Hunt vs Abol in winter (BSP)

[Sherby]

Hi,

I'm curious to know why everybody (from what I've seen online) seems to prefer getting up & down on Abol slide trail instead of Hunt trail (A.T.) in winter conditon ? Are the scrambling sections of the latter worse than a possibly icy slide

 

[Snowflea]

One reason is that Abol Slide makes it easier to do Katahdin in winter as a day hike. Hunt Trail/AT would be interesting!

 

[Sherby]

And if one was starting from Daicey pond ?

 

[TJ aka Teej]

In part because of the bouldering stretch just below the Hunt Spur. Abol is also shorter.

 

[Maineman]

My buddies last year did this insane winter itinerary:

1) Abol Bridge > Daicey

2) Daicey > Abol Slide (with sleds!) > then all the way across the tableland and down NW Basin trail to Russell

3) Russell to RB via Wassataquoik (sp)

4) out

Highly un-recommended!

 

[MichaelJ]

Daicey Pond is beautiful in winter, but it is indeed a long way distance from everything. Heck, its access road is a mile long off the Tote Road. Daicey-Abol does get done, you're trading off distance for the shelter of a cabin.

 

[natron]

this vid gives a good idea of the slide, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYkOMDowHmY