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View Full Version : SOBO 2013 MEGA What are your plans for BSP



tarantolk
01-25-2013, 12:22
Hey SOBO's!

I plan on heading out from BSP mid-june and was wondering what your plans were - as far as camping/overnight'ing at or around BSP area. I know we cannot stay at Katahdin Stream Campground. I'm not sure yet about my own plans and was hoping that your feedback would help my decision.

Initially I was gearing toward getting up to ME (8hr ride) and staying in a motel that night. Heading out early to Katahdin the next morning, then staying somewhere in the park. Katahdin Stream would be great because I don't want to push it the first day, but only thru hikers with at least 100miles can stay there. Is there another option without too great of a mileage the first day out?

Thanks :-)

Quadzilla
01-25-2013, 17:54
Anyone can stay at Katahdin Stream Campground. Anyone can stay at any of the campgrounds in Baxter Park. Just make sure you have reservations before heading there. Especially in July and August as there is no guarantee there will be a place for you. The campgrounds are small and there are no overflow sites. Once the sites fill up; you will have to find another place in the Park or camp outside the Park. June isn't so much a problem. Call ahead to make sure. I always recommend that people reserve a lean-to. The lean-to's are private and the same price as a tentsite ($30). You should reserve your site for the night you plan to summit Katahdin. You can leave your full pack with Betsy (the KS ranger) on her porch for safe keeping while you hike and grab one of her many daypacks to use while summiting. Once you return; your pack will be waiting for you and you can head on over to your site. The "Birches" shelters are also located at KS and are reserved for northbound long distance hikers. As a southbounder (SOBO), the Park does not recognise you as a long distance hiker, so there is guarantee these two shelters will be available for you. Reserve a lean-to at KS and you have no worries.

lukabrazi
01-25-2013, 18:31
I am starting a summer long section hike at that time. I'm renting a car in North Central PA and driving to Bangor on the 14th. I'm using a shuttle/hostel that night. The next morning I'm going up Katahdin and have reservations at Katahdin Stream campground for the 15th. Anyone interested in sharing and splitting costs can PM me.

lukabrazi
01-26-2013, 17:56
Would this be better in the SOBO MEGA forum?

Almost There
01-26-2013, 19:52
When I went up it was June 10, and had reservations. As I remember it there were several lean-tos empty that year (2008). The Birches were completely empty, but I would not have wanted to stay there in June, lots of growth in the site. Remains my favorite section-hike, enjoy yourself out there!

Tree Nerd
02-04-2013, 16:58
how many miles is it up and down katahdin then out of baxter?

peakbagger
02-04-2013, 18:24
The others have said it but the Birches is closed to south bounders but that shouldn't be an issue as Katahdin stream campground is generally wide open that time of year. The Birches are just up the road a bit from KSC. The least hassle and most bug free is to make reservations in the bunkhouse at KSC, its very buggy in that area in mid June so enjoy your last bug free night for a few months. Camping at KSC is about the best day hike up and down, some folks add on Abol which can be done as a partial loop if you dont mind hitching or walking on the park road to get back to KSC.

Folks do go up Baxter and out of the park in one day but they probably regret it the next day. The odds of a real nice day on the summit are about 1 day in 3 so making reservations in the park for one extra night makes it so that you can dont the next day if the weather is bad on the day you planned. A bunkhouse space is $12 versus a tent site is $30.

If you do drive up realize that to get from Millinocket to KSC is about 1 hour plus some time at the gate. The AT Lodge does a shuttle in from Millinocket.

merc_41
02-12-2013, 18:12
I'm going south this year and I think I have all of the logistics figured out, I'm sure I have missed something but we shall see. I'm flying Delta to Bangor, from there I'm catching a sea plane to Abol Pond. I'll be staying at Abol Pond the first night, then hiking to Baxter on the Blueberry Ledge trail. That way I stay of the AT until I'm actually starting my hike. I'll stay at Katahdin Stream campground the night before I summit and the night after. 10 mile round trip to summit and back down is enough for my first day.

Hope this helps. Enjoy! See you on the trail!

Pingus
02-12-2013, 18:36
Hey SOBO's!

Katahdin Stream would be great because I don't want to push it the first day, but only thru hikers with at least 100miles can stay there. Is there another option without too great of a mileage the first day out?

Thanks :-)

Where did you get this information?? FYI, it is entirely innacurate. Make your reser vation on the date you want to camp there. It is the most beautiful place I've ever seen.

Pingus
02-12-2013, 18:39
how many miles is it up and down katahdin then out of baxter?

5.1 miles up, 5.1 miles back. 4'100 foot climb and descent. 9.9 miles out. Unless you take the Blueberry Ledges Trail from The Birches. Then it's about 4.5 miles out. Hope this helps.

Tree Nerd
02-13-2013, 20:49
5.1 miles up, 5.1 miles back. 4'100 foot climb and descent. 9.9 miles out. Unless you take the Blueberry Ledges Trail from The Birches. Then it's about 4.5 miles out. Hope this helps.

Is this only up and down or up, down, and out of Baxter SP? If not up, down, and out, how many more miles out is it after the decent off katahdin?

Firefighter503
02-14-2013, 03:01
I'm going south this year and I think I have all of the logistics figured out, I'm sure I have missed something but we shall see. I'm flying Delta to Bangor, from there I'm catching a sea plane to Abol Pond. I'll be staying at Abol Pond the first night, then hiking to Baxter on the Blueberry Ledge trail. That way I stay of the AT until I'm actually starting my hike. I'll stay at Katahdin Stream campground the night before I summit and the night after. 10 mile round trip to summit and back down is enough for my first day.

Hope this helps. Enjoy! See you on the trail!

I like your thinking. If I end up going SOBO (2014 or 2015 probably), I will have to keep that in mind. You keeping a Trail Journal?

Pingus
02-14-2013, 09:48
Is this only up and down or up, down, and out of Baxter SP? If not up, down, and out, how many more miles out is it after the decent off katahdin?

I'm guessing you're kidding, right?

Tree Nerd
02-14-2013, 10:15
I'm guessing you're kidding, right?


Im guessing you don't understand a simple question, right? Once you get off Katahdin there is still a distance you have to go to get out of the Baxter SP boundary line.....let me slow this down.....After descending Mt. Katahdin, how much further is it (distance, preferably in miles) to get out of Baxter State Park? Since the Katahdin Stream CG is basically at the bottom of Mt. Katahdin, what is the distance from there out of the park? Simple enough for you, Pingus?

Pingus
02-14-2013, 10:25
Im guessing you don't understand a simple question, right? Once you get off Katahdin there is still a distance you have to go to get out of the Baxter SP boundary line.....let me slow this down.....After descending Mt. Katahdin, how much further is it (distance, preferably in miles) to get out of Baxter State Park? Since the Katahdin Stream CG is basically at the bottom of Mt. Katahdin, what is the distance from there out of the park? Simple enough for you, Pingus?

Wow. Gee. Umm. You quotede me and I gave all the mileage and eleveation gain and descent. I'll try again for you. 5.1 miles up from Katahdin Stream to Katahdin peak. Then 5.1 miles back down from Katahdin peak to Katahdin Stream. The total elevation gain is roughly 4'100 feet from Katahdin stream to Katahdin peak. The elevation drop in the reverse direction is the same. from there it is roughly 9.9 miles out of the park (to Abol Bridge). Unless you take the Blueberry Ledges trail from the Birches campsite which is right next to Katahdin Stream Campground. If you take the Blueberry Ledges trail it's roughly 4.5 miles to exit Baxter State Park. This is the exact same info I gave in my last post that you quoted. Apologies. I really did think you were just messing with me. Have a great hike. :)

Tree Nerd
02-14-2013, 12:06
Wow. Gee. Umm. You quotede me and I gave all the mileage and eleveation gain and descent......This is the exact same info I gave in my last post that you quoted. Apologies. I really did think you were just messing with me. Have a great hike. :)

My appologies, I didnt realize it was in your last post. Also I want to appologize about my post this morning. I woke up to someone treating me like ****, I was in a bad mood when I got on the blaze, and the first thing I see was you talking to me like im dense; at least thats how I interpreted it. All in all, I declare myself a rude tard for the day.

Pingus
02-14-2013, 19:50
My appologies, I didnt realize it was in your last post. Also I want to appologize about my post this morning. I woke up to someone treating me like ****, I was in a bad mood when I got on the blaze, and the first thing I see was you talking to me like im dense; at least thats how I interpreted it. All in all, I declare myself a rude tard for the day.

Sss'ok. Thank you. :)

Rock Lobster
02-16-2013, 13:59
These last two posts are why I love hiking and hikers. Where else will you find an argument on the internet settled in a friendly way with apologies? :)