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gargamel
01-24-2006, 06:33
How are the chances that Mount K will be open for hiking before May 31th (i.e middle of May)? As I understand Baxter State Park rules it lies in the discretion of the director if trails are opened.A.T. hikers going south should not count on hiking Katahdin trails before May 31st. Before this date, even if trails are clear of snow and ice, soils are so saturated that even light foot traffic has been determined to result in irreparable damage to Katahdin's alpine and sub-alpine areas. Several of Maine's endangered and threatened species live in the alpine area and we take our job of protecting them seriously. The Park Director, with input from field personnel, determines when the trails are open for use. Throughout the year, trail status reports can be obtained by calling BSP Headquarters in Millinocket.


Are there any statistics showing opening dates of the past years?
Do they open all trails at once, or is it possible that some are open while others are still closed.Thank's for your input.

wyclif
01-24-2006, 06:50
I'm not 100% on this, so hopefully many others will comment on this thread.

I believe Baxter opened on June 1st or 2nd last year.

TJ aka Teej
01-24-2006, 16:50
How are the chances that Mount K will be open for hiking before May 31th (i.e middle of May)? As I understand Baxter State Park rules it lies in the discretion of the director if trails are opened.A.T. hikers going south should not count on hiking Katahdin trails before May 31st. Before this date, even if trails are clear of snow and ice, soils are so saturated that even light foot traffic has been determined to result in irreparable damage to Katahdin's alpine and sub-alpine areas. Several of Maine's endangered and threatened species live in the alpine area and we take our job of protecting them seriously. The Park Director, with input from field personnel, determines when the trails are open for use. Throughout the year, trail status reports can be obtained by calling BSP Headquarters in Millinocket.

Are there any statistics showing opening dates of the past years?
Do they open all trails at once, or is it possible that some are open while others are still closed.Thank's for your input.
Hi Gargamel,
Baxter Park opens to overnight camping on May 15th (on whatever day of the week it falls) each Spring. In the last 15 years or so the Hunt Trail (theAT) up Katahdin has been open on the 15th only a few times, but once was open on May 3rd to day hikers. Lately the Park waits until the MATC trail maintainer makes a late May trip up, and until a Ranger goes up personally around Memorial Day. I'm certain the Park keeps records of the date each Trail opens, but I'm not sure that's available to the public. A certain stretch of the Hunt Trail can stay iced over until June, so the first Trail up Kaathdin to open is usually the sunny Abol Slide Trail. The Trails on the East side open later, not until mid-June at times.
No one can foretell the weather, especially along a certain mile of trail on one mountainside this Spring in Maine. First week of June seems to be as good a guess as any.

gargamel
01-24-2006, 17:25
So I will have to leave it by chance.
Thank you for the elaborate answer TJ :)