Speaking of how hard Maine is, how about those water crossings?

[10-K]

So what are the various water crossing like in ME? I know the Kennebec has a canoe ferry.

What about others? How deep? How wide?

Another post made reference to holding onto a rope. What's that about?

[modiyooch]

The last water that I went thru was 3 feet deep.

[garlic08]

I went through in July '08, a relatively wet season, and I don't remember anything deeper than my thigh or anything very fast. I never got nervous. I think it rained a lot more later in the season and things may have gotten hairier. I remember a rope somewhere, just a handrail.

I did get stopped by a flash flood in NH one afternoon, at a no-name creek coming down Mt Moriah into Gorham. I had to camp two miles from the road and wait till morning to cross because it was just way too fast and dangerous. So conditions can change by the hour.

[weary]

So what are the various water crossing like in ME? I know the Kennebec has a canoe ferry.

What about others? How deep? How wide?

Another post made reference to holding onto a rope. What's that about?

Well, I havent been near the trail this year. But early on every year, stream crossings are a problem. In typical years, stream crossings rarely become "easy" until mid to late JUne. As I said, I haven't experienced the north this year.

But I can attest that along midcoastal Maine where I live, I've never experienced an earlier spring. Trees have leaved and flowers have bloomed 3 weeks ahead of most years.

So I expect lower water levels and fewer problems along the AT this year also. But surpises can come. I don't know of any fixed ropes acrosss any of the Maine trail streams. I doubt if there are any ropes that MATC has put out, so no found ropes should be trusted.

In summary! My advice is to stay tuned.

[Kerosene]

I had my first opportunity to ford an unbridged stream 5 years ago: Stony Creek just north of Pearisburg lost its bridge after a big storm. Rather than take the 2-mile road detour, I decided to try to ford the creek after several NOBO thru-hikers told me that the water only went to their upper thigh. The Bailey Gap Shelter register had an entry from a woman who forded the prior month (April) when it was chest high, and it scared her to death.

I recalled all the things I had read about how to ford a fast-running stream: loosen your backpack, unhitch your belt, tie your boots around your neck, make sure your sandals/Crocs/footwear doesn't get whisked away by the current, put your eyeglasses in a secure place, etc. I reconnoitered the crossing and eventually chose my route, glad that I was now using trekking poles to steady myself.

I started out slowly, getting used to current and testing each step as it get deeper toward mid-channel. Each step was easier than I expected, and I was across in about a minute, with the high-water mark below my kneecap! I probably spent 15 minutes getting ready and an hour beforehand worrying about it. The washed out path across the creek turned out to be half a mile longer than the road detour, but at least I'm "ready" for Maine!

[fiddlehead]

There are a few (3?) fords in Maine that can be dangerous after heavy rains (rains could be upstream and not where you are of course).
Normally, they are not bad and help to teach you proper fording techniques.
If you are not familiar with fording, I suggest you use the search feature.
Lots of past threads on this subject.

I believe in times of high water, people do put up ropes to help you with these dangerous crossings.

[Railroad King]

There were a few fords just south of Monson that I remember. It had rained a lot, the water was moving fast and up to my stomach in some places. I'm short at 5'4. It was kinda scary crossing the streams but doable. Very glad I had hiking poles. Look for wider areas where the water flows slower compared to constricted areas where it flows quicker. There were ropes spanning the width of the stream at two or three crossings that you can hold on to. This was around late July 2008 by the way. Garlic up there was a week or so ahead of me, I remember him from many shelter logs.

[atsent]

We thru-hiked SOBO last year. It was a very wet season and crossings were anywhere ankle to neck deep. We did not cross the neck-deep one (Piscaticus River just South of Monson) because the locals and NOBOs warned us that it was extremely dangerous. We road walked around that one because we didn't want to risk it. We met several people who started crossing and turned back and one that fell in and got swept downstream. One or two other crossings made me nervous but went fine (these were waist deep). However, it depends on when you go and the season. We were there during the rainiest time of the year and during one of the wettest years on record so we basically had a worst case scenario. Here is what you should do:

1) Be careful and cross slowly. Duh.
2) Bring hiking poles. This way you essentially have four limbs. If the water is fast (and it was for us, we had white water on several of the crossings) you can move safely by having at least three "feet" down at any one time. Lift one, move, put it down, lift another, move, put it down-- you get it.
3) Cross with your hip belt unbuckled and straps loosened. If you fall you need to be able to wiggle out of your pack because it will gain many pounds in water weight as soon as it's soaked and can pull you down or get snagged on a rock.
4) If you fall or get swept away remember "back down, feet first"-- try as hard as you can to get on your back and stick your feet out in front of you.

Have fun! Maine is stunningly beautiful!

[wcgornto]

We thru-hiked SOBO last year. It was a very wet season and crossings were anywhere ankle to neck deep. We did not cross the neck-deep one (Piscaticus River just South of Monson) because the locals and NOBOs warned us that it was extremely dangerous. We road walked around that one because we didn't want to risk it. We met several people who started crossing and turned back and one that fell in and got swept downstream. One or two other crossings made me nervous but went fine (these were waist deep). However, it depends on when you go and the season. We were there during the rainiest time of the year and during one of the wettest years on record so we basically had a worst case scenario.

I, too, hiked SOBO last year. I crossed all of the streams except the Carrabassett just south of the Crocker peaks south of Stratton. Lots of people fell in that one.

Of course, the water levels of each stream ebbed and flowed depending on how much rain fell exactly where on each day. I crossed the Piscatiquis (it was only hip deep that day) and it required crossing each of the three feeder streams above where they joined. I heard horror stories about other streams from NOBOs that were OK when I got to them. Many of them were troublesome at some time last year. It just depended on when you were there for each of them.

[modiyooch]

Many thanks to Boarstone who went out of her way to cross a cold river with me and point out fording techniques. That same river that was impassable the year prior. I tackled the next two larger rivers the next day by myself.
I had to travel 1000 miles to complete the last 15 miles because water levels were way too high in 2008.

[warraghiyagey]

Just spent hiked into Wilson Valley lean-to last weekend. . . the trail was dry and the streams are atypically low for early may. . . but fording the Big Wilson was COLD! . . . but down to mid-summer levels, about mid-thigh high. . .

[stranger]

Fording rivers, although somewhat rare along the AT, is a fairly common part of hiking outside of the well-bridged AT.

I was thrown into this head on when I lived in New Zealand for 7 years...they don't bridge anything there (outside of the tourist walks)...people drown every year, it's part of life.

Also, you have to put it into perspective...if the Kennebec River was located in New Zealand or Australia...it would not have a canoe service across it, you would be expected to ford, educate yourself about such risks, and accept the risks associated with fording rivers - end of story. The exception would only be if it were on a NZ Great Walk which are the highly used, tourist tracks, then it would have a million dollar suspension bridge over it (even then there would be a ford option) but in the backcountry on a tramping track...ford all the way!

The best advice I have for fording rivers is the following:
- use a pack liner that is watertight and can be tied off or rolled down
- if you are willing to lose your pack, then only use shoulder straps, if you are not, you will need to educate yourself about the art of pack-floating
- DO NOT remove your shoes, people fall in because they step on a sharp rock and hurt themselves all the time, get those shoes wet!
- DO NOT rock hop, great way to bust your skull open, ford the river/creek
- Look at the shoreline, there should be a natural riverbank, if you see water coming into contact with green, the river is high
- If the river is discolored, it's both high and newly high, meaning it will drop once the rain stops, or when it stops further up the catchment, be patient
- Any sound of rocks moving is not good
- Remember, the water is always stronger than it looks, always, if it looks bad then it's gonna be worse when you get out in the middle, don't be afraid to stay put for a day if necessary.
- Trekking poles help most of the time, get your hands outta the loops, be prepared to lose them

[modiyooch]

Also, you have to put it into perspective...if the Kennebec River was located in New Zealand or Australia...it would not have a canoe service across it,

Have you seen the Kennebec? No way am I attempting that as a ford. I grew up on the water and I was very grateful for the canoe ride.

[mudhead]

- Any sound of rocks moving is not good
-

Understatement of the day.

[juma]

odd fact: ken berry, that guy who runs the free-state hostel, swam the kennebec in 06 so he could catch up and pass trek.

[stranger]

I'm not recommending that anyone fords the Kennebec River, I'm simply doing a comparison to other trails, and other parts of the world.

However, if one decides to ford, and accepts those risks, they should educate themselves about such a practice, including the risk of drowning.

[woodsy]

Last summer we saw high water most everywhere here through August IIRC.
Hikers were held up , turned back , holed up for lower levels or found alternate crossings in many areas.
Some tried crossing high water fords and took the swim.
So it all depends on what mother has in store......
Good luck !

[modiyooch]

I'm not recommending that anyone fords the Kennebec River, I'm simply doing a comparison to other trails, and other parts of the world.

However, if one decides to ford, and accepts those risks, they should educate themselves about such a practice, including the risk of drowning.

I was curious if you have encountered the Kennebec. It was intimidating to me and I am a good swimmer.

[JohnnyB]

I'm not recommending that anyone fords the Kennebec River, I'm simply doing a comparison to other trails, and other parts of the world.

However, if one decides to ford, and accepts those risks, they should educate themselves about such a practice, including the risk of drowning.

As I understand it, the main danger with the Kennebec is the hydro dams release water at various times and not always planned. You can be halfway across and the water very suddenly rise and then you are swimming or worse.

[stranger]

Thousands of hikers have forded the Kennebec River without incident prior to the ferry being established, a handful of hikers, if that many, drowned... I forded the river in 1998 and it was somewhat scary, but that is not the point of my comments.

What I am saying...again, is that while this practice is rare along the AT, it's not rare in general, and there are far worse fords than the Kennebec River where I've been.