100 Mile Wilderness section hike

[kalash]

All,

I'm trying to plan out this hike sometime in late June.

I have a few questions:
1. What's the best way to get there (to Monson) from NYC using public transit?
2. How do I get back after finishing at Katahdin (planning NOBO hike)?
3. Are there any resupply points along the way?
4. What are the bugs like in late June / early July?
5. What are the low temps at night?
6. I'm planning for 5-6 days. I'm wondering if this is reasonable. I typically average around 20 miles per day in the Rockies. I hear that this is a hard trail, but I'm not sure what that means. In the Rockies, I am often climbing 3000-4000' per day at an elevation of 10-12K. I travel light--my base weight is in the 8 lb range.

Thanks!

[MuddyWaters]

Not what you asked
But its much much easier logistically to do sobo

Fly bangor, bus to medway, at lodge pickup, lodging, shuttle into park.

Make rez at ksc for night after summit

Pick up maildrop for 100 mw at abol store

Get to monson, get shuttle back to bangor

ME aint cheap to get around, except on foot. Shuttles from airport to trail will be$150- $200. Cheapest is walk katahdin to gorham in one 300 mi section. Splitting ME in two parts, costs $400 in shuttles and another $500 airline ticket. Makes no sense.

No public transit to monson that im aware of. Its a town of 685 people. Shaws is best shuttle option.
Northern half is flat. Youll make good miles there.

[moldy]

1. Take a plane or bus to Bangor, then arrange for a shuttle thru Shaws in Monson.
2. The hostel in Millinocket operates a shuttle to the tiny nearby town of Medway that has the bus.
3. If you are rich you can arrange a food drop in Monson or if you are even richer you can visit the hostel on the lake. 6 days?...carry your food.
4. Skeeters and black flys will be bad.
5. 50's and 60's
6 You should be able to do this. However, If it's raining all day every day...

[peakbagger]

No public transit to Monson. Amtrak runs to Portland Maine but you need to walk between South Station in Boston to North Station. I expect many folk just take the bus from Portland to Boston. From there you can take the bus along Interstate 95. The closest stop to Monson is Waterville. The closest stop to Katahdin to Medway You will need a hostel stay in Millinocket in order to cathc the southbound bus in the AM. If you start in Millinocket you need a hostel stay.

[Turk6177]

I agree that southbound will be easiest. Bugs are very bad in June/July. I would spray all your clothes with permethrin and bring a head net for some of the lower lying areas. Expect few switchbacks, and lots of rocks and roots for your walking path. I flew to Portland and did a one way car rental to the Bangor airport, where I returned the car and got a shuttle from Phil at 100 mile outfitters (he also has some cabins right off the AT in Monson). He will do a midway resupply for you as well for a fee. It is a beautiful, but challenging hike. I think your miles are do-able, but you will be pushing it.

[TJ aka Teej]

I have a few answers:
1. See above.
2. See above.
3. Shaws (Monson) and AT Lodge (Millinocket do food drops. Whitehouse Landing is a sporting camp about halfway through the northern section of the 100 where ATers go off trail for burgers and beers.
4. The end of blackfly season, beginning of mosquito season. Head net and DEET.
5. Warm days and cool nights.
6. 5-6 days isn't reasonable. A seven time northbound thruhiker I knew would plan 6.5 days. I tried that, and it wasn't fun.

[4eyedbuzzard]

2. How do I get back after finishing at Katahdin (planning NOBO hike)?

6. I'm planning for 5-6 days. I'm wondering if this is reasonable. I typically average around 20 miles per day in the Rockies. I hear that this is a hard trail, but I'm not sure what that means. In the Rockies, I am often climbing 3000-4000' per day at an elevation of 10-12K. I travel light--my base weight is in the 8 lb range.
5-6 days isn't reasonable. A seven time northbound thruhiker I knew would plan 6.5 days. I tried that, and it wasn't fun.

Katahdin is a (very) full day itself (it sounds as though you will be climbing Katahdin as the finish to the hike?), and a shorter day to set it up after hiking the 100+ miles to Baxter from Monson works well.
Even if you are in great shape, 5 days to Abol Bridge is 20 mpd, 6 days is 17mpd. 5-6 days (to Abol Bridge) may be doable for someone in excellent condition, but for comparison, 14-15 mpd is about average for thru-hikers. The trail through the 100 mile is full of rocks and roots and mud and stream crossings and it is usually wet and slippery. Foot placement is important unless you enjoy slipping and falling a lot, and that slows your pace. Type "100 mile wilderness" into a google search and click on images.

After reaching Abol do a "shorter" hiking day (10 miles) to The Birches (get there early as there are only 12 spaces for NOBO LD hikers and you can only camp for 1 night), rest up, and climb Katahdin the next day. That's only if the weather is reasonably good - if weather is bad you will be strongly advised not to climb. Leave your pack at the Ranger Station and borrow a day pack for the climb. That's 7-8 days minimum if you are super fast AND everything goes well.

[James GAME2009]

I'll go against the grain of the thread and answer the last of your questions, since the others already have good answers. I think the 5-6 day timeframe will be fine if your abilities are what you say. The hundred mile wilderness is overall fairly easy hiking. You'll have a lot of daylight that time of year and if you're in shape you should not have any problem doing big miles. It's certainly been done a lot faster. And a lot slower.

[egilbe]

Fastest I know of was a British ultra-marathoner who did it in two days: Crazylegs. My Girlfriend and I did it the following week in a more sedate 9 days and we had to force ourselves to stop and smell the roses.

I'll echo what everyone else says and suggest going southbound.