Katahdin Closed???

[Bigglesworth]

On Friday, October 3, I was one of the eight thru-hikers to summit on a class IV day - they posted the mountain closing a couple hours after we started our climb and had no idea what we were headed in to. Long story short, we had it all - ice, snow, hail, sleet, rain, even had to scrape the KATAHDIN sign to view it...Unless it opened back up today (Tuesday), which wasn't sounding promising, Katahdin has been rated class IV since Friday, and about 40 hikers are gathered at The Birches/Millinocket trying to wait it out and summit. I started this thread so people can share updates. A lot of fellow hikers want to know how are buddies are holding up, and family and other friends are clamouring for info too...So, please, any updates???

[Pedaling Fool]

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=41910

[Jack Tarlin]

This happens every few years. In 2003, the mountain was closed for awhile and the day it opened, about 50 people summited. Got some CRAZY summit shots that year.

Since this situation occurs more often than you think, a few suggestions for folks planning their trips:

*Always bring some extra food into Baxter State Park with you, i.e. buy some extra stuff at Abol Bridge. There is NO re-supply available once you're in the Park, so bringing a bit extra can come in really handy if you have to kill a day or longer waiting to summit. When you come down mountain, if you have extra stuff, you can always give it away to folks who just arrived in the Park who may need it.

*Leave some flexibility with your plans immediately following your projected summit date. I.e., don't plan on summiting on 7 October and flying home on the 8th or early on the 9th. If the weather is bad at Baxter, you're left with three bad options if you don't have any extra time to play with: Finishing up on a day in bad weather, and putting yourself at risk; NOT being able to summit; or missing your flight home and re-booking it, which can be very expensive. So give yourself a few extra days padding on your schedule, in case your summit day has to be postponed a bit.

*That being said, try and budget so you have a bit of extra money at the very end, in case you need to go into Millinocket or some other town, i.e. don't plan on finishing at Baxter with just 10 bucks and a plane ticket. There are plenty of times you may end up needing a bit of extra cash.

[Jim Adams]

1990...summited in snow on 9/18.
2002...summited in dry, down climbed in snow on 9/11.
I have yet to see view.....must mean that I need to thru again!????

geek

[Jim Adams]

Very good advice Jack!

geek

[stumpknocker]

Planning on getting to the gate at Baxter early tomorrow. Hoping to walk the last 5.2 miles of this year's walk on the AT, then 5.2 miles back down the hill.

Wonder if there will be anyone on Katahdin to take a summit photo for me?

If all works out, I am hoping to go to the Gathering this weekend to see some friends and friendly faces.

[Marta]

Good luck, Stumpknocker!

PS--The weather down here in the South has been great lately--warm, dry, leaves just starting to turn...

[wakapak]

1990...summited in snow on 9/18.
2002...summited in dry, down climbed in snow on 9/11.
I have yet to see view.....must mean that I need to thru again!????

geek

yup, sounds like you need to do it all again!

[boarstone]

I have been waiting to hear from my last resupply hiker to call: tonight he did, "Hammer", he's been in Millinocket all week waiting to summit and said there is over 50 NOBO's waiting along w/him. Tomorrow a.m. 5 sharp he's on his way! He's flip-floping so he can get K done in time. Good luck to you all, it's been a great season and hope to see new and old faces next year.

[Bigglesworth]

Sounds like there is a small window for the 50 or so trying to summit; glad to hear it! Hope the other 50 or so in/around the 100 mile wilderness get their shot, too! Thinking about all you guys...

If anyone is curious, I was hiker #386 on the 3rd. They anticipated about 100 more in the next two weeks! Lots of strong hikers remain "late" this year; many delayed with lyme, giardia, and injuries (and possibly some partying delays for a few!).

[katahdincabins]

The summit is OPEN again! Cathedral & Knives Edge are still closed though. Good luck, any more questions just give a holler!

[Serial 07]

yeah!

[Lone Wolf]

The summit is OPEN again! Cathedral & Knives Edge are still closed though. Good luck, any more questions just give a holler!

it never "closes"

[Jack Tarlin]

The Park itself is open all year 'round.

There are indeed days when Park Rangers and officials (who live in, and work in the Park) make the very informed decision that nobody should climb Katahdin, and on those days, the mountain is effectively closed.

People can probably climb on those days, if they choose to blatantly ignore the warnings of folks who know the area much better than they do. But in doing so, they potentially put people's lives at risk (i.e. the people who may have to rescue their asses); they also risk getting charged thousands of dollars if they end up getting rescued on days when the experts told them not to hike.

[Powder River]

Bigglesworth, CONGRATS!!!! What an awesome day it sounds like you had on top!! Ok, maybe snow and ice isn't most people's idea of fun, but I love that stuff, and an ice caked sign would make for an awesome photo!

Anyways, glad to hear you made it, and hope you have a blast on the home stretch Mary-land section!!! Need someone to string some tape across the Potomac for a photo finish??

Powder River

[Kirby]

The park is very hesitant to send a rescue crew up to fetch hikers who hike on class 4 days.

Why would you want to climb Katahdin on a day that is not clear?

Kirby

[Lone Wolf]

Why would you want to climb Katahdin on a day that is not clear?

cuz they wanna get done and go home. their love of hiking ended long before katahdin