Sobo - foolish to try for Abol Bridge Campground on day 1?

[lweidner82]

Hi there white blaze folks!

I’m preparing to summit Katahdin on either July 23rd or 24th and go SOBO from there. I know that the general consensus is that it is unwise to try and do any more than the KSC – Katahdin - KSC loop on day 1, due to the fact the next available stopping point is Abol Bridge, making for a 20 mile day right off the bat.

While I know most on this board will probably advise against it, my questions are 1) Do you think it's possible? 2) Is the summit hike really that difficult, even with just the rental Day packs?

I’ll be starting in excellent physical shape, as I'm a distance runner and regularly do consecutive 20+ mile days in New York with a much heavier base weight than I'll have for the AT. I’m hoping to average 20+ daily, so I just hate the idea of starting off with just 5.2 trail miles hiked on Day 1.

But I realize that Maine in general and in particular Katahdin will be tougher than what I'm used to, so I'm not above swallowing my pride and spending the night in KSC and making up those miles later. I may even reserve a KSC campground and make a decision day-of, depending on how long the summit hike takes (I realize that this would mean potentially paying for a campsite I won't use)

I’d love to hear any and all advice / brutal honesty. I promise that I'm not looking at the AT through rose-tinted glasses. I know that averaging 20+ is much easier said than done.

Thanks in advance!

-LW

[lweidner82]

Also, I'm correct in understanding that even discrete hammock camping is a huge no-no and not worth the risk / damage to the reputation of other AT hikers? I won't be "that guy" but that would of course be the easiest option.

[Malto]

There are many that could do it and nobody that could answer the question whether you could better than you. But generally, my theory "if you have to ask then you probably already know the answer." Have a great hike.

[rickb]

To be brutally honest, I think a SOBO set on summiting on one of two dates July who has not already secured reservations for one or two nights at KSCC is an idiot.

[illabelle]

I'm not a distance runner. I'm not in excellent physical shape. I've done 20 miles in a day exactly once. I'm slow and I'm more than twice your age. But I have climbed Katahdin, so maybe I can help you decide.

When we did Katahdin last year, we arrived in the evening, spent the night at KSC, climbed the mountain, spent a second night, then left the next morning. I think this is similar to how most SOBO hikers start out.

First off, the area is beautiful. Even though you're eager to get going, you might want to save some of that eagerness for the less inspiring parts of the trail. Unless you're trying to set a record, plan on enjoying the trek.

Second, the terrain. For me, the climb wasn't as difficult as I imagined it would be. But the descent was steep and went on forever. My knees were so sore! My feet hurt! By the time we hobbled back to our lean-to, it was getting pretty late. I was so glad to be able to eat and lay down. Yeah, I know you're tougher than me. My point is just that the 10.4 up and down is still a good workout, and doesn't feel like a half-day hike. It's a pretty serious mountain.

Oh, and to the WB community. If you stick around, you'll learn a lot.

[Just Bill]

It's not impossible at all... not the worst tactic either. Odds are decent you could.

And the rest of your hike you'll pass NOBO hikers who dreamed of BiG K.
And you'll meet folks who would love to visit Baxter at all.

And you'll be tagging up at the most famous trail sign in the world then running out of the park.
And ideally you'll reach the plaque at Springer...

And after the high of the finish wears off..you'll look around at that humble little summit and think back to the start of your hike.

And I'd guess you'll wish you spent a little more time at that brown board soaking it in, on Katadin itself.
And maybe on an a trip on the knives edge followed by a decent stroll through Baxter...

And enjoying the beginning of a trip that ended way to soon.

[MuddyWaters]

Few do it that way and can really comment
But a reasonably experienced hiker that knows their limits, would know. If you bust out 25 mile days with 5000' vert occassionally, then there you have it. If weather is good, worst that happens is a little darkness falls on you.

Again, whats the rush?

[egilbe]

Spend the day in the park resting, take your time walking out of the park the next day. It's a beautiful walk. Don't rush it.

[peakbagger]

If you hang out in the ADKs every weekend and click off great range traverses on a routine basis or head to the whites and do a single day presi traverse sure you can do it. Unfortunately, you haven't established any sort of sort of level of competency in your first post and your second post supports that you probably are much more likely to be a clueless wannabe . Even though you hike a day pack up and down the mountain, you are hauling maximum pack weight of 7 or 8 days of food the final 8 miles. The park keeps a close eye on the AT in and out of the park and its highly likely that you will be busted for stealth camping. Even if you pull it off, unless you are great condition odds are you will end up with zero or near zero the next day to recover. Just as likely you will be hitching back to Millinocket to catch the next bus south.

[egilbe]

Plan on averaging 10 to 15 miles a day for a few weeks headed South. That should set some realistic expectations. Your first day is the largest single elevation gain on the entire AT in arguably the prettiest state to hike in.

As peakbagger said, you will probably be in Millinocket on day 3 looking for a ride home. Running flat ground translates poorly to rock scrambling.

[rickb]

It's not impossible at all... not the worst tactic either. Odds are decent you could.

BIll is good to have answered have answered your two questions directly, the first being is your plan possible (of course it's possible) and the second being is the climb itself that difficult.

The second part obviously depends on the person, but the fact that you may we'll see everyone from 10 year old kids to retirees up top doing just fine suggests it's not so bad. MY first hike up was as a heavy smoker with 11 days food in my pack, and my last was 30 years later with 50 pounds extra fat around my middle. While it was hard each time, I managed just fine hiking next day. I am guessing you will find the hike up hard, but not that difficult.

But that misses the point entirely.

Hiking long tough days can be great-- it's having to that sucks. Since you cannot camp along side the trail in Baxter (seriously, remove that plan B from your thinking altogether) your options will be limited if you don't have a reservation at KSCG when you return from the summit.

It would be dumb to put yourself in a position where you have to hike an additional 10 miles whether you wish to or not.

If you have boundless energy and feel stuck at KSCG, you could walk over to the Birches and soak in some of the NOBOs vibe just before they finish thier Thru hikes. You could write letters to loved ones from a very unique perspective. Or pour your heart out in a journal.

Of course if if you don't make reservations at KSCG now, you won't have that option.

[Starchild]

You can submit, return then decide. Actually it make be wake up and decide, if you get up really early as opposed to sleep late. It's not like Baxter Rangers will force you to stay at the spot you reserved (my peeve about the reservation system for hiking - people don't always use them and causes people not to be able to go, both here and in the Smokies and why a better system is needed). The walk from Abol to KSC is fairly easy and flat but that was after going over 2000 miles to get there, I don't know how it would be on day 1 after Katahdin. It might be a bit of a death march, which are not fun and usually require recovery, and Abol, even with the store which is likely to be closed till the morning, doesn't have much.

Perhaps you can start at the other end of Katahdin, and go over the knife edge and down the AT like a true SoBo should . It would give you the feeling of progress, though you will be missing the slack pack - however perhaps a full pack would be more satisfying. You would/should arrive at Abol with time to grab something at the store and push on a few more hours putting a dent into the 100MW (which is again 'easy' for the first half for you, TBW the 100 MW is a mini Maine, hard on the S end easy on the N end). I have personally found the 2nd day of a multi day hike to be the hardest, the time where the body is still feeling the sore/stiffness and the numbness has not set in. For this reason having an easier walk from KSC>100MW is a great cooldown day.

[Heliotrope]

Make the reservation for KSC. IMO the 10.4 miles of Katahdin feels like a 20 mile day from KSC south. The views are amazing on Katahdin as stated above. But the remaining 10 miles in Baxter are really gorgeous too. It's worth stopping at Niagara Falls and just soaking it all in.


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[moldy]

You won't be able to do it. I would hike the mountain then come down via the abol trail, then stick out your thumb and get a hitch just past the tote road gate out of sight of the gate guard, then go well off into the woods and camp. This should take you 15 minutes. The next morning you can hitch back and hike South out of the park.

[egilbe]

You won't be able to do it. I would hike the mountain then come down via the abol trail, then stick out your thumb and get a hitch just past the tote road gate out of sight of the gate guard, then go well off into the woods and camp. This should take you 15 minutes. The next morning you can hitch back and hike South out of the park.

A sobo needs to come down the hunt trail.

[Water Rat]

I have climbed Katahdin and hiked out of the park the same day. It CAN absolutely be done. It made for a long day.

With that, I personally would not choose to start a long distance hike that way. To put it in running terms - why start a marathon by sprinting? I understand being eager to get your hike underway, but you improve your odds of finishing a thru-hike if you don't beat yourself up at the beginning. Ya gotta look at the big picture and not just focus on "I can hike more than 10 miles on day 1."

[peakbagger]

A sobo needs to come down the hunt trail.

Not necessarily as long as they cover the actual AT going up or down there is no rule that says they have to hike every inch of the trail southbound. In Gorham many a Northbound thru hiker does the Shelburne to Pinkham slackpack North to South and I expect many a Sobo hiker goes south to north.

Actually ending up coming down Abol trail has something to be said for it as Abol is a far less popular site with a better chance of getting a campsite. Its usually an easy hitch from Abol to KSC if you time the day hiker rush who all are going to be heading that way in the AM.

[Miner]

Whether or not you can do it is less dependent on the miles involved but rather the total amount of climbing and descending on very steep trail. If one has done plenty of training that involved significant climbing, then it should be fine.

I will say this about my experience going SOBO though this is coming from someone who was over 40. Coming from out west where trails are normally less steep with switchbacks, the steep descent from the peak killed my knees and had me ready to quit a few hours earlier than I normally would have stopped for the day. This was despite doing plenty of climbing out west prior to starting. Though having been convinced to leave my poles down below since they would be allegedly useless in the middle part didn't help. My mileage to southern NH was shockingly lower per day then any hike I've done previously including the PCT.

[chiefduffy]

............Yes.

[TJ aka Teej]

July's very busy. Katahdin Stream is just about sold out for your dates.
Make your rez first thing tomorrow morning.

The Sobo’s guide to Baxter and Katahdin for 2017