probably a ridiculous but honest question about first day southbounding

[MissMagnolia]

I hiked Katahdin in August. I am overweight and wasn't in good shape, either, but I thought I'd be okay. I hiked up the Hunt trail and back down it with a daypack, and it took me 13 hours. I almost didn't make it over the rebar spots. There were two places I actually sat down to try to figure out how to get up there. The combination of not being strong and being short almost stopped me, but I powered up after puzzling out where to put my feet and hands. Upper body strength would have been very handy in some of those spots, and I really didn't have it. I did pull something in my groin getting up there and that slowed me down, too, and then made my knee hurt. Coming down the mountain was just as hard, or even harder, and I ran out of water since I only carried 2 liters. I got to practice treating the stream water with Aqua Mira, but I should have done that much sooner than I did, because I hiked about 5 miles without water and dehydration slowed me down as well as not eating enough food on the hike.

Finally, my feet and ankles were horribly swollen for days after that and I could hardly move. That being said, trekking poles were probably the reason I was able to complete that hike, and I learned a great deal about my abilities. That was the hardest physical thing I've done in my life, because I wasn't prepared. I will be and already am, in much better shape for when I start my thru-hike in Georgia in April. And I will force myself to eat and make sure to stay hydrated, both of which I didn't do well on Katahdin.

You have plenty of time to train on stairs or stair steppers for next June/July. I'm sure you can do it if you know what to expect and are prepared.

[Yahtzee]

What Map Man said.

Also, I wouldn't worry so much about the rigors of Maine. You will have a full two weeks of fairly easy hiking before you hit the climbs.

Also, here's a little mantra I run thru my mind on long ascents, "Head down, heels first". I read about having your heel strike first on climbs from some article about Native American walking techniques. Personally, I've found that by making sure my heel is the first thing to land when I am climbing, I use my all of my calves and spread the exertion thru the whole muscle. Also, I NEVER get out of breath when I climb heel-first. And it's when you get out of breath that you start weakening mentally and fighting the climb. Heel-first may feel like plodding but the constant progress will get you there nicely.

[bamboo bob]

Leave your pack at the rangers office. Take a day pack with water and snacks. It's a common day hike, you'll just be going up with a few dozen day hikers. It is not as fun as finishing your thru hike there but it's a beautiful mountain. I recall it took about eight hours up and back for my old body.

[mudhead]

You will be fine. Hunt Trail up/down. It looks a whole lot scarier than it actually is after the fact.

I like to get on my toes going uphill, at least on dry, slabby stuff.

Few dozen + a couple.

Eye glass guards if you wear them.

Gets light before 0500. No sense sleeping in. Warmer air about 500yds up.

[TJ aka Teej]

like i said, probably a dumb question.

Your's are smart questions, TV.
Some real good info above. Some random thoughts below.
I wouldn't recommend the Abol Slide trail for a first time ascent.
You also should know that the trails and campground out of Chimney Pond are always the last to open, the trails up might not open til late June.
That leaves a there and back again via the AT out of Katahdin Stream.
I always suggest southbounders reserve two nights in a lean-to at Katahdin Stream, before and after your climb. Bring cash for firewood. The AT Lodge shuttle will get you in around 4PM. Set up camp, talk with the Ranger, read the AT's best register, meet other MEGAs, and stretch your legs by checking out the Birches or going up to Katahdin Stream Falls. Prep your day pack, get a good night's sleep, and start up at first light. The 'peak' you see from the campground isn't the top of the mountain. It's just the gateway to the tableland, with Baxter Peak still over a mile away. An early start gets you ahead of the van loads of tourists. Take your time, plan on spending the day on the mountain. When you get down you'll appreciate a site to crash at, and you'll probably share the day's adventures with other MEGAs who climbed with you or will be climbing the next day.
The next day is a nice walk out to Abol Bridge, with a short fade-blaze to Daicey Pond you will not want to miss.
Keep asking questions!

Have you seen Blissful's sobo site?
http://blissfulhiking.blogspot.com/

[hikerboy57]

although the hunt trail gets pretty steep, dont get discouraged, keep your head down and keep going. once you get past the gateway, you hit the tableland , which seems almost flat by comparison, and takes you the rest of the way to the summit.. you'll be okay, just get an early start.

[Pages]

thank you all for your comments. really appreciate the help!

TV

[10-K]

The day I climbed Katahdin there was a girl starting a southbound who had spent a lot of time that morning putting on makeup. I mean she was heavily cosmeticated.

It was like one of those "What's wrong with this picture?" moments.

[Quadzilla]

Many of my guests choose to do the Abol trail out of Abol campground (not to be confused with Abol Brdige campground which is located outside the Park). On the way into Baxter, we stop off at Katahdin Stream campground and they drop off their full packs and grab one of the Parks "free use" day packs on the rangers porch. I then shuttle them over to Abol campground, just down the road and they hike up the Abol trail, which intersects the Hunt trail (Appalachian Trail) at Thoreau Spring. From there it is 1 mile to Baxter Peak. After summiting, just retrace your way back to Thoreau Spring and then follow the Hunt (AT) trail down to Katahdin Stream. This route saves you 1.6 miles of mostly climbing and allows you to enjoy the mountain from two different angles. Just think of this option as the letter "Y" with each leg of the "Y" being each campground and Baxter Peak. Learn more at www.100milewilderness.info

[Don H]

Why not start out in style. I say skydive out of one of Katahdin Air's planes to the summit of K and hike down the Hunt trail. You avoid half of the effort required to get to the summit. Spend the night at KSC or go into town for the night and head out the next day. Just a suggestion.

Great idea! Has anyone actually done that?
There's probably a park rule against it.

[Tinker]

thanks everyone for your replies.

I originally planned to do a flip from hf to me then hf to ga, and i still might, but i don't think i'll get the whole experience i want that way, and southbounding sounds so intriguing! i can't leave till late may, so northbounding is out. i would probably start beginning of june if i southbound, black flies, high water and all, because i want to have as much time out there before the weather gets really nasty, and i want to take my time and enjoy. if the start weather in 2012 is bad in maine, i'll postpone a few weeks.i am hiking about 2-3 miles with a 24 lb pack about 3 times a week and will probably start hitting the stairs next month.

i was concerned about katahdin being the first thing i hit because i live in florida and the last mountain hike i took was in gsmnp. i hiked from big creek campground to cosby shelter - about 8 miles. left at 10am and got in about 6pm. and i was dead!!!! could barely lift myself onto the upper level sleeping platform! i would have loved to have been able to stop and camp after 6 miles.

so i'm a bit concerned about the 10 miles UP and DOWN the mountain. but i guess if everyone else can do it, i can do it.

thanks again. i'll keep you posted whether i end up flipping or southbounding.

TV

A flip like that would probably give you the best weather, temperature wise, for hiking. As you get into summer you'll be farther up north at higher elevations, and when you flip, you'll have cooler temps. I've thought about doing this myself, if I'm any condition to thru by the time I retire, and I think I would do HF - Me. and then flip, but do Springer to HF, so as not to get stuck in the higher mountains in the South in winter weather. The older I get the more the weather matters, to a point. The body doesn't regulate internal temperatures as well as it used to.

[Dolly Sods]

Great idea! Has anyone actually done that? There's probably a park rule against it.

There may be indeed a law against parachuting to the summit Tyson boxing match style, but maybe if you had enough funds, get dropped off via Helicopter to start an appropriate SOBO. For hiking's sake, hopefully no one has ever done this.

[Tinker]

10k-

"cosmeticated" - I'm not sure this is a word, but I like it. There is a sense of being "medicated" by the application of cosmetics .

I know some women who would need to be medicated at the very thought of going out into the public without makeup.