to ford or not to ford...

[mountain squid]

...the Kennebec River, that is?

Having stood on the banks of the Kennebec, I can't believe anyone would attempt to ford it. Besides, the official route is via the canoe. What do you think?

*Note: There is no bridge.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[woodsy]

Take the official route and you will be sure to tell your grandkids about it.
This river can kill if you hit it wrong. There are many hours of the day when it is UN-FORDABLE.

[TJ aka Teej]

Most AT hikers have never forded a river. While fording the Kennebec is possible under the right conditions, it is not the place to risk life limb and hike learning how to ford. Taking aboat across is the traditional way, the trail being routed to the Caratunk ford to take advantage of the existing boat traffic serving the sporting camps.

[Jack Tarlin]

This has been extensively discussed here on many occasions.

Is the River fordable?

Yup. And plenty of folks do it.

Is it safely fordable?

There are ways to cut down your risk, but the answer is no. The dam upstream discharges water without warning at irregular times. If you're caught out in the river during one of these discharges, you're screwed.

It is the considered opinion of Steve Longley, who knows this stretch of the kennebec River better than anyone alive, that fording is a risky and foolhardy thing to do.

Take the canoe.

[mountain squid]

You guys answered before I could even finish the poll?!?

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[Lone Wolf]

i've forded the kennebec 6 times

[Bravo]

i've forded the kennebec 6 times

Doggy Paddle???

[rafe]

If you walk from Monson to Katahdin or vice versa, you'll have several (smaller) river fordings to look forward to. Fording the Kennebec? Not for me. I'll take the canoe ride.

[TJ aka Teej]

You guys answered before I could even finish the poll?!?

See you on the trail,
mt squid

My answer isn't up there
I've forded, swum, canoed, rowboated, and kayaked across the Kennebec many times and in my opinion AT hikers should take the free canoe ride.

[trlhiker]

I have heard that thru-hikers have died trying to ford that river.

[DavidNH]

No way would I want to. There are all those warings and it is nice to get a free canoe ride. I mean that is 1 mile (or 1/2 mile or what ever it is) that you do not have to actually walk!

That said, I did see one guy ford the river. Called him self Number Two I believe. It took him a good half hour to get across. Plus he was spotted by the ferry man Steve Longman and I watched from the opposite shore.

In my personal oppinion it isn't worth it though I guess some like the challenge.

DavidNH (snickers)

[ferryman]

Ford or Ferry.... For the 21st year, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will provide a free ferry service across the Kennebec River on the following dates: Friday May 18 thru Thursday July 13, 9:00am to 11:00am; Saturday July 14 thru September 30, 9:00am to 11:00am and 2:00pm to 4:00pm; Finally Monday October 1 to Monday October 8, 10:00am to 12:00pm (Noon). Since 1987, over 20,000 hikers have taken advantage of the free ferry across the Kennebec River! The owner of the two dams located above the Kennebec Crossing, Florida Power and Light, produces hydro-electric power to about 88 million customers yearly mostly for on-demand peak power industrial concerns. For further info, please call me at 207-663-4441. Yours, Steve Longley c/o Rivers and Trails, 1603 US Rt 201, The Forks, Maine 04985. e-mail, [email protected] or website, www.riversandtrails.com

[Jim Adams]

I forded in 1990--no big deal!
I canoed in 2002--no big deal!
ANSWER---HOH!
geek

[rafe]

No way would I want to. There are all those warings and it is nice to get a free canoe ride. I mean that is 1 mile (or 1/2 mile or what ever it is) that you do not have to actually walk!

More like 150 yards, at best.

[mountain squid]

Ford or Ferry.... For the 21st year, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will provide a free ferry service across the Kennebec River on the following dates: Friday May 18 thru Thursday July 13, 9:00am to 11:00am; Saturday July 14 thru September 30, 9:00am to 11:00am and 2:00pm to 4:00pm; Finally Monday October 1 to Monday October 8, 10:00am to 12:00pm (Noon). Since 1987, over 20,000 hikers have taken advantage of the free ferry across the Kennebec River! The owner of the two dams located above the Kennebec Crossing, Florida Power and Light, produces hydro-electric power to about 88 million customers yearly mostly for on-demand peak power industrial concerns. For further info, please call me at 207-663-4441. Yours, Steve Longley c/o Rivers and Trails, 1603 US Rt 201, The Forks, Maine 04985. e-mail, [email protected] or website, www.riversandtrails.com

Thank-You for your service, Steve.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[SalParadise]

yeah, I remember this thread from last year.

I forded in 05 with a group of friends. I have a background in competitive swimming, so I didn't have much of a problem getting across, but my friends had a much harder time, one in particular (he's fine).

I couldn't recommend fording the Kennebec because I've seen how difficult and dangerous it can be when the dam is open.

if i lived closer to the ATC, maybe that would be a recommendation i'd put forward, that the next project could be a tent platform right on the banks of the river. maybe hikers would be more apt to tent there and wait until the next morning for Ferryman and not ford in a race to get to that restaurant.

[weary]

I forded in 1990--no big deal!
I canoed in 2002--no big deal!
ANSWER---HOH!
geek

Well, it's like fighting to protect the environment. You never finally win. There is always the environment there for someone else to develop. But losing tends to be forever -- something like drowning trying to wade the Kennebec.

The chances of drowning are not great. The dam upstream opens sporadically. As Lone Wolf says, "no big deal," at least until by chance the dam opens and you drown.

If it were strictly a contest of skills, I'd say go for it. I've snowshoed many miles of the AT in Maine in Winter. I've been on Katahdin's tableland a half dozen times in winter -- or the summit once. I like risks that pit me against nature.

But wading the Kennebec isn't like that. Most times most anyone can do it. Occasionally, however, the dam opens and you have a good chance of drowning.

If you think it's fun to play Russian Roulette wade the Kennebec. Afterall in Russian Roulette you have five chances in six of surviving. Your odds of surviving are even better on the Kennebec. But the outcome has little to d0 with physical skills -- just luck.

Weary

[Jim Adams]

Weary,
I've been a whitewater guide for 30 years. As long as the river level is compatable I wouldn't hesitate fording but that is just me. I also enjoy pitting myself against nature when it is a challenge that I am educated in. I do alot of winter backpacking however Pennsylvania winters are quite abit more mild than Maine. I envy you! I would love to be on the tablelands on snowshoes however that is probably beyond my level of safty. To each his own.
geek

[weary]

Weary,
I've been a whitewater guide for 30 years. As long as the river level is compatable I wouldn't hesitate fording but that is just me. I also enjoy pitting myself against nature when it is a challenge that I am educated in. I do alot of winter backpacking however Pennsylvania winters are quite abit more mild than Maine. I envy you! I would love to be on the tablelands on snowshoes however that is probably beyond my level of safty. To each his own.
geek

I've always figured that anything humans can do, I probably can do, if I put my mind to it. So over the years I've repaired cars, designed houses, built houses, solicited money to save mountains, written articles to save mountains .... The difference between me and experts is time. All professional auto mechanics, house designers, carpenters are much faster than me.

Climbing Katahdin in February is similar. Pick a good day, know your limitations and just do it. I figured out long ago how to safely cross the Kennebec. Just pick a nice day and sort of swim, walk, dog paddle. and float across.

I just have never figured out how to do it with a heavy pack that keeps trying to drown me when I lose my footing on those slippery rocks.

Weary

[Jim Adams]

Weary,
Totally understand! Pack all items in your pack inside of a sealed closed trash bag. Do not wear your hip belt. If you fall, slip out of the shoulder straps and just swim with the floating pack in front of you. It may be strenuous, tiring and you may end up further down stream than planned but alive. Just DON'T try to stand up in rapids (much different than riffles) and you should be fine, wet but fine.
geek