best time to hike Katahdin?

[DavidNH]

Assuming you wanted to climb Mount Katahdin (as end of AT hike or even as a day hike) under best weather conditions with fewest crowds.. when would you go? What month and time of day? Is it even possible to avoid crowds on Katahdin?

We are also assuming you follow BSP rules faithfully. That goes without saying.


David


PS I finding interesting, and a bit disturbing, that in a 200,000+ acre wilderness park 99% of the visitors only see perhaps 1 % of the park... and most of those just go up Katahdin and come down.

[Grampie]

Go mid July. Most SOBO hikers have left. Most NOBO hikers are not in Maine yet. Black fly season should be over.

[Slo-go'en]

Late August, mid week would be my choice. Thru hikers are just starting to show up and most of the tourists are gone. Days are still warm and nights getting a little crisp. Not much chance of thunderstorms.

Katahdin is the parks main feature and is ringed by four of the parks eight campgrounds.

I count 48 named peaks in the park, ranging in elevation of 5,267 for Baxter (the highest point on Katahdin) to 1,584 feet. Of those 48 peaks, 11 of the tallest (half of these are the main peaks of Katahdin ) have trails to the top, and only 8 of the remaining have trails to them.

Most of the other trails in the park are low land trails which follow rivers and access various ponds and most of these are set up as day hike trails from the other four car camp grounds in the park. There is only a very limited trail system which prevents people from getting into 99% of the park. Most of the park is dense woods and bogs.

[colorado_rob]

I'll "suffer" through the late-summer/early fall crowds when I finish my AT quest next year (assuming!), but hands-down, the time of year when I really want to climb Katadin is in the heart of deep winter (but on a nice bluebird day, of course!). My wife and I love snow/ice climbing, and do plan on doing this eventually. All the beta I see out there shows great winter conditions for climbing out there.

[RED-DOG]

my choice would be the first week in August, most SOBO's are gone and the majority of NOBO's are either gone or making their way through the 100 mile wilderness
when your on a thru-hike you don't really pick and choose the day or time, you get their when you get their and you summit Baxter Peak the next day. it is possible to avoid crowds on Katahdin.
On my 96 Flip-Flop i started my SOBO portion on Katahdin, i summited the middle of July and i was totally alone, on both my NOBO thru's i summited with crowds of people mostly day hikers.
in my opinion in order to avoid crowds on Katahdin either go early as soon as BSP opens or later when the crowds thins out.

[soilman]

I climbed it Oct 16 of this year and was the only one on the summit for about 15 minutes. Then one hiker showed up. Only saw him and another couple on the trail.

[Kerosene]

I summitted on October 4th this year, a misty, cloudy Saturday after a series of perfectly clear days that were very crowded with thru-hikers I heard. Being a Saturday there were a lot of day hikers, including 4-5 groups of a dozen or more students from various Maine colleges, so it was very crowded at the summit despite the lack of views.

[HighLiner]

I finished the trail and summited Katadhin during the last week of July of this year, on a Bluebird day, i.e., not a cloud in the sky. Recommend you reserve a shelter at Katadhin stream. It was so worth it, particularly as my family had a place to park and shelter in case of rain. Also, plan on eating at Abol Bridge if hiking the 100 wilderness. And as was said earlier, you will be well ahead of the thru hiker bubble.

[Slo-go'en]

If you just want to climb Katahdin, the best thing is to get a spot at Chimney pond and go up from that side. Of course, getting a spot at chimney pond is like wining the power ball lottery...

[DavidNH]

thanks all for the advice! Colorado rob.. you've got more guts than I do to even consider going up katahdin in winter. Slo-goen... getting a spot at Chimney Pond is nearly impossible without reservation months in advance.. and wouldn't it suck if I had a reservation and it ended up raining...

[rocketsocks]

I'll "suffer" through the late-summer/early fall crowds when I finish my AT quest next year (assuming!), but hands-down, the time of year when I really want to climb Katadin is in the heart of deep winter (but on a nice bluebird day, of course!). My wife and I love snow/ice climbing, and do plan on doing this eventually. All the beta I see out there shows great winter conditions for climbing out there.
I thought it was closed in the winter? Baxter peak.

[colorado_rob]

I thought it was closed in the winter? Baxter peak.Nope, it is not. Ever, actually.

Check out the web site, lots of good info on winter climbing. Basically, Katadin never closes, despite the continuous stream of posts on WB that imply that it does. There is a period of time starting typically in October that camping is very restricted in BSP, making it handy for AT thru hikers to get there before this date, meaning you basically have to make a long day of it after this date. Reading a bit, I think this all goes away on December 1st. Maybe it has to do with fragile tundra, and once that tundra is nicely covered with snow, no problem. Permits are required to climb it in winter (w/ camping), and you have to have the proper gear, I suppose this means they actually inspect your gear during the permit process.

[rocketsocks]

Nope, it is not. Ever, actually.

Check out the web site, lots of good info on winter climbing. Basically, Katadin never closes, despite the continuous stream of posts on WB that imply that it does. There is a period of time starting typically in October that camping is very restricted in BSP, making it handy for AT thru hikers to get there before this date, meaning you basically have to make a long day of it after this date. Reading a bit, I think this all goes away on December 1st. Maybe it has to do with fragile tundra, and once that tundra is nicely covered with snow, no problem. Permits are required to climb it in winter (w/ camping), and you have to have the proper gear, I suppose this means they actually inspect your gear during the permit process.
Well thank you for that Colorado Rob, had no idea...lends a whole other element to finishing before the years up, and while it may be inconvenient for some, it's doable and viable.

[DavidNH]

Well thank you for that Colorado Rob, had no idea...lends a whole other element to finishing before the years up, and while it may be inconvenient for some, it's doable and viable.

Well, actually, if there is a class IV day then the trails will be closed ,and hence the mountain will be closed). But that's when the weather is so bad only idiots would consider climbing. Doesn't winter climbing require permits from the rangers? They do want to be sure folks are prepared.


The thing about the October 15 date is that camping is closed in the park. Thus, to go up Mt Katahdin after that date for AT hikers would require a 30 mile round trip unless one arranges a shuttle.

[peakbagger]

Best time during the summer hiking season is the week after Labor Day week. The crowds disappear during the week. Hike during the week and start early in the morning preferably before sunrise. The hike up from Roaring Brook via Helon Taylor in the early AM is particularly nice if you start about 1/2 hour before sunrise as you will break out above treeline around sunrise and the view east is spectacular. I did the early morning option the week before labor day a few years ago mid week and didn't see anyone on the trail until the summit. Doing the knifes edge solo with no one around made it even more special. I was hiking up and over the mountain that day so when I headed down via Hunt Trail I definitely met folks but not the weekend crowds.

Alternatively get a spot at Chimney Pond and do an early morning or a late afternoon hike up Cathedral as few folks go down it. More than few folks go up for sunset and then hike down Saddle in the dark back to Chimney.

By the way if the forecast is good, just check in with the ranger, establish you are competent and you can hike the mountain to be on the summit at sunrise. You need to have a campsite somewhere you sign out of so the most practical is Chimney Pond

Probably the almost guaranteed way to avoid folks for the majority of the day is book Davis Pond leanto and hike up the mountain from the north. You will have the trail to yourself until Hamlin Peak as when you book Davis Pond, you have effectively booked the entire Northwest Basin. The only folks on the trail will be hikers from Russell Pond and they will be 2 to 3 hours behind you. The Northern Peaks trail from Russell will be similar.

[colorado_rob]

The thing about the October 15 date is that camping is closed in the park. Thus, to go up Mt Katahdin after that date for AT hikers would require a 30 mile round trip unless one arranges a shuttle. Small correction to your last statement: Camping is closed for a while, then reopened later, again, I think on December 1st (check this date). Admittedly, too late for nearly all thru-hikers.

[peakbagger]

The park is also offering limited camping after October 15th. They started it last year on a trial basis. Of course the trails to the summit could still be shut down to early season snow and ice up high(which isn't unusual in mid October)

[TJ aka Teej]

Good thread, David. Pick a weekday in September. Spend the night before and after in a lean-to at KSC. Hit the trail at first light.

[rocketsocks]

best time to hike Katahdin?

...sooner rather than later.