Cabot Cabin & Water

[Periwinkle]

I'm looking at doing Cabot this week with an overnight at the Cabot Cabin. The intended route is Bunnell Notch & Kilkenny Ridge to avoid the Mt. Cabot trail dispute. And it sounds like the Bunnell Notch trail is something the dogs will just love.

Has anyone been up there recently and know what the water situation is? The AMC guide says the last water is 1.3 miles back from the cabin. I'll take a muddy stream or use the rain barrel if necessary -- the dogs aren't fussy, and we'll be both filtering and boiling our water.

Lastly, I haven't seen any thing that says that dogs aren't allowed at the cabin. If anyone at the cabin objects, we are prepared to hike back to the TH that day -- would just prefer to be able to spend a night out if possible.

Thanks for any info.

 

[Tramper Al]

Cabot

Peri,

I have stayed at Cabot cabin, but only in winter. When we dug down to find the last (liquid) water on the route up Bunnell Notch, we found pretty mucky stuff, and ended up melting snow instead. It is likely, however, that we went too high before finally looking to load up on water.

While I respect your wish for a night out with the dogs, I wonder about your plan to hike all the way back down (after dark potentially) if a dog-objecting group arrives. It's good of you to consider this drastic action, but it puts a lot of pressure on you (and the group) to decide that you and the dogs should be put out. Besides, you want to be able to go over to the Horn in the morning, yes?

Why not carry a simple tent or tarp, and use that as your back-up shelter, if the cabin doesn't quite work out for the canines. This is a good idea anyway, dogs aside, as the cabin could in theory be full when you get there. There are plenty of nice tent sites between cabin and summit.

 

[Jim W]

When I was up there a few weeks ago, I noticed a sign pointing to a spring. It was about half way between the cabin and the summit. On the right. But, I was not thirsty so I did not investigate. Have fun.

 

[TenPeaks]

I was there a couple of years ago and also remember the sign to the spring as JimW mentioned. Like him, I did not check out the source since I was well supplied with water. There is (or was?) a rain barrel right next to the cabin that had a good supply of water in it.

As far as dogs go, TramperAl has a good suggestion about bringing a tent. Perhaps you'll luck out and have the cabin all to yourself or share it with some dog lovers. I imagine as long as the dog is friendly most people wouldn't have a problem with her.

By the way, bring plenty of bug spray! The Bunnell Notch and Unknown Pond trails are wet and bug infested. Don't miss the great views from the Horn and Unknown pond!

 

[RoySwkr]

I went to the spring last week. It is not "halfway" the turnoff is only about .1 miles before the true summit, and the sign is easy to see going from the cabin but you might miss it coming back from the summit. The trail down is really only a herd path, rough and steep for about .2 miles. The spring has a pool maybe the size of a 12" computer monitor so you can dip with most anything, not sure how fast it replenishes. In the dry weather last week, the water wasn't running down the trail like previous reports, it was standing still in it

 

[charlos]

the spring is there and is cold and tasty,
leave your packs on the trail for its a bit of a steep hike down and back maybe 10 minutes each way.

 

[LittleBear]

I don't know what Bunnell Notch Trail is like this year, but when I hiked it several years ago during one of the driest summers we have had in recent years, the mud was incredible!!! When all other trails in the Whites were very dry, this one was very wet, with amazing boot-sucking mud. In fact, at one point I was trying to figure out how to negotiate one section and thought I could step quickly with my left foot and get my right foot on a root for better footing. As soon as I shifted my weight I heard a great "schuuuppppp" sound as my left foot disappeared in the muck. Took me several minutes to extricate myself!

 

[Periwinkle]

Re: Cabot

While I respect your wish for a night out with the dogs, I wonder about your plan to hike all the way back down (after dark potentially) if a dog-objecting group arrives. It's good of you to consider this drastic action, but it puts a lot of pressure on you (and the group) to decide that you and the dogs should be put out. Besides, you want to be able to go over to the Horn in the morning, yes?

Why not carry a simple tent or tarp, and use that as your back-up shelter, if the cabin doesn't quite work out for the canines. This is a good idea anyway, dogs aside, as the cabin could in theory be full when you get there. There are plenty of nice tent sites between cabin and summit.

Carrying a tent would be the usual option, but on a shorter hike like this I'd rather skip the weight of our tent and plan on going home or bivying if the cabin is full and/or unfriendly. We are waiting on a lighter, smaller tent arriving next week for future trips. There is also the option of one of us staying outside with the dogs at the cabin if it's simply crowded.

We've yet to encounter any objections to our dogs -- they are well behaved & friendly. And at the end of a long day, they simply flop down and don't move again until breakfast. Not much of a bother. If someone were to make an issue about the boys at a group area, it's not an area I would want to remain in.

We are tossing around going out via the Horn to the Unknown Pond Trail. It depends on how well the dogs are doing in the a.m. And just how mucky Bunnell Notch is! I do have my limits!

Many thanks for the info on the spring. That's a much more appealing source that lunging an extra 4 liters of water over a mile!

 

[Tramper Al]

The loop

Peri,
I was fortunate enough to spend all of September 11th, 2001 in walking this loop - up Bunnell Notch to Cabot cabin and summit, out over Bulge and Horn, then back by Unknown Pond.
Definitely hike the full loop if you can, I sincerely doubt you will regret it.

 

[Stan]

I can understand objections to dogs within the cabin but unless they were a nuisance, why not leash them up outside? That, I would think, would be less objectionable.

 

[Periwinkle]

Al -- just wanted to let you know that after further discussion, we have decided to schlep along what I refer to as the "heinous" tent. You've got to see this fugly sucker to believe it. But, in retrospect, it's probably best, particularly where the cabin is an enclosed structure.

Stan -- The plan is to have the dogs leashed outdoors until bedtime, but that requires one of us staying with them at all times. Kind of a drag, but that's the way it usually goes. They are not "outside" dogs and don't like being out of sight of their humans. Spoiled babies!

In general, I don't worry much about the dogs at tentsites, shelters, etc. They are leashed in those areas and never allowed to be a nuisance. It's after some thought about folks with allergies, etc. in a small enclosed area that we've decided to take the dog den with us. We really do want to stay out for the night and it's a bit early in the year for an easy bivy!

Thanks for the input!