View Full Version : Starting at Katahdin, Use a smaller pack?
In order to begin at the Northern Terminus, you have to scale Katahdin
You can go up the same way you're coming down,
Do many people hike up with their 30lbs packs or do they leave it hidden / stored somewhere and retrieve it on their way back down?
You can store your pack, or just the majority of the contents at the Ranger station at the bottom.
This is customary for most folks, NOBO or SOBO. There are a few who want to spend the special moment with their stuff, but most don't.
They have day packs you can borrow
The Old Fhart
10-25-2008, 22:48
Many hikers leave most of their gear on the porch of the ranger cabin at Katahdin Stream Campground and go up with just a light pack. You still need to be prepared for the weather you may encounter up top.
Jack Tarlin
10-25-2008, 23:04
There are several advantages to going up Katahdin with a smaller pack: If the weather is good, you'll get up the mountain a lot faster and will able to spend more time up top. And if the weather is NOT good, you'll be able to get down the thing quicker. No real need to bring the full pack or packload.
SOBOs starting on the far side of Katahdin may well be tempted to hike over Baxter Peak with a full pack, simply because it is problematic to have your gear shuttled to Katahdin Stream Campground. This was my motivation, any way.
In retrospect I don't think this was a very wide idea.
Not so much because lugging many days worth of food over the mountain is physically hard (so what), but rather because the combination of extra weight, a steep decent, lack of trail conditioning, and commitment to a complete day of hiking regardless of what your body tells you along the way, is a recipe for injury. I think so, anyway.
For a well conditioned NOBO wanting to finish up on the far sized of the mountain after walking across the most spectacular blue blaze on the Trail (most spectacular by far, and ironically the blue blaze most often missed), those concerns will be far less. They would have much less weight to carry, be well conditioned by the Trail and not so concerned about injury.
As others have noted, most elect to leave there pack at Katahdn Stream CG and climb up and back the same way using a borrowed day pack. I can see why some (especially NOBOs) might want to take a more creative approach, however.
Almost There
10-31-2008, 12:00
Leave your pack and take the smaller pack. Got stuck in a lightening storm coming down this past June, needed to move fast. Can't imagine the boulder hopping would be much fun with a full pack.
max patch
10-31-2008, 12:03
You still need to be prepared for the weather you may encounter up top.
Good point.
I carried my 40 pound pack up K.
Lone Wolf
10-31-2008, 12:10
Good point.
I carried my 40 pound pack up K.
me too. many times
me too. many times
Your pack must have appreciated it and the nice views up there.
Chaco Taco
10-31-2008, 12:18
They also have a box of day packs under the registration table you can use
Lone Wolf
10-31-2008, 12:25
Your pack must have appreciated it and the nice views up there.
yup. i carried it 2000+ miles and figured another 10 miles or so wouldn't hurt. i ain't a slackpacker
Lone Wolf
10-31-2008, 12:25
They also have a box of day packs under the registration table you can use
reserved for the weenies :cool:
jersey joe
10-31-2008, 14:39
yup. i carried it 2000+ miles and figured another 10 miles or so wouldn't hurt. i ain't a slackpacker
I carried my pack the whole way and up Katahdin too...No slackpacking for me either.
I carried my pack the whole way and up Katahdin too...No slackpacking for me either.
I carried a full watermelon to the top of Katahdin. Does that get me extra points?
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2270&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=9b7269e0127675108ae6001d1d0952b4
Lone Wolf
10-31-2008, 16:51
I carried a full watermelon to the top of Katahdin. Does that get me extra points?
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2270&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=9b7269e0127675108ae6001d1d0952b4
no. i carried a watermelon, a six pack of tall boys in my pack with all my gear. 1 little watermelon ain't jack :cool:
1 little watermelon ain't jack :cool:
I believe Jack is a frequent poster to WB?