Stream fords in Maine

[Jeff]

Have hiked from Springer to Gorham, NH and haven't had to wade across a serious river yet!! How many stream fords should I anticipate in Maine during a typical August/September hike? Are most north of Monson?

Can't wait to get my feet wet!!!

[Lone Wolf]

There are a few south of Monson too. Don't forget to ford the Kennebec.

[lobster]

LOL!!!

LW, a lawyer will be at your door if his Kennebec crossing doesn't go well!!

[weary]

Have hiked from Springer to Gorham, NH and haven't had to wade across a serious river yet!! How many stream fords should I anticipate in Maine during a typical August/September hike? Are most north of Monson?
Can't wait to get my feet wet!!!

There are only two or three bridges along the entire 283 miles of AT in Maine, but several dozen streams, scattered both north and south of Monson. Usually, none are very difficult -- except the Kennebec -- in August and September.

A heavy summer rain can create temporary problems. But streams in Maine drain rapidly after the rain stops. If the rain has stopped and a stream looks higher than I want to attempt, I usually just stop early that day and by morning things are likely to have calmed down.

Weary

[Shutterbug]

I hiked Southbound from Baxter State Park to Gulf Hagas in September. I only had to ford two rivers (east and west brances of the Pleasant River). There were two more where the choice was to ford or to rock hop. Rock Hopping with a heavy pack can be dangerous, but is possible.

I saw several people who forded the rivers in their hiking boots. I dislike wet feet enough that I took off my boots and wore my crocs.

[Mouse]

I had about four or five times I changed into a pair of Teva flipflops I'd brought to ford across rivers. Once I got swept off my feet by the current and had to grab a boulder to keep from going for a submarine ride; if it has rained recently when you get to a crossing it might pay to wait half a day for the water before trying to ford.

[TJ aka Teej]

How many stream fords should I anticipate in Maine during a typical August/September

Typical ain't what it used to be.

[SalParadise]

They weren't so bad this year. Though I forded the Kennebec when the dam was open this year; glad I'm a good swimmer. Having sandals with heel straps helped. I'd wonder if flip-flop types would fall off the feet in the middle of the rivers, and if there's been rain the southern half of the Wilderness is just a big, deep mud puddle, anyway.

[Skyline]

In 2003 there were LOTS of tough fords in Maine. Probably that was an aberration, as '03 was the rainiest year ever according to many long-time Trail watchers. But it was probably typical of what the normally "easy" fords are like right after a heavy rain--except in '03 they didn't improve as fast.

[Footslogger]

[quote=Skyline]In 2003 there were LOTS of tough fords in Maine.
==================================
You've got that right !! I took one look at the Kennebec and decided to take the canoe ride. Some of those little brooks were waist high with VERY cold water.

'Slogger

[rocket04]

During my hike in '04, there was only one ford that was a little tougher (I didn't ford the Kennebec), and it was because it rained a lot days before. I forget the name of the river. The current was fairly strong, but the water level was only a litte below waist high. Some people had felt compelled to wait before fording that one the day before. I guess it depends on your level of experience, mine was just about none. I just crossed holding on to small tree trunk that had been thrown accross the river and it was pretty easy that way.

[Skyline]

There was one ford in Maine in '03 (I also can't remember the name and probably couldn't pronounce it anyway!) that was so tough we didn't ford it. We bushwacked precariously along this stream for well over a mile to get to a small road that had a bridge over it, and then did the same down the other side to get back to the AT. Spent over a half-day doing this, but the stream was raging whitewater--no, make that brownwater--and at least up to the bottom of my ribcage (hard to tell how deep the stream bed actually was) and I'm 6 feet tall.

I think we made the right decision, even though we know of two 20-something guys who somehow forded ahead of us. At least they said they did. I recall reading that Bill Irwin and Orient came to a stream in Maine like this (who knows--maybe the same one?) and bushwacked to a road/bridge crossing also.

The thing was we didn't even know for sure there WAS a road and bridge upstream. We were only going on what some SOBOs told us the day before. This time, it turned out to be good info.

[ferryman]

Hey Sal Paradise, Congrats on your recent hike from GA to ME. When you say the Kennebec was high when you forded this year, could you tell whether the two rivers (Dead and Kennebec) were both releasing at the same time, one releasing while the other was shut down or if it had rained in the previous days. Not to take anything away from your decision to ford, but I never know the release schedule from one day to the next and even when I do receive the scheduled releases, there are sometimes "surprises".
February 1978, I climbed to the top of Katahdin and while it was 70 below zero with windy conditions, I jumped into my telemark skiies, shoved off and skiied down the Big K. Thinking back upon my decision to solo ski down, I realize now that I put the other 7 climbing partners at risk for my desire to "conquer" Katahdin. If any one of the expedition members were to get hurt, the others would be jumping into the "frying pan" to save that one member.
I would have a hard time accepting the fact that someone laid their life down to save my butt. I bet a fistful of dollars that you would feel the same way!! Best of Luck on your next adventure as well as the whole class of 2005. Great Job. Sincerely, Steve the ferryman

[bearbag hanger]

There were three fords I remember during my 2004 hike. The first was the Rattle River just before Gorham, NH. Guess you've already done that one. It's easy before a rain, but quite difficult after the whole day of rain when I got to it. I had to stop and camp out to wait for the water to go down, which it did by morning.

The other two (I took the canoe across the Kennebec) were the west and east branch of the Piscataquis River, with the west being the most difficult. There were others, but these two fords were waist deep and the west branch was very difficult to stand up in while crossing due to the speed and volumn of water going through.

I've read somewhere else that one of the bridges in Baxter state park between Abol Bridge and Daicey Pond is out. Someone put some logs across, but the ridge runner recommends not using them, instead, go up stream a bit and find a safer place to cross.

[Lion King]

23 miles North of Monson can be TERRIFYING if it has rained for a few days...seriously.

Wilson, just the name alone.

brrrrrrrrrrrr.

[walkin' wally]

One fording that I have respect for is Long Pond Stream in the 100 mile wilderness. This has been my worst experience in Maine. When it has been raining for a few days the current and channel along the north bank can be an ordeal. Like others have said the water will drop quickly.
There is also a bridge downstream from the crossing that hikers can use as an alternative route.

[SalParadise]

Steve, it hadn't rained in five days when I forded the Kennebec, but that's all I'm sure of. I've heard of the river being around waist+ depth typically, so when I crossed it was around 7'-8' deep if that means anything.
I've heard a lot of people say "ford ford ford, you'll be fine." But I wasn't carrying a pack at the time and I'm a competitive-level swimmer, and with the current as it was, I sure would never recommend fording unless you meet both of those criteria.

[weary]

Steve, it hadn't rained in five days when I forded the Kennebec, but that's all I'm sure of. I've heard of the river being around waist+ depth typically, so when I crossed it was around 7'-8' deep if that means anything.
I've heard a lot of people say "ford ford ford, you'll be fine." But I wasn't carrying a pack at the time and I'm a competitive-level swimmer, and with the current as it was, I sure would never recommend fording unless you meet both of those criteria.

I've never attempted to ford the Kennebec. But I've forded many streams, many times over the decades in Maine, and waited out many high stream crossings when water was high, and occasionally even turned back.

The crossing that stays most vividly in my menory in 1993 was a stream between Abol Bridge and Daisy Pond, probably Nesouradnehunk Stream. I wandered up and down stream looking for an easy crossing. Finally, I just crossed. It wasn't especially dangerous. But the slightest mis-step would've resulted in a wet pack, something I didn't really want on my next to last day on the trail.

Weary

[Cuppa Joe]

This year we had several "exciting" river crossing. There had been 3 inches of ran in a few day period. We had a tough crossing at the Piscataquis. I am 6'2" and the water was thigh high and running fast. It came up belly high on Tink and we were a little worried going across.

ANother problem was the Little Wilson just outside of Monson. One guy got carried down and it scared him to the point where he almost bailed from the trail. They can be fun but remember the rules for fording rivers!

Undo the waist belt and loosen the shoulder straps!

Cuppa Joe

[weary]

....remember the rules for fording rivers!
Undo the waist belt and loosen the shoulder straps! Cuppa Joe

I would add, "and keep your boots on."
One rainy day while working on the trail south of Monson a girl passed by, shoeless and sans pack.

Her query: "Do you have any idea where my pack might end up?"

My reply: "Somewhere between here and the Atlantic Ocean."