2004 Kennebec Ferry Update

[Pencil Pusher]

It's probably all for the better. No point in offering to paddle if you've never done it before.

[ferryman]

The River Ferry Service carried 1,295 people with their packs across the Kennebec River between Carrying Place Township and the town of Caratunk from May 7 until Oct 18, 2004. The month of September placed 205 of the 488 northbound thru-hikers crossing the river, while the month of June placed 75 southbound thru-hikers of the approximately 163 hikers headed to Georgia. Among the general hiking public, 823 hikers went south to north and only 472 hikers went from north to south. The hiking summary will get some closer looks as we pour over the individual forms and ferry person's data entries for all hikers who took the ferry across the Kennebec River in 2004. But for now, we are thankful for all the help we received during the course of the year from our hiking friends, trail magic friends and those who maintain this wonderful place we call the Appalachian Trail. Yours, Steve 'ferryman' Longley

[Jack Tarlin]

Steve---

Thanx for the update, and also for your service on the river. Hope to see you back out there next year!

[Tramper Al]

So, (488+163)/1295 = 50.2% of ferry users were self-declared thru hikers? Then the remainder of the general hiking public comprised 49.8% of passengers? Would everyone consider this half as section hikers? Interesting.
Steve, are you happy taking an AT dayhiker southbound in the morning, then back northbound in the afternoon, or is this considered an abuse of the service? Just curious.
Thanks to the Ferryman.

[weary]

So, (488+163)/1295 = 50.2% of ferry users were self-declared thru hikers? Then the remainder of the general hiking public comprised 49.8% of passengers? Would everyone consider this half as section hikers? Interesting.
Steve, are you happy taking an AT dayhiker southbound in the morning, then back northbound in the afternoon, or is this considered an abuse of the service? Just curious.
Thanks to the Ferryman.

I'll let Ferryman's statistics speak for themselves when they are available. But I doubt if many day hikers cross the Kennebec twice in one day. There's nothing on either side of the river that is particularly interesting -- aside from the Pierce Pond Camp pancakes. Most of us come in from the Long Falls Dam Road north of Bigelow, or are heading south from Monson, heading to Bigelow.

Aside from these speculations, ATC sets specific hours for the ferry to operate. In terms of the operator it shouldn't really matter how many people cross per day, providing everyone manages to get across within the designated hours.

The legitimate complaints, if any, should probably be from thru hikers who may be delayed by any crush of frivolous day hikers -- if that is indeed a problem.

Weary

[The Old Fhart]

When I was finishing my section hike in 1990 I hiked north to the Kennebec one weekend trip then the next weekend hiked from Monson south to the Kennebec. To officially complete that section of the A.T. I had to take the canoe south then wait while Ed Garvey crossed before I recrossed the river north to complete that section. There was no reason to take my pack across and back so I probably am one of the few people who has slackpacked the Kennebec. Having previously waded the river I can tell you the canoe is much safer and easier.

[Tramper Al]

I'll let Ferryman's statistics speak for themselves when they are available. But I doubt if many day hikers cross the Kennebec twice in one day. There's nothing on either side of the river that is particularly interesting -- aside from the Pierce Pond Camp pancakes. Most of us come in from the Long Falls Dam Road north of Bigelow, or are heading south from Monson, heading to Bigelow.

Aside from these speculations, ATC sets specific hours for the ferry to operate. In terms of the operator it shouldn't really matter how many people cross per day, providing everyone manages to get across within the designated hours.
Weary

Yes, yes, I know all that. I wasn't really asking it it was interesting or common. I was actually asking Steve if he minded.

The legitimate complaints, if any, should probably be from thru hikers who may be delayed by any crush of frivolous day hikers -- if that is indeed a problem.
Weary

Yes, yes. Thru hikers are entitled, day hikers are an annoyance. I'm glad 'most of us' don't feel this way.

[Tramper Al]

To officially complete that section of the A.T. I had to take the canoe south then wait while Ed Garvey crossed before I recrossed the river north to complete that section.

Thanks, O.F., that's helpful.

[TJ aka Teej]

The River Ferry Service carried 1,295 people with their packs across the Kennebec River between Carrying Place Township and the town of Caratunk from May 7 until Oct 18, 2004.

Many thanks, Steve! Have a safe and restful winter!

Teej

[Askus3]

I totally disagree with Weary as far as what is just south of the Kennebec River along the AT. The three spur trails to waterfalls and cascades of all sizes and that whole stretch of the AT parallel to the north bank of Pierce Pond Stream I thought was of exceptional beauty. Then after 5 miles of this extraordinary trail you come to the tranquil Pierce Pond. There is much more to the AT experience than mountains and food! I think a dayhike from 201 to Pierce pond and back and a walk along the spur trails in that area is a great way to spend a day. And nobody should belittled for taking a hike in the woods be it 5 miles to 2000+ miles. See photo to see a sample of what is within a couple of miles of the ferry.

[Magic City]

I find it strange to find such strong feelings about an individual's decision to ford the river or take the ferry. We make decisions every day, some of them more dificult or dangerous than others. While it may be reasonable to tell me that I've made a foolish decision, it seems rather strange for anyone to get angry about it.

To someone who has never done any hiking, thru-hiking from Georgia to Maine might seem to be a foolish, even a dangerous idea, but it's nothing for anyone else to be angry about.

Warn them of the dangers, if you must, but let people make their own decisions about how they want to cross the Kennebec.

I have never thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, but I've crossed rivers wider and deeper and more rapid than the Kennebec when I was ten; and yes, some of them had hydroelectric dams on them, too. I was washed downstream about seven miles once, but I survived.

My parents would have been upset with me had they known, but newbie thru-hikers are not children and you haven't become their parents just because you've made the hike once before.

Taken to the extreme, this attitude will result in an Appalachian Trail where every potential danger has been taken care of, clearly marked, or restricted.

"Better put fences around them rocks! What if someone stepped off of one of them?"

[weary]

I totally disagree with Weary as far as what is just south of the Kennebec River along the AT. The three spur trails to waterfalls and cascades of all sizes and that whole stretch of the AT parallel to the north bank of Pierce Pond Stream I thought was of exceptional beauty. Then after 5 miles of this extraordinary trail you come to the tranquil Pierce Pond. There is much more to the AT experience than mountains and food! I think a dayhike from 201 to Pierce pond and back and a walk along the spur trails in that area is a great way to spend a day. And nobody should belittled for taking a hike in the woods be it 5 miles to 2000+ miles. See photo to see a sample of what is within a couple of miles of the ferry.

You don't disagree with me. I agree totally. I just think that it is not the kind of thing that many day hikers will take a ferry across the river to see, especially since there is a gravel road leading to near the trail without the hassle of a ferry.

I've been preaching for years that there is much more to the AT experience than "mountains and food." Askus, thanks for joining the fight.

Weary

[TJ aka Teej]

Steve the Ferryman has posted the final hiker summeries from the 2004 Kennebec Ferry on his website: http://www.riversandtrails.com/


Month -Hikers -N-S --S-N --Day -Wkd Long D ME-GA GA-ME
May ----19 ---11 ----8 -----0 ---6 ---13 -----0 ------0
June ---121 ---91 ---30 ----4 ---7 ---110 ---75 -----14
July ----324 --168 ---156 --13 --16---295 ---63 -----64
Aug ----432 --125 ---307 --24 --24 --384 ---18 ----160
Sept ---341 --65 ----276 --14 --12---315 ----7 ----205
Oct ----58 ---12 ----46 ----2 ---0 ---56 -----0 -----45
Total -1,295 -472 ---823 ---57 --65 -1,173 --163 ---488

The figures are easier to read in frames on Steve's webpage.

[The Solemates]

We were 2 of the 14 in June.

[Footslogger]

Allowing for the few daredevils each year who ford/swim accross (and the few hikers who drop off between the Kennebec and Katahdin), it should be possible to correlate these number with that of the ATC in determining how many people made it all the way ....Yes, No ??

'Slogger
AT 2003

[weary]

Allowing for the few daredevils each year who ford/swim accross (and the few hikers who drop off between the Kennebec and Katahdin), it should be possible to correlate these number with that of the ATC in determining how many people made it all the way ....Yes, No ??
'Slogger AT 2003

Probably no. One rarely goes into minute details when being asked a question on the banks of a river, nor do the questions even have categories for the way many hike. But many people who walk most of the way between Springer and Katahdin don't register as 2,000 milers because, like me, they didn't hike the whole distance in accordance with the 2,000 miler patch rules.

I don't recall being asked when I crossed the river in '93. But I certainly would have been in the Ga-Me, northbound category. Having spent more than five months on the trail when I reached the Kennebec, I certainly didn't think of myself as a "section" hiker. And I was unsure at that point whether I would go back that fall and complete Massachusetts and Connecticut (something I finally did two years later).

Weary

[Lone Wolf]

There's nothing daredevilish about fording the Kennebec. It's easy actually.

[Footslogger]

There's nothing daredevilish about fording the Kennebec. It's easy actually.

==========================
Maybe ...but haven't some died trying ?? ...or at least got washed downstream and had to be plucked out by rescuers ??

'Slogger

[Lone Wolf]

20 years or so ago an older lady drowned I guess. You just gotta do it bright and early.

[weary]

There's nothing daredevilish about fording the Kennebec. It's easy actually.

Does anyone know how come a thru hiker drowned 20 years ago crossing an easy river? The upstream hydroelectric turbines provide peaking power, i.e. the dams are opened only when the demand for energy exceeds the ability of base load generating plants to provide electricity.

In the summer that occurs most often when air conditioners are turned on during the heat of a day. When did the dead hiker make her attempt?

Having forded many streams, I am quite sure that fording the Kennebec would not be "easy" for me. I've never had a great sense of balance and it somehow hasn't gotten better even with three-quarters century of practice.

Weary