View Full Version : Hiking the state of Maine, AT
How many days did it take you to hike maine on the AT?
how many zero days did you take?
if you had a goal, did you take longer than expected, or finish it faster than you expected?
Lone Wolf
06-17-2008, 11:47
about a month
How many days did it take you to hike maine on the AT?
how many zero days did you take?
if you had a goal, did you take longer than expected, or finish it faster than you expected?
From the New Hampshire border to Katahdin is about 283 miles, but expect to walk more miles than this. Figure quite a few miles just to get to the border from Shelburne, N. H. You can cut the mileage to the border by taking a woods road from the mill in Berlin, N. H., but you will spend more than a day just getting too, and finding the road.
And keep in mind that Maine has a lot of interesting side trails, that wise folks will try to also walk. And towns in Maine are a longer way from the trail than you will experience on more southern sections, and roads tend not to have much traffic, making resupply longer and more complicated.
Many have zipped through faster than 30 days, but they miss a lot. I've done all of Maine a couple of times in around 4 1/2 weeeks.
Weary
hammock engineer
06-17-2008, 12:16
Gorhem, NH is also a good 10 or 14 miles south of the ME/NH border.
Gorhem, NH is also a good 10 or 14 miles south of the ME/NH border.
and why in the world wont you be hiking into gorham with me mr hammock engineer;)
hammock engineer
06-17-2008, 12:37
and why in the world wont you be hiking into gorham with me mr hammock engineer;)
Well Mr. Feeleo I would forso, but I don't see any hiking in my immediate future.
LW's estimate of a month is good. I'm sure northbound thru hikers do it in less time. But the hiking in ME between Gorham and Flagstaff Lake is as tough as anything on the AT. And scenic as heck. Maine is the crown jewel of the AT, in my opinion.
Lone Wolf
06-17-2008, 12:44
LW's estimate of a month is good. I'm sure northbound thru hikers do it in less time. But the hiking in ME between Gorham and Flagstaff Lake is as tough as anything on the AT. And scenic as heck. Maine is the crown jewel of the AT, in my opinion.
yup. gotta take it slow to get any benefit
Cookerhiker
06-17-2008, 12:44
Took me 30 days to hike Gorham/Rt. 2 to Katahdin, Aug. 15-Sept. 15, 2005 (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=113704). I took a few nero days with short mileage and one zero day to wait out Hurricane Katrina. This stretch also included 4 days of slackpacking (one of which was ascending Katahdin).
Did the 100 mile wilderness in 7 days/6 nights where I had my bigest mileage days - a 17er and 2 15ers.
I wasn't a thruhiker but in 2005, I had section-hiked nearly 400 miles before starting at Gorham so my legs and lungs were in semi-trail shape.
Well Mr. Feeleo I would forso, but I don't see any hiking in my immediate future.
mr. coffee, what is the name of that loop trail you mentioned that you siad i shoudl take the time to hike and not miss out on.....and yeah im sure there are quite a few but you mentioned one in particular......i am drawing a blank or if anyone else knows what he might be refereing to please share.....could it have started with the letter "g":-?
orangebug
06-17-2008, 13:10
Would that be the Gulf Hagas? (or something like that. I had hoped to be there today)
tlbj6142
06-17-2008, 13:13
As I learned on a 4-5 day section hike in ME, the footpath in many sections are such that your hiking speed is greatly reduced from what you might expect in the middle and southern sections of the trail. The number tree roots and/or large (knee-high plus) "steps" does slow you down a bit. Which, as LW mentioned, is a good thing.
I took the side trail to Mt. Abrams(?) and spent at night at Sugarloaf (though I think that is no longer an option), both were very nice.
this is great...jar the memories loose and keep the comments flowing about maine if you please
Would that be the Gulf Hagas? (or something like that. I had hoped to be there today)
Yeah, Weary's mentioned that repeatedly.
I didn't take any side-trips in Maine. But I did stop frequently to swim in the lakes and ponds and take in the sights and sounds. Towns are less accessible in ME (more so the farther north you go) and things just feel more wild and natural.
Cookerhiker
06-17-2008, 13:22
"....I ......spent at night at Sugarloaf (though I think that is no longer an option), both were very nice.
I also spent a night at Sugarloaf and enjoyed it as a respite from a raging thunderstorm. And you're correct - the Sugarloaf Summit House is now closed to hikers. There was a recent WB thread on this.
EarlyBird2007
06-17-2008, 14:12
How many days did it take you to hike maine on the AT?
how many zero days did you take?
if you had a goal, did you take longer than expected, or finish it faster than you expected?
I did it in 22 days at the end of my thru-hike last year. No zeros. A couple of neros. I was in pretty good shape by then and I was eager to be done. If you are just doing Maine and not in good shape or eager to be done, I would plan on about a month.
hammock engineer
06-17-2008, 14:44
Yeah the gulf hagas in the wilderness. I was short on food and didn't want to go there. Definitly not missing it next time I am up that way.
The other one I talked about was my Aronald point incident where I sank waste deep and was treeding in mudd, never did touch the bottom. Don't take that side trail south of Caratunk.
warraghiyagey
06-17-2008, 14:47
33 days in '06, 22 days last year.:sun
CrumbSnatcher
06-17-2008, 17:31
LW's estimate of a month is good. I'm sure northbound thru hikers do it in less time. But the hiking in ME between Gorham and Flagstaff Lake is as tough as anything on the AT. And scenic as heck. Maine is the crown jewel of the AT, in my opinion.
avg. northbounders 3 weeks