Hiking Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness - SectionHiker.com

Hiking

Maine’s 100 Mile

Wilderness

Philip Werner

SectionHiker.com

Copyright 2012, SectionHiker.com

About Philip Werner

u Appalachian Mountain Club Backpacking Leader

u Appalachian Trail Section Hiker

u Long Trail Mentor, Green Mountain Club

u Trail Maintainer, White Mountains

u Hiking blogger at SectionHiker.com


What You’ll Learn

uThe 100 Mile Wilderness

uMt Katahdin and Baxter State Park

uWhat to expect

uGetting prepared

uQ & A


The 100 Mile Wilderness

u Appalachian Trail

u Monson to Baxter State

Park boundary

u Extremely beautiful

– Mountains

– Lakes

u Very remote

u Resupply is difficult

u 7 to 12 day hike


Climbing Mount Katahdin

u 4,000 feet of elevation gain in 5 miles

u Difficult climb even for an experienced NE hiker


Close to True Wilderness


Intermediate Access Pointsu Monson (Mile 0)u Katahdin Iron Works Logging

Road u Jo Mary Road u Mahar Tote Road u The Golden Road (Mile 100)u Notes

– Roads are private, owned by lumber companies

– Many of these roads are gated

– Unpaved and unmarked, very easy to get lost

– Frequently washed out by storms

– Cell phone reception is marginal


Very Limited Resupply Options

u Privately arranged food drops– Friends bring food drops via logging roads (difficult)– 100 Mile Wilderness Adventures and Outfitters

u http://www.100milewilderness.info/

– Float plans can do food drops

u Whitehouse Landing via boat– Bunk room, meals, and limited resupply– Mixed reviews from thru-hikers

u Nahmakanta Lake Cabins– Expensive resort cabins for a zero day– Possibly hold a food drop

u Abol Bridge Store– Mostly beer, made-to-order subs and junk food


When to Go

u Black fly season lasts for most of June

u Hiking season is July thru September

u Trail is crowded with AT Thru-hikers in August and September

u Baxter State Park: No Camping after October 15

u Mt Katahdin is closed after November 1 (winter)

Maine State BirdBlack Fly


Walkthrough - South to North

uMonson, Maine

uLittle Wilson Falls

uBarren Chairback Range

uGulf Hagas and White Cap Mountain

uLakes Region

uThe Golden Road

uBaxter State Park

uMt Katahdin


Monson, Maine

Shaw’s Lodging


Little Wilson Falls

Deep stream crossing at base of the falls


Barren Chairback Range


Chairback Mountain


White Cap Mountain


White Cap Mountain

u White Cap is the highest peak in the Wildernessu Only has an elevation of 3,650 ft. but 15 miles longu Katahdin is 72 miles to the north


The Antlers on Jo Mary Lake


Lake Nahmakanta


Nesuntabunt Mountain

u Overlooks Nahmakanta Lake

u Mount Katahdin is 36 miles north


Crescent Pond


Rainbow Stream Lean-to


Rainbow Lake


Hurd Lean-to

Northernmost Lean-to in 100 Mile Wilderness


The Golden Road

u 100 Mile Wilderness ends at The Golden Road, a private logging company road

u 24 miles away from Millinocket

u 15 miles south of Mount Katahdin


Abol Bridge

u Small package store on other side of the bridge

u Hiker parking lot under utility tower

u Bridge to Baxter State Park, just past the store


Baxter State Park Boundary

u The Birches campsite is open to anyone who hikes through the Wilderness, not just Thru-hikers

u There is limited occupancy, so sign up early in the day if busy

u Overflow camping is available on a first-come-first-serve basis at Katahdin Stream campground


Mount Katahdin Elevation Profile


The Hunt Trail, Mount Katahdin


The Gateway


The Tableland


Mount Katahdin


Preparation


Good Backpacking Skills and

Experience are Essentialu Read a topographic map

u Hang a bear bagu Filter or purify your own water

u Use a backpacking stoveu Stay warm when wet

u Good scrambling footwork

u Pack lightweightu Take care of your feet when they are wet

for days

u Accept what the trail throws at you


Hiking Strategies

u End-to-End Hike– Figure 10-12 miles a day with a full pack– Don’t try this unless you’ve done a 4+ day backpacking

trip before– Long trips are much harder physically than short trips

u Section Hike– Arrange for a pick up part way through– Break the distance into 2 or 3 hikes

u Slackpack– Carry a day pack– Arrange for pick ups and lodging every night

u Plan a bail out strategy, in advance– Have a phone number you can call for a pick up


Physical Trainingu Need to carry a 30-

40 pound pack for 8-10 hours per day– Gym training won’t

cut it

– Only way to prepare is to backpack with a full load

u There are big mountains on the route– Train in the White

Mountains while wearing a backpack

– Climbing stairs without wearing a load is pointless


Thick Woods and Tricky Footing


Tent or Shelters?

u Shelters are good in heavy rain but can be noisy and crowded

u Large groups should camp

u Observe shelter etiquette

u Bring a lightweight tent or tarp


Coping with the Rain

u Wear trail runners instead of boots

u Dress in layers to prevent hypothermia

u Dry your gear when the sun comes out

u Put your sleeping bag in a waterproof stuff sack

u Sleep in shelters instead of pitching a tent

u Be prepared to put on wet clothes in the morning

u Take a zero day to wait out high water or rest


Maps and Guides

u Maine AT Maps #1, #2, #3

u AT Guide


Packing Food

u Figure on 1.75 pounds of food per day

u Shoot for 100 calories per ounce

u Daily intake– 3 square meals– 2 to 3 snack breaks

u Drink 5 liters of water per day

u Take as little extra weight as possible!


Clothing

u Hooded rain coat and pantsu One pair long underwear top and bottomu One hiking shirt, one pair of pants, one pair of

underwear, two pairs of socksu Billed hatu Things to avoid

– No cotton or clothing that contains a percentage of cotton

u modal

u bamboo

u hemp

– Leather boots– Don’t bring extra clean clothes – they’ll just weigh you

down


Footcare Tipsu Wear soft shoes that

drain quicklyu Allow for plenty of toe

space – add ½ sizeu Feet swell after a few

days of hikingu For wet feet

– Use duct tape on hot spots before you get blisters

– Duct tape sticks better than bandages when wet

– Don’t pop blisters if you can avoid it


Mosquitoes, Black Flies, and Ticks

u Treat all of your clothing with permethrin before your hike

u Wear long pants when you hike

u Check for tick bites at night

u Use a bug net over your face

u Bring noseeum netting for shelters or camping

u Don’t leave DEET at home


Questions?

Chanterelle Mushroom, 100 Mile Wilderness

Hiking Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness - SectionHiker.com

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