Wayne
New member
My friend Steve (Little Brown Mushroom) is a better writer than I. Here's his write up:
I suppose all my ADK friends have wondered what has become of me these days The last two months have been spent doing Vermont and Maine Peaks. Maine has been a pleasant surprise. Trails are well maintained and I have the 14 peaks down to 4 hiking days at least until winter.
Trying to get all three 4000 foot peaks in Baxter State Park was a challenge. My hiking partner Waynald had been there several times before. He usually studies up on places anyhow but by looking at the weather and the distances between parking we felt we were able to come up with a way to do it.
Barre, VT to Millinocket is about 6 hours plus. I know that many of you travel farther to hike but I've been blessed to keep most commutes no longer that 3.5 to 4 hours to either Sewards or Caribou Valley up until now. This was a lot more riding time than I'm used to.
We had gotten a room in Millinocket and got breakfast in town at 5am to try to hit the gate at Baxter as close to the opening at 6am as possible. After the gate the road splits left and right. Left side being places like Abol Slide and Hunt Trails for accessing The Katahdin Massif as well as the Brothers, Fort and Coe etc. The right side allows access to Roaring Brook, Chimney Pond and all the trails on that side of the park. Parking is by reservation and then it is opened up after 7am on a first come first serve basis.
What the ranger told us on the way out is that if you stay in the park you have until 7am to move from one side to the other before they restrict the parking.
So we went left to the Marston TH for North Brother. We stopped at the Abol ranger station and asked about the "mandatory" start time for Abol Slide as we were told at the gate that it was 10:30 am. Ranger Dave said it was suggested for 11am but that was "suggested" only. Hmmm. Wayne told the guy we were strong hikers but Im sure that sounds pretty lame to these guys. The rangers at Baxter have a reputation for being difficult but they seemed pretty easy going.
The trip out there at 20 mph took about 45 minutes and we got started at about 7:15. The forecast for the morning was quite ugly and it was one of those days where if you where a rain coat you get wet from the inside out and if you don't you get wet from the outside in. The trails in the park are very nice and well maintained but the last stretch was not particularly well brushed and combined with it being sited on a stream bed, reminiscent of the ADK's we were soaked by the time we hit the windy summit of North Brother.
I dumped the water out of my boots and we got a bite to eat and headed down reaching the TH just after 11am. Because of the forecast we had both brought complete changes of clothing which we changed into as everything was totally wet. The drive over to Abol Camping Area and Trail took more time and we got started up the trail about Noon.
Abol slide trail is under reconstruction and there was a crew putting rock staircases in. The bottom of the slide trail is real nice the top is more boulder hopping. I hit the wall about then. Wayne has hiked enough with me to know I don't slow down or stop in most cases but I had to stop and get some food and catch my breath and composure. I did not tell Wayne but I usually get a sandwich in the morning on the way to the hike and we had gotten going so early that I neglected to take care of that important need. I also was short water.
We met a lot of hikers on the way down with tales of high winds and low viz. The forecast was for clearing in the afternoon and as we crested on to the flat plateau above the slide, the fog was beginning to be pushed around. We took the connector over to the trail that descends to saddle and the table lands, we stopped again for food and water and then climbed up to Hamlin. Wayne tried to prepare me for what he described as a "disappointing" summit but I found it quite stunning. We back tracked and at that point I ran out of water. It was good for me though as was able to focus on just being and doing and we managed to make good time up to the top of Baxter. By this time the views had totally cleared out and the winds had died, it was great.
I sucked up the descent without water and did not stop to filter water at Thoreau Spring as I did not want to slow us down time wise. Apparently they have a time that you have to be out the gate as well or you get fined and that was on my mind. We got back to the Ranger Station at about 6:30. When I told Wayne about the water I got a admonition, but what the hell crazy brother pain contests are just that.
We headed back out to the gate. The ranger asked what we had done that day and then exclaimed "you two are nuts" and then Wayne told him we'd be back. I would prefer to think we are just misunderstood.
I guess Savoir Faire is still everywhere.
Steve B
I suppose all my ADK friends have wondered what has become of me these days The last two months have been spent doing Vermont and Maine Peaks. Maine has been a pleasant surprise. Trails are well maintained and I have the 14 peaks down to 4 hiking days at least until winter.
Trying to get all three 4000 foot peaks in Baxter State Park was a challenge. My hiking partner Waynald had been there several times before. He usually studies up on places anyhow but by looking at the weather and the distances between parking we felt we were able to come up with a way to do it.
Barre, VT to Millinocket is about 6 hours plus. I know that many of you travel farther to hike but I've been blessed to keep most commutes no longer that 3.5 to 4 hours to either Sewards or Caribou Valley up until now. This was a lot more riding time than I'm used to.
We had gotten a room in Millinocket and got breakfast in town at 5am to try to hit the gate at Baxter as close to the opening at 6am as possible. After the gate the road splits left and right. Left side being places like Abol Slide and Hunt Trails for accessing The Katahdin Massif as well as the Brothers, Fort and Coe etc. The right side allows access to Roaring Brook, Chimney Pond and all the trails on that side of the park. Parking is by reservation and then it is opened up after 7am on a first come first serve basis.
What the ranger told us on the way out is that if you stay in the park you have until 7am to move from one side to the other before they restrict the parking.
So we went left to the Marston TH for North Brother. We stopped at the Abol ranger station and asked about the "mandatory" start time for Abol Slide as we were told at the gate that it was 10:30 am. Ranger Dave said it was suggested for 11am but that was "suggested" only. Hmmm. Wayne told the guy we were strong hikers but Im sure that sounds pretty lame to these guys. The rangers at Baxter have a reputation for being difficult but they seemed pretty easy going.
The trip out there at 20 mph took about 45 minutes and we got started at about 7:15. The forecast for the morning was quite ugly and it was one of those days where if you where a rain coat you get wet from the inside out and if you don't you get wet from the outside in. The trails in the park are very nice and well maintained but the last stretch was not particularly well brushed and combined with it being sited on a stream bed, reminiscent of the ADK's we were soaked by the time we hit the windy summit of North Brother.
I dumped the water out of my boots and we got a bite to eat and headed down reaching the TH just after 11am. Because of the forecast we had both brought complete changes of clothing which we changed into as everything was totally wet. The drive over to Abol Camping Area and Trail took more time and we got started up the trail about Noon.
Abol slide trail is under reconstruction and there was a crew putting rock staircases in. The bottom of the slide trail is real nice the top is more boulder hopping. I hit the wall about then. Wayne has hiked enough with me to know I don't slow down or stop in most cases but I had to stop and get some food and catch my breath and composure. I did not tell Wayne but I usually get a sandwich in the morning on the way to the hike and we had gotten going so early that I neglected to take care of that important need. I also was short water.
We met a lot of hikers on the way down with tales of high winds and low viz. The forecast was for clearing in the afternoon and as we crested on to the flat plateau above the slide, the fog was beginning to be pushed around. We took the connector over to the trail that descends to saddle and the table lands, we stopped again for food and water and then climbed up to Hamlin. Wayne tried to prepare me for what he described as a "disappointing" summit but I found it quite stunning. We back tracked and at that point I ran out of water. It was good for me though as was able to focus on just being and doing and we managed to make good time up to the top of Baxter. By this time the views had totally cleared out and the winds had died, it was great.
I sucked up the descent without water and did not stop to filter water at Thoreau Spring as I did not want to slow us down time wise. Apparently they have a time that you have to be out the gate as well or you get fined and that was on my mind. We got back to the Ranger Station at about 6:30. When I told Wayne about the water I got a admonition, but what the hell crazy brother pain contests are just that.
We headed back out to the gate. The ranger asked what we had done that day and then exclaimed "you two are nuts" and then Wayne told him we'd be back. I would prefer to think we are just misunderstood.
I guess Savoir Faire is still everywhere.
Steve B
