O-J-I facts for kids

Mount OJI, also known as O-J-I, is a mountain found in Baxter State Park in Maine, USA. It stands tall at 3,419 feet (1,042 meters) above sea level. This mountain is special because of its name. It was named after a rock face that used to look like the letters O-J-I.

Sadly, a big storm called the Great New England Hurricane of 1938 mostly destroyed these rock letters. Mount OJI is the last in a line of peaks connected to Mount Katahdin, stretching west from that famous mountain.

The Story Behind the Name

Before the 1938 hurricane, landslides on Mount OJI created shapes that clearly spelled out "OJI". These natural letters were a unique feature of the mountain. After the hurricane, the landslides changed. The shapes became less clear and harder to recognize.

Exploring the Klondike

On the "back side" of Mount OJI, there is a large, quiet area called the Klondike. This area is mostly covered in spruce trees and is not often visited. The Klondike is about 2,900 feet high. It is shaped like a triangle, with Mount OJI at its southwestern corner.

Trees and Plants of Mount OJI

Mount OJI is home to many different kinds of trees and plants. The main trees are evergreens, which stay green all year. These include:

• White pine
• Red pine
• Balsam fir
• Red spruce
• Jack pine
• American yew

You can also find trees that lose their leaves in the fall. These are called deciduous trees:

• Sugar maple
• Red maple
• Moose maple (which has striped bark)
• Paper birch
• Yellow birch
• Beech
• Aspen
• Bayberry
• Mountain-ash
• Black ash

Smaller plants and flowers also grow here. Some unique plants, like Diapensia, are found in these mountains. You might also see:

• Sedges
• Rhodora
• Tiny willows
• Cornus canadensis
• Canadian lily
• Trillium

Amazing Wildlife

Mount OJI is a great place for animals to live. Many different creatures call this mountain home.

Mammals

You might spot some of these mammals:

• Deer
• Moose
• Bear
• Lynx
• Bobcat
• Raccoon
• Fishers
• Porcupine

Fish

The streams and waters around Mount OJI are home to:

• Brook trout
• Salmon

Birds

Many types of birds fly through the skies and nest in the trees:

• Gulls
• Herons
• Bitterns
• Terns
• Horned and barred owls
• Bald eagles
• Red-tailed hawks
• Cooper's hawks
• Hawk owls
• Grouse
• Partridge
• Loons
• Various songbirds, like the Bicknell's thrush