View Full Version : 100 Mile Wilderness Fastpack Late August 2016
Heliotrope
07-19-2016, 10:47
Planning to hike south from Abol bridge to Monson in 5 - 6 days. Using a food drop to keep pack weight down. Looking for other adventurous souls to enjoy the journey with.
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illabelle
07-19-2016, 11:36
We'll be in the vicinity, also SOBO. We expect to enter the Wilderness late on Sunday, Aug 28, after climbing Katahdin the day before. Like you, we're doing a food drop, but we're kinda slow, and won't be able to keep up with you. Depending on how our schedules line up, maybe we'll share the trail or a lunch spot for a little while, or maybe a shelter or campsite.
I'll be there starting Friday the 26th going SOBO. Starting at Abol. I'm not fast however.
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MuddyWaters
07-19-2016, 15:11
I dont think anything under about 30 mpd is usually referred to as fastpacking. Usually in 30-40 mpd range for fit trail runner types that like to that kind of thing. Cover as many miles as possible per day.
Semantics aside, sounds like a great time to be in maine, youll meet a lot of thrus as they are nearing end.
I'll be there hiking sobo on the 21st from Daicey Pond, but I want to enjoy myself and the hike. The plan is to take a zero day somewhere there and listen to the loons on some secluded pond.
peakbagger
07-19-2016, 15:47
I'll be there hiking sobo on the 21st from Daicey Pond, but I want to enjoy myself and the hike. The plan is to take a zero day somewhere there and listen to the loons on some secluded pond.
Hard to beat Antlers campsite for zero
I'll be there hiking sobo on the 21st from Daicey Pond, but I want to enjoy myself and the hike. The plan is to take a zero day somewhere there and listen to the loons on some secluded pond.
Hard to beat Antlers campsite for zero
Thats kinda what we are thinking, but we'll see if there is room. Seems a lot of people recommend that site.
hikeandbike5
07-19-2016, 18:25
you can do it in 3 days.
Heliotrope
07-19-2016, 19:13
We'll be in the vicinity, also SOBO. We expect to enter the Wilderness late on Sunday, Aug 28, after climbing Katahdin the day before. Like you, we're doing a food drop, but we're kinda slow, and won't be able to keep up with you. Depending on how our schedules line up, maybe we'll share the trail or a lunch spot for a little while, or maybe a shelter or campsite.
How long is your planned journey?
Heliotrope
07-19-2016, 19:15
you can do it in 3 days.
Thanks for the vote of confidence ;). Like Egilbe, I do want to enjoy myself.
Heliotrope
07-19-2016, 19:24
We'll be in the vicinity, also SOBO. We expect to enter the Wilderness late on Sunday, Aug 28, after climbing Katahdin the day before. Like you, we're doing a food drop, but we're kinda slow, and won't be able to keep up with you. Depending on how our schedules line up, maybe we'll share the trail or a lunch spot for a little while, or maybe a shelter or campsite.
How far are you planning to go? I don't have an exact start date but probably that weekend.
Heliotrope
07-19-2016, 19:43
I'll be there starting Friday the 26th going SOBO. Starting at Abol. I'm not fast however.
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I may very well see you out there.
illabelle
07-19-2016, 22:22
How far are you planning to go? I don't have an exact start date but probably that weekend.
We will summit Katahdin (weather permitting) on Saturday, August 27 - Day 1, then walk out of Baxter on Sunday - Day 2. Our tentative itinerary is as follows:
Day 1, 5.1 miles x 2 - up/down K from Katahdin Stream Campground
Day 2, 13.5 miles - KSC to Hurd Brook LT
Day 3, 11.5 miles - HB to Rainbow Stream LT
Day 4, 21.7 miles - RS to Antlers Campsite
Day 5, 16.0 miles - AC to East Branch LT (with resupply at JoMary Rd)
Day 6, 10.8 miles - EB to Carl Newhall LT
Day 7, 5.6 AT miles + 4.5 Gulf Hagas - CN to campsite near W Branch Pleasant River
Day 8, 11.2 miles - campsite to Cloud Pond LT
Day 9, 12.3 miles - CP to campsite at Little Wilson Stream
Day 10, 10.1 miles - campsite to Historic AT route (SOBO mile 117.8)
I'm a little worried about days 4 and 5. The elevation profile looks so flat, but we've done a 20 mile day exactly once. If there's a place to camp beyond Rainbow Stream, we'll go further on Day 3. If we run low on time near the end, we'll try to get picked up somewhere south of Little Wilson. Haven't arranged our shuttles yet.
Maybe we'll see you out there. We'll be the 50-something couple plodding along slow and steady. If we complete these miles and get home with no injuries, I'll feel like an Olympian!
illabelle
07-19-2016, 22:28
I'll be there hiking sobo on the 21st from Daicey Pond, but I want to enjoy myself and the hike. The plan is to take a zero day somewhere there and listen to the loons on some secluded pond.
I tried to get a cabin at Daicey Pond, but they were gone really fast. Lucky you!
We will summit Katahdin (weather permitting) on Saturday, August 27 - Day 1, then walk out of Baxter on Sunday - Day 2. Our tentative itinerary is as follows:
Day 1, 5.1 miles x 2 - up/down K from Katahdin Stream Campground
Day 2, 13.5 miles - KSC to Hurd Brook LT
Day 3, 11.5 miles - HB to Rainbow Stream LT
Day 4, 21.7 miles - RS to Antlers Campsite
Day 5, 16.0 miles - AC to East Branch LT (with resupply at JoMary Rd)
Day 6, 10.8 miles - EB to Carl Newhall LT
Day 7, 5.6 AT miles + 4.5 Gulf Hagas - CN to campsite near W Branch Pleasant River
Day 8, 11.2 miles - campsite to Cloud Pond LT
Day 9, 12.3 miles - CP to campsite at Little Wilson Stream
Day 10, 10.1 miles - campsite to Historic AT route (SOBO mile 117.8)
I'm a little worried about days 4 and 5. The elevation profile looks so flat, but we've done a 20 mile day exactly once. If there's a place to camp beyond Rainbow Stream, we'll go further on Day 3. If we run low on time near the end, we'll try to get picked up somewhere south of Little Wilson. Haven't arranged our shuttles yet.
Maybe we'll see you out there. We'll be the 50-something couple plodding along slow and steady. If we complete these miles and get home with no injuries, I'll feel like an Olympian!
Almost the same itenerary as this 50+ year old couple. Although we have 15 days to hike so we arent in any hurry and will probably split the section between RS and Antlers in two. We are playing it by ear. Our packs wont weigh more than 35 pounds, and that will drop as we eat, so we should be OK.
I tried to get a cabin at Daicey Pond, but they were gone really fast. Lucky you!
I was looking at a cabin that was available until the week before we could book it. Then, it magically wasn't available anymore, although it wasnt open to the rolling reservation period yet. Im still trying to figure that one out. The cabin we did get is larger and I kept expecting it to be booked by the time I got my credit card out. Very lucky indeed.
Heliotrope
07-19-2016, 22:53
We will summit Katahdin (weather permitting) on Saturday, August 27 - Day 1, then walk out of Baxter on Sunday - Day 2. Our tentative itinerary is as follows:
Day 1, 5.1 miles x 2 - up/down K from Katahdin Stream Campground
Day 2, 13.5 miles - KSC to Hurd Brook LT
Day 3, 11.5 miles - HB to Rainbow Stream LT
Day 4, 21.7 miles - RS to Antlers Campsite
Day 5, 16.0 miles - AC to East Branch LT (with resupply at JoMary Rd)
Day 6, 10.8 miles - EB to Carl Newhall LT
Day 7, 5.6 AT miles + 4.5 Gulf Hagas - CN to campsite near W Branch Pleasant River
Day 8, 11.2 miles - campsite to Cloud Pond LT
Day 9, 12.3 miles - CP to campsite at Little Wilson Stream
Day 10, 10.1 miles - campsite to Historic AT route (SOBO mile 117.8)
I'm a little worried about days 4 and 5. The elevation profile looks so flat, but we've done a 20 mile day exactly once. If there's a place to camp beyond Rainbow Stream, we'll go further on Day 3. If we run low on time near the end, we'll try to get picked up somewhere south of Little Wilson. Haven't arranged our shuttles yet.
Maybe we'll see you out there. We'll be the 50-something couple plodding along slow and steady. If we complete these miles and get home with no injuries, I'll feel like an Olympian!
Looks like a great itinerary. A nice relaxed pace. There is a place beyond rainbow lean to. It is a favorite of mine but not on the maps as a designated site. It is at crescent pond. It would add about 4 miles to day 3.
I'm thinking of something like this:
Day 1: 19 mi. Abol bridge to crescent pond
Day 2: 23.8 crescent to Cooper Brook
Food drop at Jo Mary
Day 3: 19 mi. CB to Carl Newhall
Day 4: 16.7 mi. CN to Cloud pond
Day 5: 19 mi. CP to Hwy 15
The miles come easier between Nahmakanta campsite and Logan brook. Before Nahmakanta roots and mud prevail!
I'm the fifty something without hair. :)
illabelle
07-20-2016, 06:10
Almost the same itenerary as this 50+ year old couple. Although we have 15 days to hike so we arent in any hurry and will probably split the section between RS and Antlers in two. We are playing it by ear. Our packs wont weigh more than 35 pounds, and that will drop as we eat, so we should be OK.
Wait, I thought you Mainers were supposed to gallop up and down the "little" hills and through the swamps. Is it even possible for you to be as slow as we are? :D
Looks like a great itinerary. A nice relaxed pace. There is a place beyond rainbow lean to. It is a favorite of mine but not on the maps as a designated site. It is at crescent pond. It would add about 4 miles to day 3.
...
The miles come easier between Nahmakanta campsite and Logan brook. Before Nahmakanta roots and mud prevail!
I'm the fifty something without hair. :)
Thank you for these details! They're really helpful. Our limited experience with Maine and NH suggests that undesignated tentsites may be few. Not sure what we will do if we arrive late somewhere and everything usable is taken by the NOBO thru crowd or other section hikers like ourselves. I imagine that we could just lean up against a tree and try to sleep, or do like Forrest Gump and Bubba leaning up against each other "so we don't have to sleep with our heads in the mud."
I guess I did "almost" a fastpack through there, twice! Wow, who knew? With resupply I might have been faster...
Six days is doable, even five if you're fit and motivated enough. No problem for thru-hikers finishing up.
Two young speed hikers did it during my last trek, they ran in two days what I'd walked in seven. Mom was at the trail crossings with goodies to sustain them.
Heliotrope
07-21-2016, 07:57
I'll be there hiking sobo on the 21st from Daicey Pond, but I want to enjoy myself and the hike. The plan is to take a zero day somewhere there and listen to the loons on some secluded pond.
Hard to beat Antlers campsite for zero
Have to agree. Sandy beaches, margaritas, a two seater privy.. Great for newlyweds!
colorado_rob
07-21-2016, 08:18
Have to agree. Sandy beaches, margaritas, a two seater privy.. Great for newlyweds! We had the privaledge of staying at Antlers on our AT finish last September... my wife made the comment that it was her favorite all-time campsite, and we've been backpacking/camping for 50 years.... don't miss antlers! sunset.... loon chorus.... sunrise.... (and we even happened to catch it on the night of a total lunar eclipse, stunning!)
Heliotrope
07-27-2016, 21:19
We had the privaledge of staying at Antlers on our AT finish last September... my wife made the comment that it was her favorite all-time campsite, and we've been backpacking/camping for 50 years.... don't miss antlers! sunset.... loon chorus.... sunrise.... (and we even happened to catch it on the night of a total lunar eclipse, stunning!)
Beautiful photo!