A view of Katahdin from the Katahdin Loop Road in August 2021. (Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer)
A California thru-hiker died last week just hours after reaching the northern end of the Appalachian Trail on Katahdin, according to a news release.
Kevin Adam, director of Baxter State Park, said Monday that another hiker called 911 at 1:15 p.m. on Sept. 14 to report a man lying on the Hunt Trail near York Valley, experiencing difficulty talking, unable to move and showing signs of a leg injury. Adam said the victim has been tentatively identified as Bert Peter Goris, 64, of Colton, California.
The weather conditions that day were severe, with periodic rain, wind gusts over 35 miles per hour and wind chill temperatures near 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
The hiker wrapped Goris in a sleeping bag, emergency blanket, tarp and tent. Because of the risk of hypothermia, the initial caller had to continue down the trail at 2 p.m., according to the release. A second person called 911 at 2:35 p.m. and wrapped Goris in another sleeping bag before the conditions forced them to continue walking, Adam said.
Baxter State Park deployed rescuers from the Abol and Chimney Pond campgrounds. The Maine Army National Guard in Bangor launched an air evacuation mission and landed a helicopter near York Valley at 4:40 p.m. Crew members and park rangers secured Goris on a stretcher and airlifted him to the Millinocket Airport, where an ambulance crew determined that he had died.
An investigation found that Goris entered the park on foot at the Abol Kiosk on Sept. 13, Adam said. He registered as a northbound thru-hiker at the Katahdin Stream Campground and stayed overnight at The Birches Campground. He signed the Hunt Trail register at 7:40 a.m. Monday, indicating that he planned a solo hike to the summit and then a descent on the Abol Trail.
“Witness interviews confirm Mr. Goris reached the summit,” Adam said in a news release.
As Goris descended, a passing hiker gave him directions to the Abol Trail and also spoke to him about putting additional clothing over his wet shorts and long-sleeved shirt, the release said.
“The hiker had to leave because of the weather conditions,” Adam said. “Shortly after this, the first emergency calls were placed.”
In June 2025, a father and daughter from New York died on the mountain during dangerous conditions, including wind chills below freezing.
Officials remind all visitors that weather conditions can deteriorate rapidly on the Katahdin Tablelands, and said hikers must make sure they have winter clothing, gear, emergency shelter, food and water before attempting to reach the summit.
The official identification and cause of death are pending confirmation of the Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.