100-Mile Wilderness June '09

[npoles91]

Me, my brother, and a couple of our cousins are planning to hike from Monson to Katahdin this june and i was wondering if you guys could give me some tips and answer some questions about this trip.

1. As of now, we're planning on parking at Abol Bridge and getting a shuttle to monson. Do you think that we'd have a problem leaving our car there for a little over a week?

2. If we park at Abol that would become our resupply point...if we plan on getting to Abol in a week, do you think we'd need to resupply before that?

3. Before going up Katahdin, we'd like to stay at "The Birches." I know this is first-come-first-serve on a day-to-day basis so how much would we have to worry about the site filling up before we get there?

We're also looking for shuttle service suggestions if you know or have any experience with anyone specific.

Finally, please leave any tips, tricks, etc, etc. if you can. It'd be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

[Phreak]

We're also looking for shuttle service suggestions if you know or have any experience with anyone specific.
Thanks!

Buddy w/ 7 Pines Shuttle Service (based in Monson)

[Phreak]

Forgot to include his contact info:

7 Pines Shuttle Service
207-997-3792 (H), 207-343-2564 (cell)
[email protected]

[TOW]

You better bring plenty of skeeter netting because the black flies are going to tear your arses up!

[KG4FAM]

Birches won't be full in June. It is only supposed to be for folks coming from at least Monson. Occasionally they may let a SOBO here and there stay there.

I have done the wilderness twice and carried all my food for the whole distance. I did it in 8 days the first time and 9 this summer. You don't need a resupply, but you can do it to make things easier.

If you got the money this would be an awesome shuttle, but folks Shaw's does shuttles and the AT Lodge does them as well.

[weary]

Me, my brother, and a couple of our cousins are planning to hike from Monson to Katahdin this june and i was wondering if you guys could give me some tips and answer some questions about this trip.

1. As of now, we're planning on parking at Abol Bridge and getting a shuttle to monson. Do you think that we'd have a problem leaving our car there for a little over a week?

2. If we park at Abol that would become our resupply point...if we plan on getting to Abol in a week, do you think we'd need to resupply before that?

3. Before going up Katahdin, we'd like to stay at "The Birches." I know this is first-come-first-serve on a day-to-day basis so how much would we have to worry about the site filling up before we get there?

We're also looking for shuttle service suggestions if you know or have any experience with anyone specific.

Finally, please leave any tips, tricks, etc, etc. if you can. It'd be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

All is possible. I would, however, start on July 1, if possible, both to avoid high water levels, and most important, to avoid the worse of the black flies. Regardless, carry a lot of DEET, and use it.

Weary

[Kirby]

Have fun! It's a nice section of trail. Sleep in a tent and you'll sleep like an angel once you've rid your tent of the rebel bugs that got in.

Kirby

[DavidNH]

nppoles91,

As others have said, if you plan on doing this in June expect big time mosquitoes and bugs. The black fly is considered to be the Maine state bird! Youwill be hiking not at peak bug season but pretty close.

That is also a month where it will. or at least often is, quite wet. We are talking plenty of mud and stream crossings up to waist deep. In 2006 I remember I was told it rained 20 days in June. When I went through in September, the weather was mostly beautiful but there was still mud in places.

As for resupply, there is NONE between Monson and Abol Bridge. Unless you have some one meet you at a road crossing with food.

Be sure to stay at Shaws in Monson. The best breakfasts you will ever see!
If the weather is good, this section is in my opinion the most beautiful of the whole AT.

On the plus side though, the 100 mile wilderness in June should be very uncrowded. The northbounders have not arrived and few southbounders will have come through..well actually there aren't many southbounders anyway. You may find you (and who ever you are hiking with) will have most shelters to yourself.

If you could delay your trip till July or even August, I think you'd have a more enjoyable experience due to better weather and trail conditions.

Even if shelters are empty, still bring a tent or tarp. There are some jimdandy camping spots on this trip!!!

DavidNH

[Almost There]

I hiked the Wilderness last June 10th going SOBO, and be prepared to be wet. Streams will be running high, and it rained most of the time. When it wasn't raining the black flies weren't bad, almost non existent, but the mosquitoes traveled in armies. Use the shelters, and if I were you I would head into White House Landing to resupply. You can get a shower, homecooked meal, etc. Last summer they were stocked with almost all resupply needs. Make sure you have DEET on you, and use it liberally. Also wear light colored clothing, I wore permathrin treated clothes, in light colors and was much better off than the guys in dark colored clothes. It was a great hike, and I met some great people. One other thing, if you can afford the money, stay at Katahdin Stream vs. the Birches in June. The campsite at the Birches is even more of a mosquito haven than Katahdin Stream, and the campground has terlets!

One last thing, enjoy your hike!

[Almost There]

Echo what David said about making sure you have a tent or tarp. There were two nights where the shelter was overcrowded because no one wanted to set up tents in the rain, and we had caught up to a group ahead of us. There were about 15 Sobo'ers around me when I was out, and there were 3 nobo'ers I met in the Wilderness.

Sobo'ers are starting earlier every year!

[RockDoc]

You can deal with the bugs; soaking your clothes is permetherin is a great help. Bugs aren't a reason not to do the hike, IMO.

All that WHL had when I was there was sugary junk food, mainly candy. No nuts, no dried fruit, energy bars, jerky, etc. Owner said that hikers just want to eat candy; sugar and fat. That was his (dumb) opinion, so that's all he sold. I certainly didn't want to eat crap on my hike because how you choose to eat will affect your performance sooner or later.

All the leantos that I saw seemed to have rodent problems; so we mostly tented. I was kept up all night by mice in the only leanto we used at Moxie Bald. There are (almost) always nice campsites. Don't count on begin alone. We never were unless we stealth camped.

In 2007 we had nice dry weather in June/July. Very little rain. Only one day, leaving Monson, north, did we have to hike under an umbrella.

It's a great trip. Enjoy!

[RockDoc]

Oh, and if you're in Monson for July 4 check out the bagpipers!
Good times!

[Dogwood]

I would try to figure White House Landing into the equation. Call ahead to see if they would hold a resupply package for U and what resupply food will be available when U get there; the types and amts of resupply available does change at WHL(call from Shaw's in Monson or when U go through Monson). Maybe, there would be enough grub available for U at WHL so that U could reduce the amount of food U carry from Monson. Even if WHL will not hold resupply packages or have much in the way of resupply grub, stopping off at WHL for a big burger, personal size pizza, sandwich, and/or morning breakfast means carrying that much less food from Monson. If the weather has been wet and insects R buzzing in full force(I think that is what U will find in late June-July) a shower and restful night's sleep in the bunkhouse might make for a more enjoyable trip for your party.

I give another heads up for Shaw's in Monson(great hostel) and Buddy w/ 7 Pines shuttle service. Both people/places R reliable and will provide U detailed 100 mile wilderness info. I believe Shaw's also provides TH shuttling.

I'm not a local, so I can't accurately reflect on how safe your car will be at Abol Bridge for a week(my impression is that it will be fine), but it would seem wise to park it in an area where someone knows what U R doing and can keep an eye on it for U. The folks in Maine R down home helpful friendly types once U get to know them.

I would tend to think that the way The Birches is run U shouldn't have a problem staying there in late June on a weekday. Call Baxter SP if U want some back-up shelter possibilities. There shouldn't be a problem finding a shelter in Baxter SP. Baxter SP has daily weather reports and loans free day packs for summitting day.

Enjoy the trip and the eccentric collection of privies in Maine.

[KG4FAM]

All that WHL had when I was there was sugary junk food, mainly candy. No nuts, no dried fruit, energy bars, jerky, etc. Owner said that hikers just want to eat candy; sugar and fat. That was his (dumb) opinion, so that's all he sold. I certainly didn't want to eat crap on my hike because how you choose to eat will affect your performance sooner or later.

Thats what NOBO thru hikers eat. Their metabolisms will burn anything that they shove down their throats by that point. I could see some packs of peanuts, but not the rest.

Here is my opinion on the foods that you want. I don't buy energy bars because they are expensive and I can get about the same nutritional value from a snickers. Store bought jerky is just plain nasty compared to homemade stuff plus its pretty expensive for what you get. I can go to WHL and buy his burger and get a lot more protein per dollar and better taste than buying a bag of jerky from him. Dried fruit is usually expensive and the taste gets old quickly. I would rather take fresh fruit with me. So I don't think the guy at WHL is dumb about what he carries. He may have even tried carrying some of that at one time and taken a loss for it. He is running a business, not a health spa so he going to do what is profitable. You may like those things, but not everybody. He should stock the nuts though, good source of protien and fat and they are cheap.

[Almost There]

All that WHL had when I was there was sugary junk food, mainly candy. No nuts, no dried fruit, energy bars, jerky, etc. Owner said that hikers just want to eat candy; sugar and fat. That was his (dumb) opinion, so that's all he sold. I certainly didn't want to eat crap on my hike because how you choose to eat will affect your performance sooner or later.

All the leantos that I saw seemed to have rodent problems; so we mostly tented. I was kept up all night by mice in the only leanto we used at Moxie Bald.

Negative, negative.

In June of '08 he had a wall full of Noodle meals, batteries, deet, poptarts, granola bars, candy bars, etc. Stuff that most hikers I know eat on the trail. If I had known his supply I wouldn't have done a drop in the wilderness with food, would have saved $40. BTW, the home cooked food more than made up for it. I thought the owner and his wife were great people. Sorry you had such a bad experience.

As for the shelters, I spent every night in one, and I never saw a rodent the entire time, so ymmv.

I guess we agree on one thing, the hike is awesome.

[npoles91]

Thanks for the help everyone!

do you still think i'd be fine getting a spot at the birches if i left at the end of june?

and i've heard there aren't any markings for White House Landing...can you tell me how to get there? (how far is it from the main trail?)

[Jack Tarlin]

Some good posts so far, and I'd have to agree with the sentiments of many of them.

Why do this section in June?

You're going to arrive at beautiful places, great campsites, cool swimming holes, nice views.

And you will enjoy none of them, because after making camp, you'll be in a lather to put up your tent and you'l dive into in and stay there, in order to avoid being eaten.

This is a really lousy time to be on the A.T. in Maine.

Pick another time, or better yet, if it has to be early Spring, pick another section, and save Maine for aother time.

This is one of the loveliest sections of the entire A.T., but not in June.

[weary]

Some good posts so far, and I'd have to agree with the sentiments of many of them.

Why do this section in June?

You're going to arrive at beautiful places, great campsites, cool swimming holes, nice views.

And you will enjoy none of them, because after making camp, you'll be in a lather to put up your tent and you'l dive into in and stay there, in order to avoid being eaten.

This is a really lousy time to be on the A.T. in Maine.

Pick another time, or better yet, if it has to be early Spring, pick another section, and save Maine for aother time.

This is one of the loveliest sections of the entire A.T., but not in June.

Jack is right. I've hiked Maine many times in June. But only for special reasons -- like picking some fresh fiddleheads, maintaining my trail sections, seeing the spring flowers on Katahdin, or because someone wanted a guide and was locked into a June schedule.

But for just exploring the 100 miles, I would never choose June.

Weary

[Phreak]

Jack is right. I've hiked Maine many times in June. But only for special reasons -- like picking some fresh fiddleheads, maintaining my trail sections, seeing the spring flowers on Katahdin, or because someone wanted a guide and was locked into a June schedule.

But for just exploring the 100 miles, I would never choose June.

Weary

I agree. I hiked the 100 Mile Wilderness starting on June 25th of '07, and the bugs were absolutely out of control. Not something I'd want to experience again.

[Phreak]

Here's a shot of the resupply options when I passed through White House Landing. I found the selection to be adequate to get someone through the rest of the wilderness area.