Doyon, and the father and son, down the mountain. Others stayed with Kosc until the sky opened up around 6 p.m., allowing a
Injured hiker Beata Kosc with members of the rescue team on the Knife Edge trail of Mount Katahdin in Maine on Friday.
Beata Kosc
Kosc cried at the sight. As she was lifted up, the view of the mountain took her breath away. The day before the hike, Kosc and Doyon flew over Katahdin in a plane.
Everything looked much bigger now.
At the hospital, she was treated for bruising and inflammation in her knee. But she is otherwise faring well. Viewing the experience as a blessing, she is determined to climb Katahdin again.
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'This mountain taught me to be prepared for the unknown,' Kosc said. 'It reminded me how strong I am.'
She remains filled with gratitude for her 'trail angels' who made their way in the poor weather for hours to reach her, then stayed by her side for just as long.
'It was truly just unconditional love, so much compassion,' Kosc said. 'I'm very thankful for every single person who came forward to help us. Because I know I am here today because people chose to be in service to others.'
Shannon Larson can be reached at
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After a treacherous night on Mount Katahdin, injured hiker recalls story of survival
'It was so difficult to stay put,' she said. 'I'm incredibly grateful that I listened to my heart.' Rising just shy of a mile above sea level, Katahdin means the 'greatest mountain' in the Penobscot language. The crown jewel of Baxter State Park, Maine's highest peak draws tens of thousands to the northern wilderness each year. But even the friendlier trails carry risks. And the peak's Friends Courtney Doyon, left, and Beata Kosc, right, smiled and posed for a photo on the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine on Thursday. Beata Kosc Advertisement During the pandemic, Kosc took to the mountains, finding solace and community in nature. Last year, she set out to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, Advertisement Last week, she prepared for the difficult climb with her friend, Courtney Doyon, 32 — researching the weather conditions, trailheads, and the mountain's history. A deeply spiritual person, she was fascinated by the legend of Paloma, the protector of Katahdin. A graduate student of clinical psychology at Columbia University, she meditates and believes in higher powers. The spirit of Paloma resided on the mountain, the Penobscot Indians believed, and fiercely defended it, unleashing brutal cold and storms on those who dared to make the climb. At 7 a.m., Kosc and Doyon began their climb under a warm sun and clear sky. In their backpacks, they carried windbreakers, rain jackets, flashlights, an aluminum foil blanket, water, and more. At the last minute, Kosc chose to leave a thermal base layer hoodie behind, a decision she would come to regret. They reached the 5,269-foot summit with relative ease, taking in the endless green trees over lunch. Mount Katahdin in Maine. Beata Kosc They took off on the treacherous Knife Edge trail around 4 p.m. But as the wind picked up, Kosc lost her footing, awakening an old injury to her knee. The throbbing pain slowed her down, and as the sun set, she decided they should take shelter by two stony ledges. As the night stretched on, the weather took a dangerous turn. When two headlights approached around 10 p.m., the friends thought they were hallucinating. But it was a man with his son, about 13, who pushed forward despite the women's protests. Concerned for the boy's well-being, they decided to call authorities for help. Within the hour, the two hikers had returned to hunker down with Kosc and Doyon, unable to continue after all. Advertisement By 2 a.m., the situation had become dire. Drenched from the whipping rain, they wrapped their arms around the slippery rocks to keep from tumbling over the edge. Over the phone, a park ranger advised the group to make their way to the tree line. But Kosc was lightheaded and overwhelmed by the pain that now seized her entire left leg. They decided to stay in place, trying to share a small thermal blanket as the temperature plummeted. Daylight, and rescue, seemed far away. It felt like a punishment from above, Kosc thought. 'The spirit of Paloma humbles the hikers by the extreme weather changes. ... I'm feeling there is a great chance I will die,' Kosc recalled. 'In that time of desperation, I was really trying to surrender to God's will, and I did.' When dawn arrived, heavy fog obscured their view and delayed their rescuers. But by late morning on Friday, search and rescue volunteers and park rangers reached the group, providing them with dry layers and hot liquids. Some of the team escorted Doyon, and the father and son, down the mountain. Others stayed with Kosc until the sky opened up around 6 p.m., allowing a Injured hiker Beata Kosc with members of the rescue team on the Knife Edge trail of Mount Katahdin in Maine on Friday. Beata Kosc Kosc cried at the sight. As she was lifted up, the view of the mountain took her breath away. The day before the hike, Kosc and Doyon flew over Katahdin in a plane. Everything looked much bigger now. At the hospital, she was treated for bruising and inflammation in her knee. But she is otherwise faring well. Viewing the experience as a blessing, she is determined to climb Katahdin again. Advertisement 'This mountain taught me to be prepared for the unknown,' Kosc said. 'It reminded me how strong I am.' She remains filled with gratitude for her 'trail angels' who made their way in the poor weather for hours to reach her, then stayed by her side for just as long. 'It was truly just unconditional love, so much compassion,' Kosc said. 'I'm very thankful for every single person who came forward to help us. Because I know I am here today because people chose to be in service to others.' Shannon Larson can be reached at
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