Katahdin -- Presidents Day Weekend!!

[Double Bow]

So I'm leading a group for an single day trip up Katahdin over President's Day Weekend. We're going to be doing it as a day hike.

The plan is to drive up Friday and spend the night in Millinocket at a motel. Then either Saturday or Sunday (depending on the weather), we'll get an early start and hit both peaks of the mountain as Hamlin Peak will be #66 towards my Winter 67. We'll then go back to the motel and spend the night before having breakfast at the AT Cafe before heading home the next day.

Baxter State Park only allows official organized groups to do Katahdin as a day trip in winter, so this is being put together as an AMC trip.

If you have a good amount of winter hiking experience and you're interested in this trip, drop me a line and we'll talk. Hope to see you out there!

 

[MindlessMariachi]

Don't you need to build in extra days for this? I always thought they closed the gates to Baxter Park in winter, and you needed at least a day or a day and a half to even hike to the trailhead.

 

[bobandgeri]

If you are a stong hiker and don't mind a very long day it is doable in a single day. Several from VFTT have done so.

FYI - I have a trip the first week in March with an opening if anybody is interested. 4 nights in BSP with 2 possbile summit days. Please email or PM directly for more info.

 

[Double Bow]

Right, I've done Baxter Peak via the same route we'll be doing in a single day. To be sure, it's long and not for the beginner, but if you're an experienced winter hiker with a good amount of stamina, it's definitely doable.

In actuality, mileage-wise it's similar to Owl's Head (18.5mi roughly), though it has significantly more elevation gain.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Don't you need to build in extra days for this? I always thought they closed the gates to Baxter Park in winter, and you needed at least a day or a day and a half to even hike to the trailhead.

The day-trip route is from Abol Bridge via Abol Slide, which is significantly shorter than any other route to the summits of Baxter and Hamlin in the winter.