Katahdin 2009

[Trainwreck]

I may be in, depends on which week. The last time I climbed Katahdin, we stayed in Chimney Pond. It was awesome. The Dudley trail ripped the seat out of my shorts...
I am a slowish hiker myself. Please keep me in the loop. PM me with details.
I used to live in Maine...oh well

sandy

 

[Frodo]

Originally Posted by Kevin Rooney
Eric - That is a nice loop, but - there's a bit of a downclimb off Pamola which not everyone may be comfortable with. Generally speaking, it's easier to ascend tricky bits like this one rather than descend it, unless you're comfortable on rock. I know a few who take a length of rope who do Pamola first, just in case.

I have done the Knife Edge over a dozen times, and it is much harder descending The Chimney (going counter clockwise) than descending Pamola (going clockwise) when doing it... Definitely don't need a rope for either in July (unless you are an Oompa Loompa)

 

[stu]

Wow!

Hey Bob,
I'm also 50-something and was planning on getting to Baxter in 2009! I'm pretty flexible and could go anytime. Please keep me in the planning loop. Did I mention that I'm excited already?

Cheers, Stu

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

I'm thrilled with the response, and am still gathering info for this "AARP" hike. I'll throw out a plan soon and see how everyone likes it. Does the Mon-Wed. summit window sound good so far? And are there any old (or young) Mainers out there who want to join us and are willing to make the campground reservations?

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Nobody around Buffalo sells any books or maps for hiking in Maine - I guess nobody goes there... A couple years ago, a retired climber gave me his outdoors book collection, and I found a copy of "High Peaks of the Northeast" which has good info on Katahdin and a reprint of the map showing the mountain. So now I have a visual and a handle on the trails. Is the approx. 10-mile loop from Roaring Brook-Hamlin-Baxter-Knife Edge/Pamola-Roaring Brook out of the question as a day hike in July? I know that, in the Adirondacks, there is a tremendous difference between doing the 15-mile RT to Marcy (done it a few times) and doing only 10 miles over the summits of the Great Range (can't do it in a day). Is it necessary to camp at Chimney Pond to do both Hamlin and Baxter in a day? If we don't, or can't get into Chimney Pond CG, is it reasonable to do a trek up Baxter one day, and an up & back to Hamlin the next?

 

[Peakbagr]

There is a trail up from Katahdin Stream campground that splits at the Tableland. You can head straight for Baxter Peak and then walk into the Saddle and Climb Hamlin and then back. Or hike right into the Saddle, do one and then the other.

Another option is a car spot by climbing Baxter, over Knife Edge to Pamola and then down the Keep Ridge to Roaring Brook campground.

When I was there years ago, I was involved in the car spot so climbed Baxter and Hamlin but couldn't get over the K.E. because I was one of car shuttlers.

You might consider reserving more than 3 days given weather conditions. Maybe think about 3 days in Roaring Brook and 3 days in Katahdin Stream campgrounds in the leantos. There are also cabins available at Daicey Pond.
Just my thoughts. If I can go on the trip my objectives are the Knife Edge and a hike to 3 NEHH's, Coe, South Brother and Fort.

 

[Bob]

A trip to BSP isn't complete without a stop at La Casa!

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Is the approx. 10-mile loop from Roaring Brook-Hamlin-Baxter-Knife Edge/Pamola-Roaring Brook out of the question as a day hike in July?

It's not out of the question as a long day, especially if you start from inside the park itself. If you stay outside the park, have to wait in line for the gate to open, then drive an hour ... then you can run out of daylight. Be prepared for a tough day though - the rocky trails in Baxter are demanding. You can always bail on the Knife Edge/Pamola bit and return via Saddle, and do the Knife Edge on a later day.

Is it necessary to camp at Chimney Pond to do both Hamlin and Baxter in a day? If we don't, or can't get into Chimney Pond CG, is it reasonable to do a trek up Baxter one day, and an up & back to Hamlin the next?

It's not necessary to camp at Chimney Pond in order to do both peaks. Easier, but not necessary.

 

[daxs]

ALG I got my Maine books on Amazon. Some new, some used but all up to date. I think a paid a couple of bucks for the Delorme atlas.

 

[Silverfox]

Hey Algonquin Bob

Certainly a great hike and worthy goal..

I took a group ...OTHH.. back in August (8/30 TR) which may be of some interest to you....While being a relatively sprite 56 myself..2 of the folks who finished their 67 that weekend were 63 and 68 and Claude who finished his 67 2 weeks ago on Camels Hump was 67...

Take your time..be smart.. have a plan...

Back in mid september another member of OTHH, Pat Russell, at age 77, was part of a group that did baxter and hamelin from Chimney Pond..

You have time to do these peaks several times

enjoy

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Forgive me, but I am not at all familiar with much of what you just referred to (but ask me anything about New York State or Ontario!) It's a long drive East for me to just get to the Adirondacks, so I have hiked in NE only once before. What is "OTHH" and "the 67"? Also, PEAKBAGR referred to 2 peaks, Coe and Fort, as being on the NEHH list, so there is a "NEHH" in additon to the NE115?

 

[Rob S]

I agree with reserving more than 3 days, but that's a personal decision. I'm planning on taking a week or week and a half off work. I figure if I'm gonna drive all the way to Baxter, I truly want to enjoy every millisecond of the trip and see as much as I can. But that's just me.

Bob, since you will be hiking on the 13th thru the 15th, I'm planning my Katahdin attempt to coincide with yours (as best I can). Plan on leaving NJ on Wednesday or Thursday the week before. Spend the first night in Lincoln and climb something in the Whites the next day. Leave out the following day and arrive at Baxter. And although I plan on meeting you and others to climb Katahdin, I don't know if it makes sense for each of us to make our own plans & reservations. Needless to say, with several folks already interested in this trip and possibly more as time goes on, I think it would be a logistical nightmare for someone trying to organize this.

Was thinking it would be nice to enjoy the "luxury" of a cabin especially given the long drive. Soooo, perhaps another idea is that I can reserve a cabin for a week, do my thing and whoever wants to join me is welcome. And then you do the same for Chimney Pond lean-to or tent-site, and likewise the folks that prefer that scenario can join you. Then we all meet up at a predetermined place and time to climb the big K. Just some thoughts.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Forgive me, but I am not at all familiar with much of what you just referred to (but ask me anything about New York State or Ontario!) It's a long drive East for me to just get to the Adirondacks, so I have hiked in NE only once before. What is "OTHH" and "the 67"? Also, PEAKBAGR referred to 2 peaks, Coe and Fort, as being on the NEHH list, so there is a "NEHH" in additon to the NE115?

OTHH = Over The Hill Hikers
"The 67" = the New England 4000 footers (NH 48 + VT 5 + ME 14 = NE 67)
NEHH = New England Highest Hundred.

See http://www.amc4000footer.org/ for the three official lists recognized by the AMC 4000-footer committee, aka FTFC.

HTH,
Tim

 

[bikehikeskifish]

BTW, Topo 4.0 puts either loop over the whole shebang at 11+/- miles and 4600+/- feet (using Helon Traylor or a lollipop loop on Chimney Pond). Note that Topo usually underestimates distance by 10% or more, so it's probably closer to 12.5+/-.

I'm interested in going, but definitely can't commit this far in advance. Plus I'm only 43

HTH,
Tim

 

[amstony]

I could be talked into going on this. I need BSP to wrap up the NE 67. If timings right I wouldn't mind tagging along. Generally a fast hiker, but I don't mind a slow hike either.

Please keep me in the loop.

 

[Peakbagr]

"PEAKBAGR referred to 2 peaks, Coe and Fort, as being on the NEHH list, so there is a "NEHH" in additon to the NE115?"

Got a bunch of the NEHH done along the way to the NE111 and its a really long drive to Baxter. If I'm heading up there I'd like to tag the 3 peaks, Coe, South Brother and Fort. Really looking to get on the Knife Edge, but for my money, the views OF Katahdin are better than the views FROM Katahdin. With a week, would have time to grab the other 3 peaks and stroll the K.E., hopefully in nice weather.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

OK, it's beginning to be an unofficial gathering - any excuse for a party, eh? I'll stick with the dates mentioned above (July 13th summit day on Baxter, with 14th and 15th as an extended window in case of bad weather) and unless we PM for specific arrangements, we should all make our own travel and accomodation arrangements.... and don't forget the beer!

PS: You don 't have to be f-f-f-f-f.... over 40 to hike with us!

 

[Fat Tuesday]

I have done the Knife Edge over a dozen times, and it is much harder descending The Chimney (going counter clockwise) than descending Pamola (going clockwise) when doing it... Definitely don't need a rope for either in July (unless you are an Oompa Loompa)

the descent of the chimney was the scariest non-technical experience I have had while hiking. my friend and I both had to drop our packs 30 ft and feel our way down. we are both 5'8"; for taller people it appeared to be easier. also, we may have just been knackered from the brutal-on the-knees climb of the cathedrals and the knife edge. the scramble up pamola was fun by comparison.

It was a beautiful, sunny, class 1 day, though the haze over the surrounding valley was very thick.

 

[Raymond]

If you’re planning to camp in the park, you’ll need reservations for those dates, and I don’t believe they start looking at reservations from out-of-staters until April 1, so you’ll have to hope there’re still spaces available after the Mainers have grabbed theirs.

I’ve been able to get a lean-to in May (after the 15th but before Memorial Day, but the trails on Katahdin were closed) and in October (after Columbus Day, but before the 15th, and the park was virtually abandoned) without a reservation by just driving up to the gate and asking, but during the summer I’m pretty sure it would be a lot tougher. Even in early September, 15 years ago (was the park busier in 1993 than it was in 2008?), we had to shift our dates by one day to get the Davis Pond lean-to (only one party can stay there each night). And then there was so much rain the night before we were to hike there, we bailed on that idea and returned to Roaring Brook from Russell Pond.

Anyway, be flexible in your dates. You probably shouldn’t set anything up at work until you hear from the park authority.

You can always stay outside the park, but they charge ten bucks or so each day you drive in. That fee is waived if you’re staying at one of the park campgrounds.

 

[Bob]

The entry fee is $13 and not waived, you must pay at least the first time you enter. I am not sure about reentry with a paid campsite.
I have never had a problem finding a cancelled campsite, even during the busy times; although it may be a remote campsite at the Northern part of the park.
There are lots of options just outside of the part, look in the Maine Gazetteer.