Katahdin questions.

[Greg]

I've never been to Katahdin and I'm hoping to get up there this summer. How does this trip sound? Park at Roaring brook campsite and hike to Chimney Pond campsite for the night. Second day, Up the Saddle trail to Baxter Peak, across the knife edge to Pamola, and down Helon Taylor trail back to the car. Are these trails pretty good, and am I missing anything really worth seeing? How is Chimney Pond campsite during the week in July/August?
Thanks -

 

[king tut]

the plan sounds good if you have a lean-to at chimney pond already reserved. if not, it might be hard to get one in july or august, but the actual hiking plan looks good.

 

[askus3]

If you don't have a reservation, don't despair, you can do that same hike as a dayhike circular. Just get to Togue gate (SE entrance to the park) at 5 AM M-F if you are outside the park. Forget it on Sat-Sun.

However, if doing a dayhike circular I always include Hamlin Peak and would ascend using the Hamlin Ridge Trail and then go across the Saddle.

 

[Raymond]

You'll need to have reservations at those places before you arrive, and I don't think you'll be able to reserve a site at either Roaring Brook or Chimney Pond at this late date.

Your best bet may be to change the dates for your trip to the small window of opportunity after Columbus Day and before the park closes for camping for the winter (October 15).

There are plenty of great trips in the park, so whatever you do you'll miss something, but anything you do is worthwhile, because (I think) all the summits are above treeline.

Something else occurred to me. Somebody was killed on either the Saddle Trail or Cathedral Trail a year or two ago, and I don't know if the trail has been closed or not.

You can read about reservations here:

http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/camping/index.html

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

If you do get an overnight reservation for Chimney Pond, I highly recommend that you return to CP via from Pamola Peak via the Dudley Trail so that you do not need to lug all of your overnight gear with you up and around from CP. If the weather is fine, you might be able to go up Hamlin Ridge to Hamlin Peak and then across to Baxter Peak and the Knife Edge and down in one day with a light daypack. The ridges on Ktadn are much more interesting than the Saddle Trail.

 

[king tut]

there was a gentleman killed last year i believe, on the cathedral trail when some boulders became dislodged and hit him. it is a real steep trail, and more of a climb than a hike. there was also a younger kid that died two years ago about a week after i was there, but i never heard the causes. right before that case, i spent a morning carrying a younger girl down to roaring brook on a stretcher, but i never heard anything about what happened to her. the rangers can get a little over whelmed when all those rescues happen all at the same time.

 

[askus3]

I agree with Dr. D, that it makes sense returning to Chimney Pond on the return so you don't have to lug your full packs all over Katahdin. But if you do what the Dr. suggests, I would do it clockwise as the Dudley Trail is a killer when your tired as a descent route. Much easier to go up Dudley, go across the Knifes Edge and descend via Hamlin Ridge and cut back to Chimney Pond from there, IMO.

 

[Greg]

That sounds like good advice to go up Dudley with a day pack and not lugging my large pack all the way around the loop and across the knife edge. I guess I may have to forget about this trip for this year since I don't have reservations. Jeez, I figured mid-week would be okay. I'll have to get a jump on it next year, and review the reservation system.
I hear South Turner is a great short hike with great views.

 

[Raymond]

It is.

Regarding your original plans, though: It doesn't hurt to ask.

Call the park office and ask if your dates are available. You can't make reservations over the phone, but if something is available you can get your check in the post right away.

If not, you can always stay outside the park and drive in for the day. They do charge you even for that; ten bucks per car, I think. Maybe more, now. Unless you have Maine tags, then it's free.

Roaring Brook is about eight miles up the road from the Togue Pond gate, but it's a rough road and will take at least 20 minutes to travel.

South Turner is about three miles each way, well worth the trip. In May, Sandy Stream Pond, on the way to South Turner, is teeming with moose. I've seen just one moose there in the fall. Haven't been to the park at all in July or August, so I don't know what the moose situation is then.

 

[markv]

helicopter pickup at the summit

I remember when i planned my Katahdin hike a couple years ago, all i heard was "don't descend via this trail, and don't descend via that trail either." I eventually figured it was silly wussy advice, and i after going up Helon Taylor and Knife Edge, i descended on the Cathedral Trail. BAD CHOICE. What an awful descent it was, though in retrospect i guess i should be happy i didn't die from rockfall.

Moral of the story here is that there seems to be one truly reasonable descent trail to Roaring Brook: the Saddle Trail. Pick a fun way to go up, and then come down Saddle.

Amen to going between Labor Day and Columbus Day. That's when i went...it was beautiful with fall colors, very crisp air, and i scored camp reservations only a couple weeks in advance even.

 

[blueridge]

If I want to do a dayhike out of the Roaring Brook area, how early should I get there in the morning in the summer? One post said 5am durning the week, how early on the weekend? Do I just pull up to the Tougue Gate and wait for the gatekeeper to get there? On a summer weekend, can I get there REAL early (or real late the previous night) and sleep in the car?
thanks

 

[Papa Bear]

Moral of the story here is that there seems to be one truly reasonable descent trail to Roaring Brook: the Saddle Trail. Pick a fun way to go up, and then come down Saddle.

I would say the Helon Taylor is the easiest and most direct way to get back to Roaring Brook, not the Saddle (although that is certainly easy).

IMHO, the overall easiest loop including the Knife Edge would be:

Up: Roaring Brook -> Chimney Pond -> Saddle -> summit
Down: summit -> Knife Edge -> Helon Taylor -> Roaring Brook.

Cathedral is magnificent ascending as is Hamlin Ridge if you can do a longer loop.

With a car spot, the Hunt Trail (out of Katahdin Stream C.G.) or Abol Slide (out of Abol C.G.) up to the summit and the Knife Edge-Helon Taylor down are great traverses.

One other point: Don't go there just one day! If you're going to drive all the way up the and back, stay 2 or 3 days. Stay outside the Park. I reccomend the Big Moose Inn , about 10 miles south of the park entrance. This is a well run place with options for staying in Inn rooms, staying in housekeeping cabins, or camping out.

We stayed there 2 nights last September and had 3 days of great hiking in the Park. There is more to Baxter State Park than Katahdin!

 

[king tut]

there are plenty of campgrounds and hotels in millinocket to stay at if you can't get a campsite/lean-to. a good idea is to go to the park information building in millinocket and see if there are any cancellations for chimney pond or roaring brook, as it is normal to have a few cancellations each day and have sights open up, you just need to be there at the right time.

 

[Greg]

Thanks for the comments

I needed to pick the "easiest" trails because of my knees - they just don't let me do what I used to do. But the elevation gains didn't seem to bad if I can stay at C. Pond the first night. Lots of options to choose from. This is a hike I've always wanted to do, at least once, so I can say 'I've been there, too'.

 

[sweeper]

Do it in reverse

In all my years of hike'n I have never been blown away as I was summiting Pamola and looking across the Knifes Edge TO Katadin.

 

[askus3]

Blue Ridge: Yes, you get to the Togue Pond gate if you do not have reservations in the park and wait for the gatekeeper to open the gate. He asks each person where they want to go and allows them until the quota for that place using that route fills up and thats it. Then you ought to have an alternate plan in case your #1 route, destination and parking lot is filled. I was there the Sunday of Labor Day (2002) weekend at 5 AM, and there was a long line already waiting. We had no problem as we were doing the Coe/Brothers Loop but if you were doing Katahdin via any route, you better have camped in your car if you are climbing on Saturday or Sunday (holiday weekend). BTW: Labor Day itself was not bad and you were able to get a climb up Katahdin if you got there at 5 AM. Sleeping in your car before climbing Katahdin - I want to be up at my best performance for a hike of a lifetime. And Katahdin ranks as my 5 best lifetime hikes.

Greg: Personally, I have to disagree with PapaBear and do his recommended loop of Katahdin in reverse. Descending the Saddle and Chimney Pond Trails is far easier (note: easier - not easy) on the knees. I'd go up Pamola and west across the Knife's Edge. Plus Sweeper's comment I agree with totally.

 

[TJ aka Teej]

Not too late for reservations

Hi Greg,
You might want to consider the Hunt Trail out of Katahdin Stream. No need to hope for a Chimney Pond spot, and although longer, possibly easier on the knees. Avoid Abol Slide. And it's not too late to get reservations for this season. First week Octobers are just being taken now, and as of last week there are still mid-week August and September dates open. Mainers get preference on the mail-ins, and a certain ammount of all spots are held back just for them. And there's also the sorta new 10-day-in-advance-over-the-phone-with-credit-card deal. The spots not taken by mail-ins are available to anyone who calls HQ 10 days before the date they want. I saw Labor Day mentioned above, and it good to remember that Katahdin Stream Campground isn't available to hikers (not even for parking) as the Penobscots have the whole campground that weekend each year. And here's a little known tip: there are parking spots at Katahdin Stream Campground that can be reservered in advance by Mainers for dayhike parking.

Teej

 

[poison ivy]

If I want to do a dayhike out of the Roaring Brook area, how early should I get there in the morning in the summer? One post said 5am durning the week, how early on the weekend? Do I just pull up to the Tougue Gate and wait for the gatekeeper to get there? On a summer weekend, can I get there REAL early (or real late the previous night) and sleep in the car?
thanks

We were successful getting in on a weekend after arriving at the gate at around 4 a.m. to wait in line. We were the fifth or sixth car in line and they were only letting 35 in that day (or so they told us at the gate) so it pays to get there as early as possible. (Our trip was in late June during the height of black fly season... I'd think earlier would be better post bug season.) We stayed at Hidden Springs Campground in Millinocket, which is about 20 minutes down the road from the park, &then slept in the car until the gate opened.

Hope that helps,
-Ivy

 

[blueridge]

askus3 and Ivy:

thanks for the info, believe it or not sleeping in my truck bed before a hike sounds kinda fun.

 

[HockeyPuck]

Reservations are still available at some campgrounds in BSP. I requested reservations for any 2 consecutive days in August at Abol campground and they quickly responded with Aug 1st and 2nd.

you can get the application HERE .

You will need to print and mail the application..

If you want to stay outside the park try Big Moose Cabins in Millinocket.