'Whackin Baxter

[dr_wu002]

Eric and I have been invited to take a trip to Baxter by two of our esteemed Maine VFTT'ers for Labor Day weekend. This will be my 3rd trip and Eric's 100th.

I want to do The Traveler. Other than that, plans or open for this 3 or 4 day weekend and I think Eric wants to do some 'whackin. I have Mullin on the list. And I remember Spencer telling me about an old killer trail up the Brothers -- we could do Fort that way. I've (not seriously) thought about Barren although I have an aversion right now for hell-on-earth bushwhacking. Anyone have any recommendations? I put up a poll but you can also make rec's here.

You can chose multiple things!!

-Dr. Wu

 

[Barbarossa]

Actually, this is only my 2nd trip to Baxter.

Like, I climbed Katahdin in the 70s, Maaaa-aaan!

My father and I did all the 4Ks in the park and I continued on to some NEHH peaks. I believe Fort was one and the second might have been Coe.

 

[Motabobo]

Just couldn't resist

 

[dms]

Mullen/Barren

Wu, I highly recommend that you wack to Mullen directly from the summit of Fort, a total fern walk especially in the Mullen/Fort col. For Barren I suggest the staying on the Mullen ridge all the way to the summit from either the OJI or Owl col! Can't be beat for friendly vegetation! Make sure Eric wears his wackin sandals!

 

[dr_wu002]

Wu, I highly recommend that you wack to Mullen directly from the summit of Fort, a total fern walk especially in the Mullen/Fort col. For Barren I suggest the staying on the Mullen ridge all the way to the summit from either the OJI or Owl col! Can't be beat for friendly vegetation! Make sure Eric wears his wackin sandals!

I think the itinerary is likely going to be
1. Traveler
2. Fort / Mullen
3. O-J-I / Barren

I'm sure Eric will wear his 'whackin sandels! No doubt! Thanks fer the info Dennis. Wish you could be thar too!

-Dr. Wu

 

[dr_wu002]

Wow, Eric just PM'd me his agenda for Baxter:

1) Bushwhack up barren
2) descend into The Klondike
3) use our cellphones to call for a helicopter
4) Drive tracked vehicle across the Knife Edge

I don't know. I wonder if we should write a trip report when we get back? Frodo?

-Dr. Wu

 

[DougPaul]

Wow, Eric just PM'd me his agenda for Baxter:
4) Drive tracked vehicle across the Knife Edge

Or at least walk across standing on your hands... More enviro-men-tal.

Doug

 

[dr_wu002]

Or at least walk across standing on your hands... More enviro-men-tal.

Doug

Sounds dangerous; probably safer in my car...

-Dr. Wu

 

[onestep]

N Turner

My vote is for N Turner via the scree slopes.
Wonderful VFTT!

 

[dr_wu002]

My vote is for N Turner via the scree slopes.
Wonderful VFTT!

Wow, I'll definitely take that one into consideration. And, I bet I can drive my car on the scree!

-Dr. Wu

 

[MichaelJ]

Your descent into the Klondike should be by hang glider.

That said, whackin' in the Klondike sounds like a fine idea, head to the Owl, pick a direction and go until you come out at, say, Fort.

 

[onestep]

I think if the good Doctor just borrows a diesel belchin' skidah from somewhere along the Telos Rd he'll have a hell of an easier time 'whacking the park! Drop the front blade and goooooooooooooo... instant heard path.

 

[dr_wu002]

I think if the good Doctor just borrows a diesel belchin' skidah from somewhere along the Telos Rd he'll have a hell of an easier time 'whacking the park! Drop the front blade and goooooooooooooo... instant heard path.

Does it go up hills!? I better keep this part quiet when I write the trip report!!

-Dr. Wu

 

[albee]

Why did you include Fort and Center Ridge Peak? Both have trails to the summit. If you have bushwhacked to the Captain before - or anything near the Pemi - then following the herd path to Fort will be about as difficult as following the Tote Road to the trailhead.

Center Ridge Peak has an official trail to the summit now, according to most recent maps. Can anyone else verify this?

Mullen looks like an interesting 'whack, and I think there are some great views from the top. I've wanted to summit the Squaw's Bosom over near Doubletop - that looks like an interesting 'whack, too. I say interesting because from what I've seen on the maps and heard from other hikers, these peaks aren't your standard "go to height of land and head uphill" bushwhacks. The best ways are more terrain-based navigating. The MMG describes the bushwhack route to Mullen and it is a bit different than just heading down through the Fort-Mullen col.

I'm saving Barren for when I feel I'm ready for the challenge. It is supposedly one of the toughest ones out there, and I want to get a lot more bushwhacks under my belt and get closer to finishing the list before I attempt something that very well might make me question my sanity.

Katahdin's always fun, but as many on these forums have said, there is so much to explore in Baxter... at least you won't have to worry about parking! I love it when you go to the Marston trailhead and the trail register says that only 8 people have headed for the Brothers in the last week...

 

[dms]

Why did you include Fort and Center Ridge Peak? Both have trails to the summit. If you have bushwhacked to the Captain before - or anything near the Pemi - then following the herd path to Fort will be about as difficult as following the Tote Road to the trailhead.

Center Ridge Peak has an official trail to the summit now, according to most recent maps. Can anyone else verify this?

Mullen looks like an interesting 'whack, and I think there are some great views from the top. I've wanted to summit the Squaw's Bosom over near Doubletop - that looks like an interesting 'whack, too. I say interesting because from what I've seen on the maps and heard from other hikers, these peaks aren't your standard "go to height of land and head uphill" bushwhacks. The best ways are more terrain-based navigating. The MMG describes the bushwhack route to Mullen and it is a bit different than just heading down through the Fort-Mullen col.

I'm saving Barren for when I feel I'm ready for the challenge. It is supposedly one of the toughest ones out there, and I want to get a lot more bushwhacks under my belt and get closer to finishing the list before I attempt something that very well might make me question my sanity.

Katahdin's always fun, but as many on these forums have said, there is so much to explore in Baxter... at least you won't have to worry about parking! I love it when you go to the Marston trailhead and the trail register says that only 8 people have headed for the Brothers in the last week...

Mullen from the summit of Fort was given strictly as a joke, it's about as far from a fern walk as you could possibly get! The Traveler is perhaps the best circuit hike I have ever done in New England. Squaw's Bosom is a nice bushwack with rewarding westerly views.

 

[dr_wu002]

Mullen from the summit of Fort was given strictly as a joke, it's about as far from a fern walk as you could possibly get! The Traveler is perhaps the best circuit hike I have ever done in New England. Squaw's Bosom is a nice bushwack with rewarding westerly views.

Dennis, I could kill you! I actually believed you on that one for some reason. haha. Hey, if you get a package in the mail in the next few days, and it's one fire and also smells a little funny, don't hesitate to open it! It's a little token of my appreciation for almost getting my gullible ass killed!

-Dr. Wu

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I didn't realize Fort got enough traffic now to create a herd path (or as they say in the West - "use trail"). I've done it twice in 3 seasons and each time there was only slight evidence of human traffic, but that was a few years ago, so it sounds like many more are tagging it now if there's a clear trail.

I did Fort once in winter, and our group may well have been the only group to visit it that particular season. As albee points out, some peaks don't see too much traffic.

 

[Dennis C.]

Dennis' (dms) advice to "wack to Mullen directly from the summit of Fort" is not recommended. The "X" North Brother / Fort col on click-on map ) is a good place to start. Set compass and follow slope indicated by the "red cross". The woods should be open here (it was when we did it). I distinctly remember a very dark and thick looking forest off parallel to us (from Fort) and remarked, "I'm surely glad we didn't decide to bushwhack directly off that summit!"

OK ... ... I spotted the "joke" .... after I just submitted this!

 

[albee]

Dennis' (dms) advice to "wack to Mullen directly from the summit of Fort" is not recommended.

I think it should be obvious that DMS's whole post was sarcastic. Anything in one of Dr_Wu's threads should be taken with at least 2 grains of salt. (Except for this post - this post is serious.)

 

[dr_wu002]

I think it should be obvious that DMS's whole post was sarcastic. Anything in one of Dr_Wu's threads should be taken with at least 2 grains of salt. (Except for this post - this post is serious.)

No, he got me for real on Mullen. Sarcastic: yes; gullible: yes.

-Dr. Wu