I read in a previous post that the idea of Katahdin closing is a misunderstanding. Is it true that after October 15th you are still allowed to day-hike in the park, just not allowed to stay overnight? And if this is true, is it possible to hike the section of the AT within Baxter in just one day?
C-Giddy
The road into Baxter closes in October, you can still walk in. Rangers might check your pack to see if you have enough equipment, so they don’t have to carry your butt out.
It’s a very long day hike in to the summit. I certainly could not hike all the way back out, but I suppose that it is possible. I have stealth camped there in the winter below the Birches. Make sure you LNT, thrus have pissed off the Park Staff in the past.
Blue Jay
The rangers may close the mountain if the weather is bad in September or October and then open it again if the weather gets better. Generally, by mid-October conditions are such that it is dangerous to climb (ice and snow over rocks) but that can change to Indian summer. Some have been able to climb Katahdin legally October 20, while earlier hikers were banned from the park. Last year the rangers were seriously upset at thruhikers sneaking in when the mountain was closed. We climbed Katahdin (in 1992) on September 23 and were bundled up in all our clothes with rime ice on the grass and rocks and 40 mph winds. Photos of hikers a week before us showed them wearing t-shirts in the sunshine, while hikers a week after us were hiking in snow.
Spirit Walker
Yes, it was me trying to dispell this October 15th drop dead date that everyone bandies around. As of October 16th every year (you can still spend 10/15 in the park), there is no more overnight camping in the park (until winter season with considerably more rules believe it or not). The road remains open, as with everything else, weather permitting. They can have a Class IV day in July, but those are more common in approaching fall.
The AT takes you 10 miles from Abol Bridge (outside park boundaries on the Golden Rd/logging road) into Katahdin Stream, where the real climb begins. Then it’s 5.2 to the summit, the sign. It is feasable, although unlikely and not a lot of fun, to do this as a 30 mile (RT) day hike if you can’t drive into Katahdin Stream. If you can still drive into K.S. then this could be a 20 miler, 10 in, 5 up and 5 down.
But both sections could be broken up into two day hikes. (1) Abol to Katahdin Stream, exit park to Millinocket or wherever, spend the night and (2) back into Katahdin Stream and climb Katahdin.
What changed is that they used to bend the rules for thru-hikers and allow them to camp in the park after 10/15. I don’t know this for a fact, but as mentioned above, most likely there were problems and they discontinued that practice.
Hope this helps.
Bluebearee
Bluebearee
The Park allows overnight camping from May 15th to Oct 15.
As mentioned, logistics show you should camp inside the Park to climb Katahdin, so get there in time to stay at the Birches. It’s Maine, it’s October, it snows, so get there early if you can. A few years ago, a huge snowstorm closed the entire Park at the beginning of October, and the Rangers were performing rescues of hikers (and campers) all over the Park. Several thruhikers bootlegged into the Park during the shutdown and attempted climbs. That was the final straw of many for the Director, who wasn’t very pro-thruhiker anyway (ask him about the dog picture sometime.)Several days later, the Trails reopened and the Rangers were helping Thruhikers summit by shuttling them around from Abol into Katahdin Stream after Oct 15th that year.
Anyhoo… plan to get to Katahdin before Oct 1st to be sure the weather doesn’t end your hike at Abol Bridge.
TJ