How much of a bushwhack is Reddington?

[jmegillon149]

First off, I will be blunt, I have virtually no experience or interest in bushwhacking. I don't want this to turn into a "you should try it thread"

OK, that's out of the way.

I plan to do some backpacking on the Maine AT. I am interested in peak-bagging, and am very drawn to the idea of hitting all the summits from Saddleback up to Bigelow.

I noticed Reddington is near there, but is off trail. If this is a herd path, I may consider going over there. If its true bushwhacking - no thanks, to the point that I may not bother to complete the full 67. (new list the T66!), or at least do it some time when I am not alone, in the middle of a several day backpack, and am with someone who actually knows what they are doing off-trail, since lets face it, that is a better circumstance to try bushwhacking (still unlikely).

 

[David Metsky]

It's barely a bushwack at all. There's a very well defined trail to the summit from the top of the logging roads. Perhaps a mile total, and its better then some trails I've been on.

http://home.earthlink.net/~ellozy/reddington.html

Edited to add:
I reread your post. If you plan to bushwack from the summit of North Crocker its a bushwack. If you go from the crossing of the CVR, it's a walk.

 

[Silverfox]

We agree..

though there is somewhat of a bushwack coming over from Crockers..trail from Caribou Valley Road pretty easy to follow..somewhat marked by cairns in fall 2007, obvious paths heading off the logging roads towards the summit

 

[jmegillon149]

It's barely a bushwack at all. There's a very well defined trail to the summit from the top of the logging roads. Perhaps a mile total, and its better then some trails I've been on.

http://home.earthlink.net/~ellozy/reddington.html

Edited to add:
I reread your post. If you plan to bushwack from the summit of North Crocker its a bushwack. If you go from the crossing of the CVR, it's a walk.

well, I will be AT hiking over Crockers, don't want to bushwhack from there; how would it be if I were to hike down the CVR to the log road, then back to the AT. I could make for a good day hike in the middle. I do like to break up backpacking trips with one pack less day, as it gives my joints a break, and also can be omitted if I need to take a weather day.

 

[David Metsky]

It's a fairly casual walk from the CRV, you could do it in a few hours. Drop your pack at the road crossing and just carry some water and a camera.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I agree with Dave. From where the AT crosses the CVR, you should be able to do it in 3 or 4 hours up and back. Most of this is following old logging roads - the last mile or so is on a herd path. Most would not consider this approach a bushwhack. OTH, doing it from Crockers is - there's an occasional faint path, but you need to have good route finding skills.

 

[marty]

OTH, doing it from Crockers is - there's an occasional faint path, but you need to have good route finding skills.

I agree with Kevin, but Timmus and Wowser did the whack recently and reported that there is lots of flagging between S. Crocker and Redington. You might want to check with them to see how obvious this route is.

When Ray and I did this whack last year, there was occasional orange flagging and some pink spray paint on trees to follow, but there were spots that we needed to rely on our compasses, especially since it was rainy and foggy, which prevented us from taking any visual summit bearings.

We descended via Mohamed's route (which I had done before). Please realize that the wood arrows that point to the proper log roads are beginning to decay, but are still there. The orange blazes on the final trail to the summit are faded, but are still there. so look hard for them.

Marty

 

[Tom Rankin]

Last summer there were easy herd paths all the way from Crocker to Reddington.

You start off dropping down off the summit. You come to the clearing, and head for the far side, angling up. Then there is another trail heading up. It intersects a very obvious path at some point and up you go to the top. Simple!

 

[MichaelJ]

Just don't turn onto the open cut that is the AT corridor and crosses the bushwhack "path" at almost a 90-degree angle. It's only the corridor line, it won't get you to Redington.

 

[skimom]

Not a bushwhack from CVR at all. My kids did it with me a couple summers ago.

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13799

 

[bryan]

hiked redington from south crocker last summer. i have no real bushwack experience and found the herdpath to be pretty easy to follow. the key is to watch for the evident treadway (watch your feet). it's likely grown in higher up. hard to say if there are blowdowns, etc. since then. some flagging in the clear cut and the final section is grotesquely spray painted until a very clear path the leads to the summit. went down the roads. was helpful to have mohammeds description as there are a few junctions. those roads provided some of the nices views of the day. may be quicker to go out and back on the herd path if your plans are to continue on to the bigelows from south crocker.
have fun.

bryan

 

[Silverfox]

Last summer there were easy herd paths all the way from Crocker to Reddington.

You start off dropping down off the summit. You come to the clearing, and head for the far side, angling up. Then there is another trail heading up. It intersects a very obvious path at some point and up you go to the top. Simple!

Agreed

obvious path off the summit..that disappears in places but hold the contour and you come to the cut which has some pretty nice views and photo spots...we followed a skidder path from the top side of cut to the col where a pink plastered trail led us to Reddington...a wide boulevard near the top leads down to CVR... very obvious and well marked

 

[Mike P.]

As many have said, following Mo's directions on the old logging roads, it's pretty clear cut. (well the clear cut is regrowing )

 

[elvios lincoln]

Redington from South Crocker

I did the Crocker to Redington bushwhack last year. I have attached a trip report that I posted last year. I did think it was a bushwhack.

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showpost.php?p=195850&postcount=1

 

[jmegillon149]

It's a fairly casual walk from the CRV, you could do it in a few hours. Drop your pack at the road crossing and just carry some water and a camera.

do you know the mileage is? I will already be doing 8 that day with a full pack, just wondering if its worth tacking on.

 

[peakbagger]

Since the wind farm is a dead issue on Reddington, should hikers make it a goal to clean all the junk from the summit? I expect that a battery powered sawzall could make quick work of the bent tubing. If everyone grabs on to a managable piece when they are hiking down, it wouldnt take much more than a summer. Heck sounds like we need a gathering in Eustis again and use this as an excuse for a Sunday hike

 

[BillyRay]

I too plan to knock off Redington in the near future. We will most likely bushwhack from S. Crocker.

EL's description here of such a trip is quite detailed. Can anyone comment on whether or not this is the best route from S. Crocker? Or did he miss a turn somewhere?

Thanks
Rick

 

[dRitter]

Calling Redington a whack is a joke. It's a logging road walk to a herd path, about as challenging as finding your car in a Wal-Mart parking lot. For the folks who use a compass to get there - hats off. For the rest of the people who blindly follow surveyor tape you are fools and you are a hazard to yourself and any local search and rescue teams.

 

[MichaelJ]

Can anyone comment on whether or not this is the best route from S. Crocker? Or did he miss a turn somewhere?

In theory, yes. From that logging road (on the far side of the old clearcut) there are numerous paths. At least two of them go to the Redington summit. The primary goes from near the height of land on the road. A lesser one goes from closer to the clearcut. They meet prior to the summit. A little compass work will help ensure taking the correct one(s).