2016 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 famous sign isn't on the peak - go tag that 12 foot high cairn!
The AT is called the Hunt Trail from Katahdin Stream Campground to Baxter Peak.
The ATC has a registration program for those attempting AT thru-hikes. A very useful tool for planning and distributing information. Please visit ATC here.
Share - the bus ride, the shuttle, the campsite - save $, make friends.
Kennel that pooch! No dogs allowed in Baxter state Park.
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#.VwMpRnpKltR

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 alternate option for ATers, has been closed for an extended period as an extensive re-route was constructed. It will be open in 2016 - date TBD.

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 your new life-long 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 21st.

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 - where you can borrow a daypack for your summit.
Wait until the Ranger posts the 7 AM weather forecast and trail conditions at the trailhead before you start.
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 at the top of the hour all the way to Whitecap.
Talk with the Ranger, read all 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 Abol Bridge Store and campground.
Great new owners, lots of snacks, limited re-supply*, and good cooking!
*Seriously - do NOT plan on buying your 100 Mile Wilderness food here.

Have fun on your ME-GA hike!

[TJ aka Teej]

So You Wanna Be a SoBo? by 2000 miler Sprinkles - some excellent insights! http://www.sprinkleshikes.com/jenhik...anna-be-a-sobo

[TJ aka Teej]

Some info from last season:

6/2/2015 - It is currently snowing in Baxter State Park, snow will continue across the higher peaks though the day. Snow on Katahdin down to 3000 feet. Summit trails should be closed today, and possibly tomorrow. In the 30's overnight at Katahdin Stream Campground!
The Tote Road is still not open between Phoenix Turn and Wadleigh Brook.
Regarding Maine weather: "White Cap Mountain on June 3rd. Blasting wind, freezing rain and ice at the summit." Frost warnings and temps in the 30s at night across the mountains of Maine during the first week of June.
Knife Edge to Chimney Pond opened 6/6.
Trail conditions in the 100: wet, muddy, wet, wading, slippery, and wet. Sobos are heading out before a lot a trail maintenance gets done. Some sections, like Pleasant Pond Mountain, were nearly impassible due to large blowdowns.
As of early June over 100 Southbounders have begun their AT hikes at Baxter State Park!

[TJ aka Teej]

Baxter HQ will be closed 4/18 for Patriot's Day. Get those reservations in soon, southbounders!

[TwoSpirits]

This annual info from Teej was perhaps the single most important thing I read on WB (or anywhere else for that matter) as I prepared for my SOBO attempt in 2014. Thanks for your helpful info for SOBO'ers!

[Kaptainkriz]

What a great post!

[TJ aka Teej]

Thanks, TwoSpirits - how's the knee?

[TwoSpirits]

The knee has healed up -- as well as it ever will, anyway. Thank you so much for asking. It took a LONG time, and there are days when it still haunts me a little. Definitely the worst part about getting older -- the time it takes to recover from injury. But I'm back to putting on some miles and enjoying a few nights out on a couple local trails...and getting excited as I begin planning a section in northern Virginia (SOBO from Harper's Ferry to Rockfish Gap) next fall (September/October 2017.)

Although I don't think another thru attempt is in the cards, I consider the HMW at least to be "unfinished business", and am planning to get back there as soon as I can. Truthfully, if I never get out of BSP I'd still be happy -- it is a beautiful, special place. Maine, Millinocket, and BSP captured my heart and I think about going back nearly every single day.

I may not ever SOBO end-to-end, but I'm always going to be a SOBO at heart, and always enjoy your updates and information.

Thanks, and happy hiking!

[Ishba]

Me and five others are trying to hike northbound from Monson to Katahdin, leaving May 13th and summit the 22nd. How will registration with BSP work in Monson?

[egilbe]

The trails may not be open on the 20th. Last year, the mountain wasn't fully open until June 5th.

[rafe]

I don't know what conditions are like in the HMW or Baxter, but the White Mtns. and southern Maine got way less snow this year than last. Ski season was the pits. I'll know a bit more by tomorrow evening (a day hike planned up Mt. Jackson.)

[Water Rat]

Me and five others are trying to hike northbound from Monson to Katahdin, leaving May 13th and summit the 22nd. How will registration with BSP work in Monson?

Your best bet is to contact Baxter State Park directly and then stay in contact with them. Their number is 207-723-5147. Offices will be closed on Monday, but they will be back in the office on Tuesday. http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/index.htm You might also be able to contact them via the Baxter State Park Facebook page.

Even if snow is gone, that doesn't mean trails/roads are open in Baxter. The current information is "All Park Roads are closed and will remain so, until the frost is out and the roads have dried enough to permit vehicle traffic. All Baxter State Park trails leading to Baxter Peak and Katahdin are closed." Due to the fragile climate they wait for the mud to also be gone (to decrease the impact) before opening things up. Even though we didn't get as much snow this winter, there is still a lot of time between now and mid-May. Mud season can always be extended if we have more heavy rain, or more of the spring snow.

You might luck-out and the campground and trails might be open that early this year. If so, you might want to also think about how you will be getting out of the park as there will not be a lot of traffic at that time. Given the size of your group, you might have a harder time getting rides. With that, you might also want to contact the AT Lodge, in Millinocket. They offer shuttles and rooms and can help with some of the logistics if needed. http://appalachiantraillodge.com/

[egilbe]

Your first stop for info: Baxter State Park

You're not going to climb on May 15th, the traditional date for the park to open to overnight camping.

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 your new life-long friends.

May 20th climb is extremely doubtful if recent history is any kind of benchmark

[rafe]

As of today, Webster-Jackson Trail is a river of ice, anywhere above around 3000 feet. Crampons and/or spikes absolutely required. This is the southern end of the Presidential range. There's a foot or so of compressed snow in the woods up high. Open ledges exposed to lots of sun are snow-free. We've had a week of warm weather. It was 70 degrees at the trailhead.

12983788_478172379057454_4193264105662119747_o.jpg

[TJ aka Teej]

4/28/16 - Tote road open to the foot of Abol Hill (still miles away from the trailhead). A BSP Ranger has hiked up the Hunt Trail (The AT out of Katahdin Stream Campground) and reports "Ranger assessment of the Hunt Trail yesterday revealed plenty of hard ice and snow," at 2900 feet.

[Mags]

This thread is now a sticky. The 2015 thread is "unstuck"

[TJ aka Teej]

Update from BSP 5/7/16

Katahdin Trails were inspected by a Ranger on Friday. Ranger Dave Loome reported:
"The tableland was extremely wet, with frequent and substantial areas of saturated snow and slush, and abundant standing water. I rock hopped almost to Thoreau Spring but could go no further without being a tundra stomper."
Katahdin Trails remain closed to hiking. We will continue to inspect the trails until conditions indicate that we can open them to hiking.
Park roads are continuing to improve. The Roaring Brook Road is now open the the T2, R9 Township (Game Sanctuary) line. We will be opening the Park Tote Road from Togue Pond Gate to Foster Field on Monday, May 9.

[TJ aka Teej]

The Hunt Trail opened today, 5/27/16!

[chaos41]

Quick question on how DUPR work? Do I need to get there before a certain time before I lose the parking spot. I thought I read somewhere you need to be there by 7am??

I plan on summiting Katahdin on July 17th and starting my southbound thru hike on 18th. My dad is driving me and hiking with me on the 17th. We our driving up from Connecticut and will arrive late (12am) on 16th. Also, Is there a good place to stay that sunday night? Thanks.

[chiefduffy]

You need to be at the gate by 7 am, or lose your parking spot. I recommend being at the gate no later than 6 am, when it opens. There is often a long line of cars waiting when the gate opens. A secret: if you are in line and it looks like you wont make it up to the gate by 7, one of you can walk the pass up to the gate and they will honor it. 2 good motels and a very nice hiker lodge (Appalachian Trail Lodge) in Millinocket, about 40 minutes from Baxter.