View Full Version : thru-hiker count at Katahdin
Desert Lobster
10-20-2007, 12:38
Anybody know?
Most likely 200 by now. When I was there at the start of september the count was at 140, with 40 thru hikers in Monson heading north, and more behind them.
Kirby
Appalachian Tater
10-20-2007, 14:07
Anybody know?
The Rangers there know as well as anyone does.
Write them at:
Baxter State Park
64 Balsam Drive
Millinocket, ME 04462
Or call them , Monday to Friday, 9:00AM to 4:00PM EST, except holidays:
Telephone: (207) 723-5140
Uncle Silly
10-20-2007, 16:38
I signed into Katahdin Stream with Brisk and Pike County on Sept 30th. Pike was the only one of us who signed in as a thru-hiker; he was #300-and-something. Brisk had summitted a few days before and was coming back as a non-thru to climb again; I didn't claim thru-hiker status because I was doing an AT section. Tho now that I think about it, I believe Baxter SP has their own definition of thru-hiker for which I would have qualified.
buckowens
10-20-2007, 17:10
I signed into Katahdin Stream with Brisk and Pike County on Sept 30th. Pike was the only one of us who signed in as a thru-hiker; he was #300-and-something. Brisk had summitted a few days before and was coming back as a non-thru to climb again; I didn't claim thru-hiker status because I was doing an AT section. Tho now that I think about it, I believe Baxter SP has their own definition of thru-hiker for which I would have qualified.
Does Amicalola keep track of how may started? I can't remember if when I signed in for my section if the log differentiated...
Survivor Dave
10-20-2007, 17:19
They only count from the Park but do not follow up on the ones that get shuttled from FS 42. Some folks however do sign in there and then get shuttled around.
I wish that they wouldn't have stopped taking pictures this year of potential Thru-Hikers. It was kind of cool to see the wall of photos. It was a money thing.:cool:
SD
Does Amicalola keep track of how may started? I can't remember if when I signed in for my section if the log differentiated...
buckowens
10-20-2007, 17:22
Forgot about those starting from the top...
I will never forget the look Roo gave me when we passed FS42. She asked if we could have just driven up there to start, and when I told her yes I got a very dirty look!!:D I think now she is happy she did the approach trail...
Baxter State Park has their own definition of long distance hiker, but they differentiate thru hikers from section hikers.
Kirby
Wonder if Ferryman Steve has any numbers tallied yet.
Oh, there he is on the other thread:
Estimates that I have put this year's northbound hiker totals over 400. Final numbers later next week.
warraghiyagey
10-20-2007, 17:57
Wonder if Ferryman Steve has any numbers tallied yet.
Yup, he has his estimation one thread up from here.
Programbo
10-20-2007, 18:23
I will never forget the look Roo gave me when we passed FS42. She asked if we could have just driven up there to start, and when I told her yes I got a very dirty look!!:D I think now she is happy she did the approach trail...
That`s funny....How long has the start been accessible from the FS road anyway?...I can`t recall that as being an option back when I did it in '77.
Where are Steve the Ferryman estimates located?
Kirby
Magic Man
10-20-2007, 19:28
Kirby
You can find Ferryman's entry (regarding his estimate) under AT Forum "Class of 2007" on the "NOBO 2007 Sightings" thread
The Baxter ridgerunner said she believed the ranger's northbounder count was 441 as of a few days ago.
At ATC, we had received 159 northbound thru-hiker reports this year as of Thursday, compared to 196 on that date last year. The total number of northbound thru-hikers reports for 2006 now stands at 339. Given the reporting rate so far, we might see fewer than 300 completions this year.
The number of people identifying themselves as thru-hikers at Baxter is always significantly higher than the number of people who report to ATC.
Laurie Potteiger
ATC
warraghiyagey
10-21-2007, 02:36
The number of people identifying themselves as thru-hikers at Baxter is always significantly higher than the number of people who report to ATC.
Laurie Potteiger
ATC
I think that there will always be a percentage the ATC won't know about. For some, like myself, it's not about the recognition.
I wonder how many people say they are thru hikers when checking in with the ranger, who did not actually hike the whole trail that year.
Kirby
Appalachian Tater
10-21-2007, 11:12
Probably less than 25% of "thru-hikers" actually hike the ENTIRE trail without blue-blazing or yellow-blazing or taking the ski-lift.
Lone Wolf
10-21-2007, 11:15
Probably less than 25% of "thru-hikers" actually hike the ENTIRE trail without blue-blazing or yellow-blazing or taking the ski-lift.
how do you know this or even care? :rolleyes:
Hikerhead
10-21-2007, 11:25
That`s funny....How long has the start been accessible from the FS road anyway?...I can`t recall that as being an option back when I did it in '77.
You haven't seen the debates about doing the approach trail or starting from the FS road till now?
I thought the FS road has always been there but maybe not. I guess it could have been cut across the mtn after 77. Does anyone know when FS42 was built?
You haven't seen the debates about doing the approach trail or starting from the FS road till now?
As with many other topics, I never knew it was a subject of debate until I came to Whiteblaze. :rolleyes:
I thought the FS road has always been there but maybe not. I guess it could have been cut across the mtn after 77. Does anyone know when FS42 was built?
I can't answer that, but I can tell you that in '90, I wasn't aware that FS 42 was an option. I simply assumed that the way to get to Springer Summit was via Amicalola Falls State Park. Silly me. I'm such a naif.
Whatever. It was a nice day and a nice walk. I figured I had 2100 miles ahead of me, another 8 miles wasn't going to make much difference.
Hikerhead
10-21-2007, 14:42
As with many other topics, I never knew it was a subject of debate until I came to Whiteblaze. :rolleyes:
I can't answer that, but I can tell you that in '90, I wasn't aware that FS 42 was an option. I simply assumed that the way to get to Springer Summit was via Amicalola Falls State Park. Silly me. I'm such a naif.
Whatever. It was a nice day and a nice walk. I figured I had 2100 miles ahead of me, another 8 miles wasn't going to make much difference.
I agree, the approach trail is a nice hike as I hiked that with Kerosene and the boys back when we hiked Ga. And yes, I was slow then and still kind of slow now, Kerosen. Off to dayhike a little on the AT now. Later!
TJ aka Teej
10-21-2007, 16:30
I wonder how many people say they are thru hikers when checking in with the ranger, who did not actually hike the whole trail that year.
Baxter doesn't care a bit if someone took the Creeper or skipped down Tuckerman's and rode up Wildcat. Since you only have to hike in from Monson to qualify as a long distance hiker and to stay at the Birches, there's really no reason for anyone to misrepresent themselves to the Rangers. The Rangers at Katahdin Stream tell me only 2 out of three GAMErs take the ATC form when it's offered to them - so the hikers sound honest to me.
TJ aka Teej
10-21-2007, 16:35
The Baxter ridgerunner said she believed the ranger's northbounder count was 441 as of a few days ago.
Hi Laurie,
Bluebearee's working til the end of the month, isn't she? Abol Bridge will be seeing more tagged moose than hikers by the time she's done! Everyone I talked with, from hikers to Linda at the store to Baxter Rangers were impressed with Bluebearee this season - I sure hope she comes back next year!
p.s. congrats on the Honorary ALDHA Lifetime membership!
Thanks for all you do for us!
Uncle Silly
10-21-2007, 17:25
Bluebearee's working til the end of the month, isn't she? Abol Bridge will be seeing more tagged moose than hikers by the time she's done! Everyone I talked with, from hikers to Linda at the store to Baxter Rangers were impressed with Bluebearee this season - I sure hope she comes back next year!
Hear, hear!! Bluebearee rocks. Hope to run into her again sometime.
Hi Laurie,
Bluebearee's working til the end of the month, isn't she? Abol Bridge will be seeing more tagged moose than hikers by the time she's done! Everyone I talked with, from hikers to Linda at the store to Baxter Rangers were impressed with Bluebearee this season - I sure hope she comes back next year!
p.s. congrats on the Honorary ALDHA Lifetime membership!
Thanks for all you do for us!
I believe you are right, she told me either the middle of this montn or the end of it, she is the hiker helping me with my thru, I think she mentioned something about returning next year to do it again, she seemed to be enjoying herself when I was up there.
Kirby
Fire (AT 06) told me on Friday that she had summitted Katahdin on last weekend and met 3 Thrus. One she was tickled to see reach the summit and was honored to take his photo. Sorry she didn't pass along names.
ferryman
10-25-2007, 14:41
At Noon today, yet another hiker by the name "Nukin" from Starks, Maine crossed the Kennebec River. The current total stands at 448 northbound thru-hikers and 141 southbound thru-hikers. There were 38 flipfloppers who presumably connected all the dots to complete their thru-hikes. If you count the 16 hikers who forded the Kennebec River this hiking season, that would bring the total number of thru-hikers to ...448 nobo plus 38 FF plus 16 forders equals 502 thru-hikers. Congratulations to all the hikers who started, sectioned, overcame injuries and thru-hiked this year!:sun
dessertrat
10-25-2007, 14:47
How many thru-hikers do you think just feel no need to report? I would guess that the ferry gives the most accurate count.
warraghiyagey
10-25-2007, 16:17
At Noon today, yet another hiker by the name "Nukin" from Starks, Maine crossed the Kennebec River. The current total stands at 448 northbound thru-hikers and 141 southbound thru-hikers. There were 38 flipfloppers who presumably connected all the dots to complete their thru-hikes. If you count the 16 hikers who forded the Kennebec River this hiking season, that would bring the total number of thru-hikers to ...448 nobo plus 38 FF plus 16 forders equals 502 thru-hikers. Congratulations to all the hikers who started, sectioned, overcame injuries and thru-hiked this year!:sun
You forgot to add the 141 SOBOs. Although, that number is sure to be less at Springer. My guess is Steve's numbers plus SOBOs at Springer is most accurate count.
Well I don't know how many sobo thru hikers there actually are this year but there has been quite a few thru here already and matty told me on the phone the other night that there was more on the way and some who have just started recently.............
dessertrat
10-25-2007, 17:02
Well I don't know how many sobo thru hikers there actually are this year but there has been quite a few thru here already and matty told me on the phone the other night that there was more on the way and some who have just started recently.............
If they just started recently, they are far hardier souls than I. I hope they brought ice axes and snowshoes.
The Solemates
10-25-2007, 17:25
If you count the 16 hikers who forded the Kennebec River this hiking season,
how do you know how many people forded?
warraghiyagey
10-25-2007, 17:27
how do you know how many people forded?
They probably stopped by his place or other hikers told him. I'm sure his number is not really in question.
Lone Wolf
10-25-2007, 19:34
Well I don't know how many sobo thru hikers there actually are this year but there has been quite a few thru here already and matty told me on the phone the other night that there was more on the way and some who have just started recently.............
it's below normal numbers
Lone Wolf
10-25-2007, 19:35
how do you know how many people forded?
he doesn't. he ain't at the river at 7am
Appalachian Tater
10-25-2007, 19:38
At Noon today, yet another hiker by the name "Nukin" from Starks, Maine crossed the Kennebec River.
He is the sibling of "Futs" and the child of "Katagious".
katagious
10-27-2007, 10:11
He is the sibling of "Futs" and the child of "Katagious".
Yes, that's my baby boy! We're anxious to have him home.
Very grateful, ferryman, that you were still willing to cross him 10 days past what I understand is the cut off.
No offense L.Wolfe and Doyle....but had he forded I woulda given him motherly heck.:rolleyes:
Appalachian Tater
10-27-2007, 10:17
I'm sure that he will be excited to finish his hike. Congratulations to both of them.
Bluebearee
10-29-2007, 22:48
My last day was Saturday and the number was hovering around 450. Lentil was the last one to summit on Friday, I saw no one come through Saturday. Zero has dropped out, I knew of 4 more names still that might make it. We're still having nice Fall weather and only had that stretch of 3 Class IV days.
Thanks for all the kudos Laurie, TJ and Uncle Silly (hi!).... yes, it's a distinct possibility I would be going back to BSP. My summer and fall rocked!!
BB
Hikerhead
10-29-2007, 23:04
Glad you had a good time BB. How many times did you get to hike up Mt K.?
Bluebearee
10-29-2007, 23:09
Just three. I went up Abol Slide early on and down Hunt on a great day. Then early October I got a sweet place @ the Crew Camp @ Chimney for the night and went up Dudley to Knife's Edge the next day, my new favorite trail. Met a woman up top who was trying to catch some folks she had hiked with down South before she had to leave the trail due to doggie $$ issues. Then the 17th of October with the crew that had been waiting, that was up and down Hunt.
It was a spectacular season in a gem of a place. I have an impressive wildlifel count too.
Hikerhead
10-29-2007, 23:12
Just three. I went up Abol Slide early on and down Hunt on a great day. Then early October I got a sweet place @ the Crew Camp @ Chimney for the night and went up Dudley to Knife's Edge the next day, my new favorite trail. Met a woman up top who was trying to catch some folks she had hiked with down South before she had to leave the trail due to doggie $$ issues. Then the 17th of October with the crew that had been waiting, that was up and down Hunt.
It was a spectacular season in a gem of a place. I have an impressive wildlifel count too.
Don't keep us guessing.......give us the count!
Bluebearee
10-29-2007, 23:18
Don't keep us guessing.......give us the count!
It was Off Topic so I wasn't going to go there.
Deer 10
Moose 18
Bear 4
Bald Eagles 3
Star nosed Mole 2 (dead)
Barred Owl 5
Porcupine 1
Beaver 3
Dead shrews 5
Mink 2
Coyote 2
Fox ~ 5 (the young look like small coyotes so not sure of the fox/coyote)
And 240 dead mice @ the Field Camp where I lived!
Hikerhead
10-29-2007, 23:21
18 moose. Wow! That's quite a list.
warraghiyagey
10-30-2007, 01:42
It was Off Topic so I wasn't going to go there.
Deer 10
Moose 18
Bear 4
Bald Eagles 3
Star nosed Mole 2 (dead)
Barred Owl 5
Porcupine 1
Beaver 3
Dead shrews 5
Mink 2
Coyote 2
Fox ~ 5 (the young look like small coyotes so not sure of the fox/coyote)
And 240 dead mice @ the Field Camp where I lived!
Three beaver? Sweet!
Those god damn mice! I must have killed at least 560,567 of those things in the wilderness, they have no fear.
18 moose, thats a lot of moose, glad to see BSP is working out up there.
Kirby
Appalachian Tater
10-30-2007, 11:27
Those god damn mice! I must have killed at least 560,567 of those things in the wilderness, they have no fear.
Why are you killing wildlife, Kirby, out in the woods?
Would you kill squirrels and chipmunks if they bothered you?
What about beavers and foxes? Deer? Moose?
Remember, you're just passing through their home. Leave No Trace includes not killing animals.
Johnny Thunder
10-30-2007, 11:58
Bamby's mom is dead.
Why are you killing wildlife, Kirby, out in the woods?
Would you kill squirrels and chipmunks if they bothered you?
What about beavers and foxes? Deer? Moose?
Remember, you're just passing through their home. Leave No Trace includes not killing animals.
I techincally did not kill any mice, or for that matter, any species in my hike through the wilderness. It just felt like I did because I was constantly fighting them off my food.
Kirby
Appalachian Tater
10-30-2007, 14:38
I techincally did not kill any mice, or for that matter, any species in my hike through the wilderness. It just felt like I did because I was constantly fighting them off my food.
Kirby
Okay, that seemed a little out of sorts with what I perceived to be your own behavioral standards. Just leave an open jar of peanut butter out for them and they'll leave everything else alone.
Uncle Silly
10-30-2007, 17:30
Okay, that seemed a little out of sorts with what I perceived to be your own behavioral standards. Just leave an open jar of peanut butter out for them and they'll leave everything else alone.
Or hike with a dog and overfeed her so there's leftovers in her food bowl. Some dogs & owners are actually popular at the shelter. :D
The only aggressive action I took against varmint was, I was woken up in the middle of the night by them attacking my food bag, I would hit the bag with my pole so they would be scared away, I tried with all my might to make sure I was not actually hitting them.
Kirby
SGT Rock
10-30-2007, 17:39
Just hit them Kirby. They are not an endangered species.
Just hit them Kirby. They are not an endangered species.
I did when I had to, but if I could hit the food bag hard enough to get them off, I did that, it seemed to work, no varmint breached my food bag.:banana
Kirby
Nightwalker
10-30-2007, 20:54
Why are you killing wildlife, Kirby, out in the woods?
Would you kill squirrels and chipmunks if they bothered you?
What about beavers and foxes? Deer? Moose?
Remember, you're just passing through their home. Leave No Trace includes not killing animals.
Kill al the shelter mice you want. I'll not tell on you.
I techincally did not kill any mice, or for that matter, any species in my hike through the wilderness. It just felt like I did because I was constantly fighting them off my food.
Kirby
Tater tends to be a bit argumentative, but he's alright otherwise. It's your home, too. Do what you gotta do.
Myself, I've been known to share some food with them, and I've never killed one. But if D-Con in every shelter is your thing, go for it*. Shelters ain't natural anyway, lol. (I do like to eat lunch at 'em, though. And I have actually stayed at one or two when I was very tired!)
*What would I know. I'm a scoff-law. I even used to smoke the Evil Weed (© George A. Hirliman (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028346/), 1939) to get rid of headaches.
the_iceman
10-31-2007, 06:28
I wonder how many people say they are thru hikers when checking in with the ranger, who did not actually hike the whole trail that year.
Kirby
What is a thru-hiker? For me it was every blaze, every mile, and always heading north in sequence. A lot of people out there this year (and probably other years) have a lot more liberal definition.
I did not carry my full pack for about 120 miles of the trail. To some people that would eliminate me as a thru-hiker. I believe the greater the effort the greater the accomplishment. I bow to those that passed every blaze and carried a full pack.
Many people skipped sections because it was too hard, or too hot, or they got behind their group. They still call themselves thru-hikers and since there is no "official" designation who can argue?
Does this diminish the accomplishment of people who hiked every mile? Yes and no. It does not change what I accomplished but if I could call myself a Doctor without attending medical school would that diminish the value of medical school?
PS: My estimate would be between 150 and 200 actually hiked every mile this season. Just a guess from being out there and seeing the skippers and the
What is a thru-hiker? For me it was every blaze, every mile, and always heading north in sequence. A lot of people out there this year (and probably other years) have a lot more liberal definition.
I did not carry my full pack for about 120 miles of the trail. To some people that would eliminate me as a thru-hiker. I believe the greater the effort the greater the accomplishment. I bow to those that passed every blaze and carried a full pack.
Many people skipped sections because it was too hard, or too hot, or they got behind their group. They still call themselves thru-hikers and since there is no "official" designation who can argue?
Does this diminish the accomplishment of people who hiked every mile? Yes and no. It does not change what I accomplished but if I could call myself a Doctor without attending medical school would that diminish the value of medical school?
What is a thru-hiker? For me it was every blaze, every mile, and always heading north in sequence. A lot of people out there this year (and probably other years) have a lot more liberal definition.
I did not carry my full pack for about 120 miles of the trail. To some people that would eliminate me as a thru-hiker. I believe the greater the effort the greater the accomplishment. I bow to those that passed every blaze and carried a full pack.
Many people skipped sections because it was too hard, or too hot, or they got behind their group. They still call themselves thru-hikers and since there is no "official" designation who can argue?
Does this diminish the accomplishment of people who hiked every mile? Yes and no. It does not change what I accomplished but if I could call myself a Doctor without attending medical school would that diminish the value of medical school?
PS: My estimate would be between 150 and 200 actually walked every mile this season NoBo. Just my guess from being out there and seeing the skippers and the purists and listening to grapevine. When you hike every day and you left someone 100 miles back and then they pop up 5 days ahead of you it is pretty easy to tell who is skipping.
Appalachian Tater
10-31-2007, 11:40
What is a thru-hiker? For me it was every blaze, every mile, and always heading north in sequence.
Which would eliminate me, as I hiked south one day back into Damascus! Someone told me I wasn't a thru-hiker anymore in the post office, and I asked them if it was because I slacked or went south and they said it was the latter.
the_iceman
11-02-2007, 06:37
My motto used to be every blaze, every mile, always north, with my pack but one late evening at Jim Murray's we were invited to breakfast at the Mayor of Unioville's house the next morning. This was after rolling in at 10 am and spending the day drinking beer and then Manhattans in the evening with the Mayor and his sidekick Butch. Because it was going to rain Butch said he would pick us up for breakfast.
The problem was there were 2 miles of trail to the Mayor's house. We decided to hike it right then just before dark. Suddenly everyone was lacing boots and getting out headlamps and grabbing beers. I was a mile up the trail when I realized my pack was still back on the porch.
So I have to admit I hiked 2 miles of the trail with no pack and from that moment on could no longer sign the registers "every blaze, every mile, always north, with my pack" I have to admit this bothered me for the rest of the hike.