Trip Planning/Suggestions for Mount Katahdin

We're planning a 3 day trip this early summer to finally tackle Mount Katahdin (after finishing our WM48 this past summer) and, honestly, I find many of the maps and guides confusing WRT which campground and trail combinations are best.

We'll be driving up, so we'll have to put a car somewhere, and we're planning 3 days / 2 nights camping (Day 1: drive up | Day 2: Hike the mountain all day | Day 3: drive home).

Should we plan TWO days to be on the mountain?

We don't care whether it's backcountry camping or sites near the road -- possibly Katahdin Stream or Abol and possibly Chimney Pond for one night?

Anyone that's done it, that can share their trip strategy, I'd much appreciate the guidance. Finally, I'm curious to know the best trails for views/experience too.

JW

I would hate to climb Katahdin in poor weather, not for the difficulty but because I would not want to miss the views.

Both times my wife and I have gone we scheduled 3 days for Katahdin, with supplementary hikes on the other days. On our first trip we postponed climbing Katahdin until the 3rd day. Both times we camped at Roaring Brook, ascended via the Helon Taylor trail, and went over to Hamlin. Baxter is one of our favorite camping spots.

DeLorme has a nice map of Baxter. Most would recommend not taking overnight gear up Katahdin, so using Roaring Brook, Chimney Pond, Abol, Katahdin Stream as a base camp and making the summit attempt as a day hike would be recommended.

If you have extra time, try to catch the Traveler loop from South Branch Pond. It is a long way around from the South part of the park, but if you have the time, the Traveler lop is a wonderful experience.

Book a four day minimum trip. Two days for Katahdin plus drive out and back. Go to BSP website and book sites ASAP. Anytime after July 31st through mid September is prime. Weekends are real popular and the park will be full. There is a parking pass system for day hikers who want to climb Katahdin, basically ithe three trailheads are Roaring Brook, Katahdin Stream and Abol, once you pick a campground decide what trails you take up to the summit. There is a way around this issue if you are camping in the park but it entails getting up around 4 AM.

When you get there pick the best forecast and do Katadin that day. Plenty of other hikes for the other day, just dont wear yourself out on a side hike as Katahdin is a long day. Chimney Pond is great but it requires a backpack in, there is cut off time to head up there so you may need to get there early otherwise backpacking up to Chimney and then hiking to up Katahdin is long day. If you are first timer I would suggest the KSC or Abol for three 3 nights. The park is highly regulated, follow the rules and have a great time, dont understand or follow the rules and you will not have a good time as you wont be in the park very long. Abol and KSC are more family oriented campground while Roaring Brook is somewhat more quiet. CHimney Pond is the ultimate spot in the park but most folks line up in January to get a spot, otherweis its the lukc of the lottery and there are tricks that those familiar with the reservation system know that makes it weighed against you.

The trails are long and rugged, but ten year olds hike them. Its tough to recomend the best hike as many on VFTT are "connoiseurs" and all have their favorites. Hit a good day and all the summit trails are great

The AT (Hunt) trail is great but it requires some bouldering (pulling oneself up over boulders), Abol is one long steep slide. If you hit good weather you will be blown away with the views and terrain, quite unlike the whites. The Chimney Pond trail from Roaring Brook to Chimney Pond and then up to the summit via Cathedral and then down via the Knifes Edge and then Helon Taylor back to Roaring Brook is the one of the two most spectacular day hikes, its a long day, if you dont mind extra hour or two subsitute in Hamlin Ridge Trail in place of Cathedral. Realistically for a first timer, its real hard to pick a bad trail (although the Saddle is best used for a bad weather escape. THe knifes edge is not for someone with a fear of heights and there is at least one borderline technical spot. In other places you have to hug a vertical wall with a several hundred foot drop, plenty of footholds and handhold but its unnerving to some. Dont even consider it on less than a perfect day.

The brothers or doubletop are good picks for the other day.

One hint, plan to hike early preferably at or around sunrise, the summits can cloud in in the afternoon and you do not want to be up on the plateau in a thunderstorm.

Having done the 48 you'll probably be thinking of getting the NE67 and eventually the 100 highest. If that's a possibility, I'd plan on doing Hamlin and Baxter one day and Fort the Brothers and Coe another day. Both are great hikes and has been mentioned you can do a loop that will take in the Knife's Edge, Baxter and Hamlin.

Ed'n Lauky said:

Having done the 48 you'll probably be thinking of getting the NE67 and eventually the 100 highest. If that's a possibility, I'd plan on doing Hamlin and Baxter one day and Fort the Brothers and Coe another day. Both are great hikes and has been mentioned you can do a loop that will take in the Knife's Edge, Baxter and Hamlin.

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I plan to do this in September...

Tim

I highly recommend planning for two full days in BSP. Give yourself a better chance for good weather for Katahdin and there are lots of other hikes and paddles to do.