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  1. #1

    Default White House Landing Wilderness Camp

    I'm doing a section hike next month from Monson to Katahdin. We're thinking of stopping at While House Landing. It is described in the On-line Companion: Link to On-line Companion. Scroll to page 188. It looks like a great place.

    1) Anyone ever go there? What was your impression?
    2) Prices are quoted as $15 (bunk house) to $25 (single room), showers $4. Are there any add ons I should be prepared for?
    3) How much is dinner? Breakfast? Just a burger? Ice cream? Beer?
    4) Is the boat ride free? How much $$?

    The book says ask about prices for everything before you order. This implies some have been in for surprises. Has anyone been surprised by some expensive item? What else do I need to know?

    Thanks
    Pb

  2. #2
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    Default

    I spent 3 nites there in 2000. Tented. Boat ride is free. Beer $2. Ben&Jerrys $4 if I remember correct. Big burger $5. All prices are listed on a big board in the main lodge.

  3. #3

    Thumbs down Whl

    I stopped at White House Landing last year, only because I was low on food after losing more than a day detouring around un-fordable streams. If I had to do it again, I would not stop there.

    My biggest problem was that the owners were extremely unfriendly. The woman was okay, but the man was clearly upset to have to deal with thru-hikers. I think he may have been nicer if I had spent the night there, but I just went over for lunch and resupply. I guess I didn't know that this was really more of a hostel than a restaurant/resupply point.

    The burger itself was huge, and well worth more than the $5 they charged. The boat ride over was free, although you may get scowled at and sworn at by the owner. They have a limited amount of resupply food - candy bars, ramen, etc. It is all pretty expensive. They charged me $2/min to use their cell phone, and mistakenly told me that there is no phone at Abol Bridge (there is!).

    Also, although the guidebook didn't mention it, their boat service is only for a few hours of the day. It's something like 11:00am - 2:00, and 5:00-7:00 (although I don't know the exact times).

    Personally, I wouldn't go back unless I absolutely had to. I don't know if the owners were just having a bad day, or if they are always that surly to their customers. There is excellent camping all around that area (especially on Nahmakanta Lake nearby). I would camp nearby instead.

    But that's just my opinion.

    -Tank

  4. #4
    blue blazin' hiker trash
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    Default white house landing

    We spent a night at White House Landing in 2001. Must say we spent a lot of money, but it was our last stop on the trail, so we lived it up (beer, pizza, burgers, ice cream etc.)
    You can't expect things to be inexpensive when they are sooo far from town. I remember being surprised at how much food they did have for resupply.
    The owners were nice and treated us with respect. I can imagine that overnight guests (hikers included) may get better service than folks who just swing by for lunch or snacks. It takes some time out of their busy days to drive the boat across the lake. Running a business that far from civilization cannot be easy.
    I do remember that when we went through tenting was not allowed, and the phone was for dire emergencies only. I don't know if this has changed.
    I will stop there again this year when I do the wilderness, it was a great place to hang out with fellow NOBOS and regroup before the last big push to Baxter.

    -java

    PS The phone at Abol is new. I was there last spring (2003) and there wasn't one, so they probably weren't aware one had been put in.

  5. #5
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    Default white house

    i spentonenight therein 2002 it was kind of expensive butwas a welcome relief after 5 days of rain

    nathan
    gorham nh ----> katahdin 02
    game05

  6. #6

    Default

    A great place to stop and spend the night, but not a great place to try and get in and out of if you are in a hurry. i spent the night there this year and enjoyed it. Like one of the previous posts said I found the male owner to be a little grumpy, but the lady was very friendly. The man did warm up to me later though when he found out i was staying the night and saw how much food I was going to consume.$$$$ Be sure to get there before dark, there are a lot of rocks in the lake and they won't come over at night. Be prepared to wait, you are at their mercy for rides across the lake and don't expect a hug when you get there. To address the price questions here are some of the prices i remember:the bunk is now $20 you get a shower, but they charge you for a towel, the loaded burger was about $7, cokes are $1, beer was more expensive than i care to remember, ayce b-fast was about $7, the boat ride was free.

  7. #7
    Registered User LEGS's Avatar
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    Default

    I Stopped By There 2years Ago And Thought It Was Great, People Were Friendly And Helpful. Had Excellent Burger And Drinks. Beer 2.00,burger 5.00 , Most Resupply Items Were Reasonably Priced. Just Remember Everything Is Trucked In 10 Miles About Once A Week. Would Recommend It As A Good Stop Anytime, Just Don't Get Impatient If You Have To Wait For A Bit On The Boat To Get There, Relax And Enjoy The Scenery.

  8. #8

    Default lunch

    I went there two years ago on my thru- just for lunch. I hadn't considered doing this, but my brother hiking the Wilderness with me insisted we experience this since a SOBO in Vermont highly recommended it. Bill seemed fine with us just having lunch and didn't even ask if we were staying. He was friendly, cooked up the burger, I think it was ~ $5 or so. The Buds weren't outrageous, given where you are. Maybe $2.50 I think, not even $3. They only have cell service out there on the lake, and yes they charge for it. This isn't Main Street Harper's Ferry folks, it's in the woods, off the beaten track. I felt the prices were fair for what we got. It was a nice diversion in the middle of the day. People don't hurry much up here in Maine, by that point in your hike, you should follow suit.
    Last edited by Bluebearee; 08-12-2004 at 23:44. Reason: slipped a few words

  9. #9
    http://www.myspace.com/officialbillville Mountain Dew's Avatar
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    Default

    I got to the boat dock within the required time and sounded the fog horn like is required. After busting my ass to get there on a 22 mile day to beat the rain I was happy. I sounded the fog horn and proceeded to wait for an hour for a ride accross. Thirty minutes into my wait it started raining which wasn't pleasant when the temp is in the 50's. Like Tank said..... He was then grumpy like I had kicked his dog. The bunkhouse was warm and the food is great. I didn't care about the price because I knew it was a long haul to get it there......PLUS I didn't HAVE to buy it if I hated the prices so much right ? Overall....I suggest going there if you need to dry out or need resupply.
    THE Mairnttt...Boys of Dryland '03 (an unplanned Billville suburb)
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  10. #10
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    Default

    Having lived in New England most of my life, some of the nicest people I know are grumpy. Remember, sweat smelling thru-hikers might not be their favorite visitors. http://www.mainerec.com/ware.shtml
    Have I lived in New Englaqnd all my life? Not yet.

  11. #11
    Registered User A-Train's Avatar
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    Default

    Although I wasn't trying to have a "traditional" thru-hike, I thought it was more approrpiate to do the 100 mile wilderness the ole' fashioned way, without resupply. (I know someone may chime in and say the wilderness was lined with hunting camps in Earl's day). I thought going 100 miles without resupply was a last final little challenge to the trip. Sure I was REAL low on food by the time I got to the end, but the donuts at the Abol Store never tasted better.

    The WHL sounds like a good place if what you need is a dry place to sleep and food, but at the end of my hike I was certainly ready to stop paying excess amounts for town luxuries.
    Anything's within walking distance if you've got the time.
    GA-ME 03, LT 04/06, PCT 07'

  12. #12

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rambler
    Remember, sweat smelling thru-hikers might not be their favorite visitors.
    its just about their ONLY visitors, so they better cheer up about it!

  13. #13
    Peakbagger Extraordinaire The Solemates's Avatar
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    Default Whl

    WHL was one of my favorite places on the entire AT. That place is what I dream of owning/running. We didnt stay b/c we didnt want to spend the money, but we definitely hit up the 1lb burger and spent most of the afternoon chatting with the owners, who are awesome.

    Boat Ride: free
    1 LB Burger: $7 (might as well get 2 of them)
    Feel of the place: priceless

  14. #14

    Default The woman liked me...The man hated me...

    Well, I thought I was the only one the owner had an attitude with. When I got to where the boat picks you up it was the middle of a mild August day, I made the mistake of sounding the air horn for several seconds. When he picked me up, man did I get my ass chewed out but good for sounding the horn too long plus a big lecture about how much the horn cost. I stayed overnight and spent a lot of money...hamburger, pizza, bunk, breakfast, etc. The woman was so nice and I felt bad about the horn so I left a nice tip in the morning when I settled up. It was with the man who BTW prepared breakfast...then he warmed up and kind of came around as I was leaving. I guess I would stay there again.

  15. #15
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    Default

    Wrong Crash Bang. They get hunters, fisherman and snowmobilers as well as hikers.

  16. #16
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    Default

    I had to stop this year because of running low on food. I had planned on going all the way from Caratunk to the A-Bridge in 5 days which didn't happen. It took 6 days instead, I skipped Monson. It was sort of a pain just doing a resupply there. It was off trail, and a long stop. They made me wait 3 hours to be able to buy food from them (the store opens at 5:00?). Then I had to wait for them to take me back across the lake. I however was still able to pull a 35 mile day, and get food, so it turned out ok. It would have been pricey to stay and eat there, but I'm also a cheap skate. Its worth the stop if you aren't in a hurry and have a few bucks to blow. It was a really awesome place.
    GA-ME 04
    GA-VA 05

  17. #17

    Default

    o well excuse me.

  18. #18

    Default

    I loved this stop when I made it earlyer this year. The bugs were BAD and I was on the end of my rope by the time I reached the airhorn, but the stop was more than worth it, it pretty much saved my day, and made a great memory. They COVER their pizzas, I absolutly loved mine, and found it to be resonablly priced. The items they have for resuply do cost a lot, but they are out in the middle of nowhere, so it costs more to get items out there. The lady was extremely helpful and had some great stories. Our group of eight were some of the first of the year though, mabey it helped that they werent worn out yet... I would recomend them to anyone I met on the trail

    Pink aka Twinkie

  19. #19

    Default

    been there a few times... prices seemed fair enough... (remember you are in the middle of nowhere) Bill? Linda and lil Ben were always very nice to me and my dog.. ....

    2 bucks a beer is cheap considdering a bottle or can of beer will cost 2 bucks or more at almost any bar

    2 a min to use the cell? LMAO i wish they would charge 20 just so more people would learn to live without it

    they are not in business to loose money... they have bills they must pay like anyone else......... Do you work for free?

    i suspect that during peak times, Bill doesnt want to be driving across the lake from sun up to sun down every 20 min

  20. #20

    Default WH Landing - mail drops

    I'm hiking all of Maine starting in mid-August and am considering sending a maildrop to WH Landing. Has anyone any experience with this?

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