View Full Version : Mt Katahdin



cano
01-11-2011, 05:14 PM
I saw some pictures and it's beautiful. I would like to climb this mountain this year. My idea is to park cars on both ends of the trail so we don't have to go back down the same way like going up. Who wants to join me?

hollora
01-11-2011, 05:28 PM
Attroll would be the one with the detail on a climb to the summit and down (time, planning, etc.).

For winter reading, pick up the book Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Don Fendler. A classic true story of this mountain.

Fins_Up
01-11-2011, 06:17 PM
Mr. Fendler came to speak to our Cub Scout Pack last year and he is incredible. He actually went to the mountain and camped in October last year. It is a great story and will make you realize that you need to be prepared when you go there.

hollora
01-11-2011, 09:35 PM
Mr. Fendler came to speak to our Cub Scout Pack last year and he is incredible. He actually went to the mountain and camped in October last year. It is a great story and will make you realize that you need to be prepared when you go there.

I have never heard him speak but have read the book twice. I accomanied two school groups on hikes and know this is not something to be taken on lightly.

The hike to BRDad's cache "Half Mile" is literally a walk in the park. The summit of Katahdin is a totally different story. There are several trails to take.

Advisory of going up one and down another (in one day with cars parked at each location) - I would really be researching with someone who knows the mountain like Attrol or others. Each trip I took was from a different trail and each resulted in not reaching the summit as I was the adult who stayed back with an injured student.

The trail to Chimney Pond - I would have been happy to stay over there for the night. Fortunately, on that trek this was the waypoint where the rest of our party summited and I stayed back with an injured student to wait while the others summited. We waited and decended when the rest of the party returned to finish their descent.

Abbol trail, I believe, was the other one. Part way up a student was injured. The student and I inched out way back to parking as the rest summited, then returned to parking on the same trail and met us in the parking lot.

There is lots of experience on this site in hiking/summiting Mt K! Seek out, heed their guidance, watch weather and you should have an enjoyable hike. There is a reason the Penobscots journey to the mountain every year!

NativeMainer
01-11-2011, 11:12 PM
I'd love to go up Katahdin. I'd much rather wait until summer time, though. I'm also thinking of climbing up Mt. Washington when the weather get a little better. I need to get into much better shape than I'm in right now, also.

surfacewarrior
01-12-2011, 10:49 AM
If going via chimney pond watch for PAMOLA from "Chimney pond tales" lore.

attroll
01-12-2011, 03:22 PM
I would like to climb it again this coming year sometime. I would like to climb it up the AT and then over Knifes Edge and and down to Roaring Brook. This would require a car on each side of the mountain. If you are going to do this climb the best thing to do is start before 7 in the morning.

For a faster way up you can go up the Abol Trail but it is a steep rock slide.

Kaching Karen
01-19-2011, 05:48 PM
I would like to climb it again this coming year sometime. I would like to climb it up the AT and then over Knifes Edge and and down to Roaring Brook. This would require a car on each side of the mountain. If you are going to do this climb the best thing to do is start before 7 in the morning.

For a faster way up you can go up the Abol Trail but it is a steep rock slide.

Jon and I went up and down the Abol Trail last summer. It was fun and we enjoyed staying in the lean-to at Abol Campground. Going the way Rick suggested makes for a long day and I've done it a couple of times. It's fun and you should camp in the park the night before. Keep Jon and I in the loop when you are planning this.