100 Mile Wilderness Trail head and Ending?

[KeysChick]

Hi all

My cousin and I want to hike the 100 mile wilderness this summer in late July! No black flies hopefully We cant seem to find info on where the trail starts and end, what towns we need to look into for the night before, and what airport we should fly into etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Keyschick

[Venchka]

There's a phone book or two of info from previous inquiries just like this. Search.
Look for an AT SOBO sticky. There's a hostel/outfitter who can be of some use with shuttles and resupply.
The 100 mile wilderness stops/starts at the Baxter Park boundary. Reservations in the park will be a sticking point.
Keep searching.
Enablers will be along to feed you information.
Wayne


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[Venchka]

Ps: the trail is the AT.
WAYNE


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[illabelle]

... Enablers will be along to feed you information.
Wayne

I think maybe I'm an enabler. Oh well.

HMW starts/stops at Baxter?

It ain't a circle, ya know. The other end of it is at the town of Monson.

Fly into Bangor.
Millinocket is the closest town to Baxter. Might need a night there too.

[peakbagger]

Here is link to commercial site http://100milewilderness.info/. This commercial site is also important as they can get you home http://appalachiantraillodge.com/

Just be aware since we on whiteblaze have no idea about your capabilities and experience we are going to assume the worst about your ability.

Let us know more about what you have done in the past and what your expectations are, otherwise a polite comment is "the 100MW is going to chew you up and spit you out "if you aren't ready for it. Unlike 95% of the US, cell coverage is slim to non existent so if you decide its not you cup of tea it may take days to find your way out to "civilization".

You will need to make arrangements for a private shuttle from the Bangor Airport to Monson and a shuttle from Baxter State Park from either Phil, the AT lodge or other shuttle providers. If you have more money than common sense Katahdin Air offers options to pick you up at the airport and drop you off along the AT.

There are special rules and regulations if you want to stay in Baxter State Park which is the Northern end of the AT. You need to make reservations at Katahdin Stream Campground as soon as you have you dates figured out. There are a limited amount of thru hiker spots every day but they generally are snapped up quite early in the morning. The park is very strict about reservations, if you try to sneak in it highly likely you will be caught and fined. You also have the option of stopping or starting outside the park at Abol Bridge. The easiest stretch is south from Abol Bridge to White Cap mountain. After that the "chew you up and spit you out kicks in"

If you want a Maine Woods experience with bit more support and much nicer accommodations , consider contacting Maine Huts and Trails in the Sugarloaf area. https://mainehuts.org/. They have all sort of special trips. Showers and someone else cooking the meals has a lot to be said for it.

[Deadeye]

Enablers will be along to feed you information.

Some of them might even provide more useful information, like the other end of the HMW, or that some do it NOBO. Fine, put me in that club. Beats telling people to just go look.

[The Kisco Kid]

Questions from new users are great, even those that have been asked before. Things change. People who are just browsing recent posts might stumble upon something they hadn't thought much about and will learn something new in the process. Questions posed and answered don't just help the original poster.

For those concerned about taking up whiteblaze's server space, please consider becoming a donating member.

[MuddyWaters]

Hi all

My cousin and I want to hike the 100 mile wilderness this summer in late July! No black flies hopefully We cant seem to find info on where the trail starts and end, what towns we need to look into for the night before, and what airport we should fly into etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Keyschick

You obviously havent tried hard
Like, 10 sec of effort would have provided answers.


Where you fly into depends on where you from, and how deep your pockets are
Your gonna ride a bus, and get a shuttle. . It can be a lot or a little, depending on how much you want to spend for airfare.

Bangor is the closest airport
Limited places fly to it
Newark, laguardia, ohare etc
Can make for lots of connections and long day
If you dont get there in time for bus, you gonna spend the night, take bus next morning.

You can bus to bangor from major cities in ne, boston is popular.

So, you got to work out your travel whats best gor you. Its different for everyone. Expect $500 airfare to bangor. + Baggage fee.

Id say sobo is easiest to plan

First, get reservations at katahdin stream campground in baxter state park

Then, schudule to stay AT lodge in millinocket. They will pick you up in medway and bring you to lodge. Next day they will take you to baxter state park.

Then, get your airline tickets. Fly to bangor .you can spend night at holiday inn, they have airport shuttle. Next morning, they bring you to bus terminal, its across from airport. From there you take bus to medway, to meet AT lodge shuttle.

So you start in bsp, summit katahdin, spend night at ksc, then hike the 100 acre woods sobo. Stop when you get to monson. Stay at Shaws. Have them shuttle you to Bangor to fly home. This shuttle..,aint cheap.

When you add it up, for one person, it aint cheap. Bout $1000-$1200 in lodging and transportation.If you on a budget, dont fly, ride the dog, catch concord bus in boston, share shuttle, sleep at bus terminal, you can do it for maybe $500

Maine has a sayin. ..." You cant get theah from heeaah"

[Slo-go'en]

Now that you know how to get there, do you have any idea what your getting yourself into?

[Venchka]

Relaxing my Grumpy Old Man personality.
Portland, ME airport and a rental car might be more expedient.
Park the car at the north end where the shuttle folks are.
Shuttle to the other end.
Hike back to the car.
Find out exact trail mileage (I don't know) and your manageable daily miles.
Don't bite off more than you can chew.
Logistically, a hundred mile backpacking trip is easier to pull off in Colorado or Wyoming. If you're up for 15 mile days.
Good luck.
Wayne


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[Venchka]

This might be useful:
https://baxterinfo.wordpress.com/201...hdin-for-2017/
How many miles per day can Y'all manage? How many trail days do you have?
Wayne


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[Deadeye]

Relaxing my Grumpy Old Man personality.

I totally get it, but don't you feel better now? Kumbay-frickin-yah.

[Rain Man]

Keyschick, I'll be hiking the HMW in September, so am soaking up some of the answers you're getting, so I thank you for posting the query. I'll be flying into Providence, Rhode Island, but that's because a WB friend has offered to shuttle me from there to Maine. In the past, I've flown into Boston; was cheap and had family there and offer of a shuttle. Hope your hike goes well. Rain Man

[Venchka]

I totally get it, but don't you feel better now? Kumbay-frickin-yah.

Yep. What can I say? 5th through 9th grade in western MA made me like this. GRINNING!
Wayne

[Venchka]

10 second search results. Top hits.
http://sectionhiker.com/how-to-hike-...le-wilderness/
http://sectionhiker.com/how-to-hike-...le-wilderness/
F.A.Q. - 100 Mile Wilderness

100milewilderness.info/f-a-q/There is no public transportation to the 100 Mile Wilderness section of the Appalachian Trail. Shuttles must be arranged through private individuals who are ...

100 Mile Wilderness

100milewilderness.info/Welcome to the 100 Mile Wilderness Adventures and Outfitters website! Inside you will find a wealth of information and helpful tips that will assist you in planning ...
Essential Information - 100 Mile Wilderness

100milewilderness.info/f-a-q/essential-information/
Essential Information… 100 MILE WILDERNESS ADVENTURES AND OUTFITTERS IS A FULL SERVICE TRAIL PROVIDER LOCATED ON THE HISTORIC ...
Excerpt of Philip Werner's hike:

I started a 9 day trip on the 100 mile Wilderness section of the Appalachian Trail last Saturday, but ended up getting shuttled out after 6 days and 74 miles due to a knee/quadriceps overuse injury. Staying out for 6 days on a solo really pushed me mentally and physically in ways that I’ve never experienced on a shorter section hikes. Uncomfortably so, even. Yes, it’s a bummer that I didn’t finish, but as a section hiker, I can always pick up where I left off, another day.

Wayne

[TJ aka Teej]

Please remember we were all new once.
Welcome, KeysChick!
The 100 Mile is bookended by two famous hostels, Shaws in Monson, and the AT Lodge in Millinocket.
These are a family affair, run by thru-hikers, do not go elsewhere - you will not be disappointed.
I see my guide for Sobos has been shared, thanks! It will give you the basic info for getting to Baxter.
The 100 is wild, but not wilderness. If you're in reasonable shape, go southbound, and not a complete novice to backpacking, you'll have about 8 days of fun.
Welcome, and have fun!

[TJ aka Teej]

I'll be hiking the HMW in September,

Wicked, RainMan! After school starts is the best time to hike the 100, days still reasonably long and warm, nights cool but not freezing - have fun!

[magneto]

I did it SOBO a few years ago in August. I left my car at Shaw's in Monson, and had them shuttle me up to the AT Lodge in Millinocket. I stayed at the AT Lodge for one night, paid them to shuttle me to Katahdin to summit, then back to the lodge for one night, then for one more shuttle to Baxter the next morning to set off for Monson. Spending the night in Baxter State Park was impossible as it was full, full full. I arranged a supply drop mid-way (about 50 miles south) with the AT Lodge. You pack a bucket before you leave, and they will place it at a secret location in the woods, under a tarp, on the date you specify. The 100 Mile Wilderness is a wonderful place, but it is not really a wilderness, at least in terms of "aloneness." You will find plenty of people to accompany you, you may even make new friends. There is cell phone service along the way, and help from the AT Lodge or Shaw's in getting off the trail if you need to. My advice is don't rush! Enjoy it. Make sure you spend a night at Cloud Pond Shelter, and if you can, spend a layover day at the Antler's Campsite. The AT Lodge up in Millinocket, and Shaw's in Monson are completely reliable. I ended my 100 Mile Wilderness hike at Shaw's, where my car was parked. It was great.

[Water Rat]

You pack a bucket before you leave, and they will place it at a secret location in the woods, under a tarp, on the date you specify. The 100 Mile Wilderness is a wonderful place, but it is not really a wilderness, at least in terms of "aloneness." You will find plenty of people to accompany you, you may even make new friends. There is cell phone service along the way, and help from the AT Lodge or Shaw's in getting off the trail if you need to.

Just to provide updated information on the mid-hike bucket drop... The local companies are no longer allowed to leave buckets (with secret location) unattended in the woods. If/when you set up a bucket drop with a local company (Shaw's, AT Lodge, etc) you will make arrangements for meeting the company so they can hand off your bucket in person. While this makes your pack a bit lighter, it also means you need to plan to meet the company at a certain time, on a certain day. If you explain your hiking abilities, but are uncertain of how long it will take you to get to the arranged meeting place, the local companies can definitely offer sound suggestions for your plans.

If something changes during your hike, many people do find they have cell service within the 100 Mile. Make sure to take the phone number of the company with you in case your plans change.

[magneto]

Things change as the HMW becomes less and less of a wilderness.