2015 Baxter State Park and Katahdin info for southbounders.

[TJ aka Teej]

Your first stop for info: Baxter State Park
The name of the mountain is Katahdin, the summit is Baxter Peak.
The AT is called the Hunt Trail from Katahdin Stream Campground to Baxter Peak.
The ATC has begun a registration program for those attempting AT thru-hikes. A very useful tool for planning and distributing information. Please visit: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiki...e-registration
Share - the bus ride, the shuttle, the campsite - save $, make friends.
Bring cash, as Baxter Park does not accept debit or credit cards.
Your bus gets in many miles away from the Park at 7:40 PM. You are not going to camp in the Park that night.
Contact the AT Lodge in Millinocket about their MEGA deal, they'll pick you up at the bus stop, put you up for the night, shakedown your gear, and take you to KSC the next morning.
Getting a ride into the Park? There's a fee at the gate - bring cash - $14 for an out-of-state vehicle.
The Abol Bridge store does accept mail-drops. However they may not open until late-May - contact them personally well in advance. Bring bug spray and a head net. I suggest long sleeved shirts and long pants.

Watch the snow melt here: http://www.neoc.com/webcam/twin-pine...am-camera1.php
(Just because you can't see snow doesn't mean Katahdin trails are open!)
Katahdin summit weather: http://forecast.weather.gov/product....C&issuedby=CAR
Baxter State Park 7 day forecast: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick...2#.VVDy8pP0-r8

You're not going to climb on May 15th, the traditional date for the park to open to overnight camping.
Plan your start for later, closer to Memorial Day.
The Abol Slide trail, usually an option for ATers, will remain closed until at least September.

My list of dates for when a trail to Baxter Peak opened:

'15 Park delayed opening some campgrounds. Hunt open May 22nd. (Summit snow on the 23rd!)
'14 Park delayed opening some campgrounds until May 22nd. Hunt open May 29th.
'13 May 24th
'12 May 20th
'11 Park canceled traditional May 15th opening, Abol open Memorial day weekend.
'10 May 25th
'09 May 20th for both Hunt and Abol.
'08 Park canceled traditional May 15th opening, Abol and Hunt open May 29th.
'07 May 31st

Think hard about your gear and food. Baxter has no garbage cans, no tap water, no system to send gear home, no camp store to buy gear, food, or fuel. There's no electricity, or telephones.
Please book a site for the night before and after your climb. Your gear stays dry, you can get a pre-tourist start in the AM, and you get to recover from the AT's hardest 10.4 miles around a campfire with new friends. The long hike out the next day to Hurd Brook Lean-to can be a slog with tired legs, so relax and get a well deserved good night's sleep.

The Birches site is not available to southbounders.
At Katahdin Stream Campground:
Tent sites 16 and 17 are roomy, plenty of space for two or three backpacking tents.
Lean-tos 1-3 are quiet walk-ins, lean-tos 4-8 are streamside and away from the parking area.
(Pro-tip: tentsite 16 is the northernmost site on the AT!)
Reservation information: http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/reservation/
The reservation office will expand its hours to 7 days a week starting Saturday May 23rd.

Buy a bundle of firewood at the Ranger's cabin. Cash only, you can also buy maps and guides.
Don't forget to sign your first AT register while you're on the Ranger's porch!
You can start before 7 AM if the trail was open the day before.
Cell connections are rare on the AT in Maine. Do not count on getting reception until Monson.
Local FM radio station is 94.9 You can hear the weather report all the way to Whitecap.
Talk with the Ranger, read the posted information and warnings!

If the Katahdin trails are open, please use extreme caution to stay on the trail above treeline. The habitat you're climbing into is extremely rare and fragile.

After you hike out the next day plan on a stop at the rebuilt Abol Bridge Store.
New owners, limited re-supply, and good eats.

[bemental]

Great information, thanks for the informative post.

[Jeff]

Wish every southbounder could read your post....great resource.

[Water Rat]

... And if the climb up Katahdin was really more than you bargained for and you find that you need to take things a bit slower than you had planned, Abol Bridge Campground and Store (there is a restaurant there, too!) is just outside the park as you head southbound. They have coin operated showers, a few new heated bunkhouses (sleep up to 4 people, bunkbeds), and awesome burgers if you just need to step back and recharge after the mountain, but before you really begin your stroll down the trail.

Abol Bridge Campground & Store is now in partnership with Northern Outdoors (adventure vacations). Not sure if/how that will change anything regarding walk-ins.

[TwoSpirits]

Also, the state operates a small but very nice primitive campground across the road from Abol Bridge Store -- Abol Pines campground. Cost about $8 for a non-resident.

Sent from...wait, where am I again?

[egilbe]

I've white-water rafted with Northern Outdoors years ago. Good group of people running it then.

[chiefduffy]

Thanks Teej!

[brewyet]

Thanks for the info this helps alot! I might be changing to plans from a 2016 Flip-Flop to a 2015 SOBO.

[LoneStranger]

They are posting frequent updates on their facebook page now www.facebook.com/baxterstatepark The frost is coming out of the roads so they will have limited access for the next few weeks with KStream and Trout Brook opening within a week, maybe Roaring Brook maybe not Still no word on the mountain itself opening and trails above treeline, including Traveler, remain off limits til further notice.

[ryleyb]

Thanks for the update, Teej! I've been checking out those cams almost daily...

[TJ aka Teej]

Thanks for the update, Teej! I've been checking out those cams almost daily...

We can't see the Tableland from below, and that's the key to whether the Rangers open summit trails.

[mudsocks]

Great resource. The link to the webcam provided should be http://www.neoc.com/twin-pine-camps-webcam-1/#

Let's see if I can embed the self updating image here...

[TJ aka Teej]

Weather update for 5/13 - red flag warning for high forest fire danger - and a frost warning!
Watch your open flames. Bring that 30 degree bag.

[TJ aka Teej]

5/16/2015 TRAILS STILL CLOSED
Baxter posted this via Facebook this morning:

Rangers are conducting foot patrols of Katahdin trails regularly now to determine when they will be ready for hiker traffic. Yesterday, BSP Ranger Rob Tice checked conditions on the Hunt Trail (A.T.) and The Owl. At about 3,300' elevation on the Hunt Trail, we have 3-5' snow in places in the trail, with more challenging ice conditions above. Over on the Owl, he found 20"+ in the trail at about 3,000' elevation, continuous posthole conditions and numerous blowdowns needing to be cleared. All Katahdin trails remain closed at this time. Thank you for your patience.

[ExNihilo]

Will this affect NOBO's? I know there are some (Orange Crush) who are through the Whites and trucking along

[ryleyb]

This isn't looking great for my start date of June 5th (booked into KSC already!). Fingers crossed for more warm weather!

[CELTIC BUCK]

GREAT info for South Bounders; thanks

[Walkintom]

Thanks for the updates on this. It helps out a lot for planning.

[TJ aka Teej]

Back from four days at Baxter - Hunt Trail now open!

[TJ aka Teej]

Will this affect NOBO's? I know there are some (Orange Crush) who are through the Whites and trucking along

He must be carrying snowshoes and crampons. He's still a long way from Baxter.