Who Vandalized Katahdin's Iconic Sign? Rangers Search for Hikers Who Carved Initials Into Terminus.

Baxter State Park officials are asking for the public's help identifying the person or people who defaced the sign at the Appalachian Trail's northern terminus.

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Katahdin sign in the rain (Photo: jdwfoto via Getty)

Baxter State Park officials are trying to figure out who vandalized the well-known sign at the Appalachian Trail’s northern terminus on Mount Katahdin’s summit, the park said in a social media post on September 11.

According to the park, a visitor or visitors to the summit carved “H.M.” and “J.M.” into the sign, which sits on top of the peak at 5,268 feet of elevation.

“We are requesting any information you may have concerning this incident,” the park wrote. “Did you witness the act? Have you observed any social media posts from the individual(s) responsible, or heard any other discussions related to this? Are you the individual(s) who did this carving? We encourage you to contact us and appreciate any assistance.” The park asked anyone with information on the defacement to call Baxter’s office at 207-723-5140.

While park officials didn’t say when the vandalism occurred, The Trek estimated that the damage had appeared sometime in late August, based on the condition of the sign in recent social media photos.

Originally erected in 1933 and replaced several times since then, the sign on top of Katahdin sits at the northern extreme of the AT and marks the end of northbound thru-hikers’ journeys; hundreds snap celebratory photos with it every year.

Hikers who break park rules within Baxter’s borders have historically faced fines in the hundreds of dollars. In one notable case, the park hit ultramarathoner and speed hiker Scott Jurek with a $500 fine for littering and illegal alcohol consumption after he opened a bottle of champagne on the summit to celebrate his successful supported fastest known time attempt on the Appalachian Trail in 2015.

Other parks have hit vandals with even steeper penalties. In 2016, Instagram graffiti artist Casey “Creepytings” Nocket received two years of probation and 200 hours of community service following a 26-day spree two years earlier that saw her tag parks across the U.S. And in 2008, two grammar vigilantes had to pay more than $3,000 and serve a year of probation after “correcting” a 60-year-old hand-painted sign at the Grand Canyon.