Day pack or full pack up Katahdin?

[Uncle Walkie]

I want to listen to reason and the voice of experience.....

my tough guy instincts tell me "if you're going to hike SOBO, start with and end with your pack...up and down Katahdin"...

...but I see many posts that say use a daypack provided at the ranger station....

for you SOBO thru hike vets...what say ye?....

[fiddlehead]

I prefer to always have my pack with me.
It's not so heavy.
If it was, I'd take a day pack up THAT hill.
Up to you.
Just remember the weather up on top is way different than the weather at the bottom and you need some foul weather gear. (and it gets foggy up there too)

Have fun.

[Migrating Bird]

Leave your pack inside the office at the Ranger station a Katahdin Stream Campground. They have day packs for you to use. This is standard operating procedure. Carrying a full pack up is discouraged especially if you plan on doing the knife edge trail.

[10-K]

Day pack from the ranger station for sure.

Why would you want to carry a heavy pack when you could carry a lighter one? 5 miles up, 5 miles back.

[Skid.]

1,400 hikers start, about 350 finish. Lots of those who don't finish are 'tough guys'.

[Amanita]

HYOH but...

Big K will punish your body enough with a daypack. YOU are hiking the AT, not all your gear!

[naturejunkie]

The only thing you accomplish by hauling a full pack up Katahdin as a SOBO is to increase your chance of injury. It would suck to have your hike end before it has even started.

[Uncle Walkie]

"YOU are hiking the AT, not all your gear!"

simple as that statement is, it's profound..a perspective changer thanks Amanita!

[max patch]

I finished my thru on a day when K was closed because of snow and ice. The ranger let me and one other hiker on K with the REQUIREMENT that we carry our full packs. He said if we were to break a leg or something and needed rescue we would have to spend the nite up there before someone could help us and we would not survive without tent, sleeping bag, and our fleece. So I guess if we could hike up carrying 50 pounds in the snow and ice that anyone could do the same.

The next summer when I went up with a daypack, 2 quarts of water, a sandwich, and a rain shell it was a bit easier.

[Blissful]

I want to listen to reason and the voice of experience.....

my tough guy instincts tell me "if you're going to hike SOBO, start with and end with your pack...up and down Katahdin"...

.

No way Jose.

Its hard enough with a daypack. Or you can do like me, and carry your pack, just leave non essentials like tent, bag, pad etc in the ranger station in a big garbage bag. I still "carried" my pack up and down. had a comment on it too. The guy thought I was nuts

I mean if you are in Max Patch's situation, sometimes its unavoidable. But for a newbie starting out SOBO, you will totally regret carrying everything, as will your knees.

[peakbagger]

The Hunt trail (AT) up Katahdin requires some "gymnastics" to get up and over boulders including the infamous iron rungs in a few spots. You will be using your hands to pull yourself up some tight spots. Going down, you most likley will be butt sliding down over boulders. A full pack is going to get in the way. No matter what the weather bring enough gear to cover all your exposed skin as the weather can change substantially from top to bottom.

I have carried a full pack a couple of times over the knifes edge, but wouldnt recomend it to anyone who hasnt down it before with a day pack.

[brian039]

I'd rather be smart than tough.

[kayak karl]

got to take a full pack if you want to be a purist,,,,,,,,,,,,

[10-K]

I'd rather be smart than tough.

+1

Never use your back when you can use your head.

[Mismatch]

What about hiking poles? Do they help on Katahdin or just get in the way?

[Migrating Bird]

I have found that I like my poles except the short section just below the table lands. They save my knees on the decent.

[tolkien]

Take an external and a walking stick. You'll make it with your main pack, reasonalby. Also, look into the Kelty Yukon 4800 if you don't already have a pack.

[tolkien]

Take an external and a walking stick. You'll make it with your main pack, reasonalby. Also, look into the Kelty Yukon 4800 if you don't already have a pack.

Although, you should take any opportunity to make you hike easier and safer. I don't normally say this, but HYOH.

[jersey joe]

I took my full pack up on my northbound thru hike and don't regret it. Carried that sucker the whole way, wasn't leaving it behind.

[Tinker]

I did Katahdin as part of a section hike, nobo, finishing on the mountain. I had an expensive tent which I let my son use the night before. I carried the tent up the mountain with me in my 14 oz. pack. No big deal.
Do watcha wanna do.