Baxter tent space needed Fri. 7/17!! (or plan B)

[Morpheus]

:eek: Help! I'm starting SOBO Katahdin climb next Friday morning, but I have nowhwere to stay that night, as Baxter campsites are full.
Does anybody have space for another tent or suggestions as to a plan B? Thanks

[Slo-go'en]

Plan B, get a shuttle to Monson, hike the HMW NOBO. Then you qualify to stay at the thru-hiker campsite. Then get shuttled back to Monson. Sure it will cost you a bundle, but that's the price you pay for poor planning in not making reservations well in advance.

[Morpheus]

That's what happens when you find out your'e axed as of this Friday.

[rocketsocks]

Maybe some of those reservations will cancel depending on what happen with Scott Jureks run.

[Morpheus]

So, do you think, I should just check with rangers when I sign register, then again when I come back down? Is a stealth camp possible, or am I going to have to hitchhike back to Millinocket? Sorry, this thru was originally planned as as a NOBO next year. Not much time to plan ahead.

[rocketsocks]

So, do you think, I should just check with rangers when I sign register, then again when I come back down? Is a stealth camp possible, or am I going to have to hitchhike back to Millinocket? Sorry, this thru was originally planned as as a NOBO next year. Not much time to plan ahead.
I don't have a clue, best to do that...check with rangers.

[MuddyWaters]

1. change to thursday and make reservation at Abol for thursday night
2. some percentage of reservations are held for maine residents advance reservations, and released to residents and nonresidents 7 days before the date. CALL and ask
3. you can probably find someone with room on their space you can add to.
4. there may be no shows or cancellations as well at last minute
5. worst case, you hike out. Very very long day,

[Morpheus]

1. change to thursday and make reservation at Abol for thursday night
2. some percentage of reservations are held for maine residents advance reservations, and released to residents and nonresidents 7 days before the date. CALL and ask
3. you can probably find someone with room on their space you can add to.
4. there may be no shows or cancellations as well at last minute
5. worst case, you hike out. Very very long day,


Thanks Muddy. Unfortunately AT lodge and flight to Bangor only worked together on Thursday. It'll work out. There's a lot of woods on a hike out if all else fails. ;)

[MuddyWaters]

Im seeing 1 spot at daicey pond friday 17. Its a cabin.

[Slo-go'en]

Is a stealth camp possible,

Rules are real strict in the park, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Anyway, likely it's not possible and it you get caught trying, fines, escorted out and told never to come back is the likely outcome. To hike up to the summit and back without staying in the park is like a 20 or 30 mile day depending on exactly how it's done. Good luck with that. If you can't score a last minute cancellation, you'd be best to skip it and come back another day - with reservations.

[MuddyWaters]

At lodge doesnt necessarily get you to KS early enough the next morning to do katahdin that day and hike out either. Not even early enough for some to do katahdin the same day, two nights in park are generally reccomended to get an early morning start, especially with iffy weather.

[Dogger]

You will not be the first to show up without a reservation. While doing your summir try and hook up with someone who has a reservation. If that does not work out the rangers willfind a spot. In 2012 4 hikers had no reservations found spots for all of us. That was just the day I started.

[Starchild]

During my NoBo, Splash drove up to summit with me so I hitched into Millinocket and stayed at the AT Lodge with her instead of staying at The Birches (due to a Native American event we could not expect to park if we drove in). We got a shuttle in early the next morning, summited K and then went over the Knife Edge and came down the other side, hitched a ride back.

[Morpheus]

Thanks everybody. AT lodge leaves @ 630A for the park. I'm going to try for the last spot @ Daicey pond. If that fails, I'll put on my best charming personality!

[Morpheus]

Thanks again for the help. Great suggestion Muddy. I got the last cabin @ Daicey pond 7/17.

[chiefduffy]

If you are coming to the AT Lodge, it is possible you can share a site at KSC with someone you meet at the lodge. I promise you wont feel like hiking to Daicey Pond after climbing Katahdin.

[1azarus]

great not to have to worry. have a wonderful hike.

[Water Rat]

You will not be the first to show up without a reservation. While doing your summir try and hook up with someone who has a reservation. If that does not work out the rangers willfind a spot. In 2012 4 hikers had no reservations found spots for all of us. That was just the day I started.

Just a note for anyone planning a through hike - Please try and avoid this scenario if at all possible. Relations are extremely strained between Baxter State Park and the AT crowd... It is not the park's job to figure out where you will be sleeping. If the issues continue, the park will make drastic changes that nobody will like.

The rangers do an awesome job and they do the best that they can to help, but it also depends on the attitude they encounter from thru-hikers. AT hikers are not entitled to the park and the rangers do not HAVE to help AT hikers find a place to sleep. If you are doing a hike, you need to be responsible for finding your way out of the park, or for finding a place to sleep.

[Slo-go'en]

The rangers do an awesome job and they do the best that they can to help, but it also depends on the attitude they encounter from thru-hikers. AT hikers are not entitled to the park and the rangers do not HAVE to help AT hikers find a place to sleep. If you are doing a hike, you need to be responsible for finding your way out of the park, or for finding a place to sleep.

I was going to make a similar comment. With some 200 SOBO hikers having already passing through there, it being a weekend and peak season, I wouldn't count on the Rangers being as accommodating as they might have been several years ago. Fortunately, the OP lucked out finding a spot at Daicey pond so this is now a mute issue, but something for other hikers in a similar situation to keep in mind.

[namaste7]

:eek: Help! I'm starting SOBO Katahdin climb next Friday morning, but I have nowhwere to stay that night, as Baxter campsites are full.
Does anybody have space for another tent or suggestions as to a plan B? Thanks

If you can change to the 16th of july i have a tent site that you can share.