Baxter Opening Day 2015

[peakbagger]

I had some vacation time to burn today and although bitter cold, the roads were in good shape so I made a trip up to the BSP headquarters today in Millinocket. Opening day used to be a big event but since the advent of the new computerized rolling reservations the interest in opening day is far less. When I left Northern NH, Berlin was reporting 20 below and my car thermometer shifted from about 10 to 15 below. I got to the headquarters around 9:30 AM and there were folks taking down tents in the parking lot so there were still traditionalists who camped out at least one night in the parking lot to be first in line. When I walked in I got #53 and they were at #20 on the first round of reservations. There was decidedly far fewer folks there than the last time I went 2 years ago. As usual the park staff were helpful but somewhat underutilized as most folks have done the process previously. About 20 minutes after I arrived, Stan from VFTT arrived and we spent the wait time talking about future plans. The staff keeps the rolling reservations up on a monitor in the waiting area so as folks fill in spots, those waiting in line can check to make sure they didn't get pushed out if any camping area exceeds 20% of the sites booked. My number was called and I got my first choices including a Lean To at Chimney Pond on Labor Day weekend. Some earlier person had booked the bunkhouse so after my reservations, Chimney is locked out until rolling reservations start up later in the year. I waited around for Stan to get his reservations and when we left near 11:30 AM the waiting area was darn close to empty. In theory, each person can book two sets of reservations by getting back in line after everyone has had a first choice but I don't think many were going for a second round. When I left the temps were a balmy 20 degrees and the drive back to NH was uneventful.

In general the tradition of opening day is definitely getting a lot smaller and definitely grayer , unless someone wants a very specific spot on very popular weekend I think the rolling reservations appear to be a real nice option to driving up to Millinocket in January. I did see the leader of one of the meetup groups who was there to book two group sites at Roaring Brook for labor day weekend. They tried two years in a row using the rolling reservations to get the sites and got skunked so now they drive up to make sure.

The other observation during the day is that Millinocket was even more of a ghost town than usual in winter. We tried to go to the AT café for lunch but it was closed for the season. We ended up at the American Loggers (Pelletiers) restaurant and was one of two groups there for lunch. Unlike past winters, I didn't see a lot of evidence of the previously thriving snowmachine industry in town.

Now I just have to hope for nice weather the first week of September!

 

[Jazzbo]

Thanks for sharing your report. Speaking of snow machines, how is the snow cover up in Maine? A friend of mine is heading up to Rangley region with group of his buds for weekend of sledding. Is it as bony as it is in NH?

 

[peakbagger]

Its not great for sledding in the Berlin Gorham area but out of staters are still out on the trails. I have heard that Rangeley has more snow on the ground than my area but then again it just may be a better chamber of commerce.

 

[arm]

opening day for Winter reservations has been consistent over the years, with about 20 folks spending the night before in BSP HQ lot, and another 30 or so showing up opening morning ... most folks trekking up for Winter reservations opening day are trying for CP bunkhouse ... always a fun time in the BSP HQ lot with friends who show up every year ...

thought we'd get skunked this year, with a crazy snowstorm howling through Bangor the day before opening day preventing us from reaching BSP HQ until opening morning, but we lucked out and got a prime march weekend in CP bunkhouse ... maybe the Mountain Gods do love us after all ?

 

[peakbagger]

I was at lunch today and mentioned my trip up to Millinocket, my friend could not understand why I would take a day off and drive 460 miles to get reservations for this summer. To myself and others, that's just part of the trip this summer is the January drive. I never did opening day under the old wide open rules and remember many a year sending my mail in reservations the day after Christmas and having all three of my choices shot down. The reservation clerks were great to work with and I usually ended up getting something that worked. The first time going up for opening day and getting my first choice was worth every bit of driving.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Over New Years, Rangeley definitely had more snow than the Whites.

Tim

 

[TJ aka Teej]

Computers and the rolling rez system have really changed things. Wasn't that long ago when the whole system was shoeboxes and giant ledgers.

 

[Stan]

I go every two years and make a long weekend out of it in order to do some snowshoeing or bc skiing in the area. Nothing like 20 below in the North Maine Woods. This year we spent the time in Greenville before going to Millinocket the night before.

The old reservations ledgers were done in pencil so they could make changes ... too many changes and they had to cut and paste. I never camped out but would get in line at about 5 AM. Buzz Caverly would come around with coffee and donuts. My number in line would typically be around 130 - 140. As the system changed fewer people came so I got in line later and later yet my number went down and down. This year I slept in, ate breakfast and peakbagger, driving from Gorham, got there before me ... my number was 56.

The decision to hold it in the middle of the week was made by their business manager as it aligned with 4 months prior to the actual opening of many campsites ... not that it really had any relevance on opening day ... you could book anytime in the season. Another nice thing about going in person is the opportunity to talk with the rangers and naturalists. They're all a good hearted bunch of people.

As always, fun to talk with peakbagger and catch up on everything ... a walking wikipedia! Some juicy gossip, too, but ... you'll have to go to opening day to get those stories.

 

[Brambor]

I heard from a grapewine (millinocket motel owner) on Thursday that supposedly the line of people waiting decided to get dunkin donuts (or something like that) and in the meantime folks drove up and somewhat the doors were opened before the scheduled time which allowed the folks to get their reservation before the dunking donuts crowd returned.