Maine trip

“I thought I posted this earlier but TT doesn't like me in the afternoon for some reason...

Anyway, I have an 8 person lean-to in Baxter Park over Columbus Day weekend. I've got space for 6 if anyone's interested. It's a 7 mile flat backpack in and stay put for two nights. Opportunities for hiking to other ponds, falls, gorges and lookouts, fall foliage, canoeing and moose watching. No peaks or high mileage, just a relaxing weekend keeping clear of rutting moose and enjoying the beauty of Maine.”

“Have another trip that starts September 14, with time to hike Katahdin and spot a car on the other side. Then off for three nights backpacking, 7-11 mile days, with one night in Davis Pond. Have 2-3 spots available. Continues on to Isle au Haut on the 20th. The lean-tos there are for 6.”

“When is Columbus Day? I couldn't find it on my calender.”

“just for the sake of humoring my fantasies, what city is near there that one might fly into? Tarpy and i want to go to New England again before the year is over, and this sounds like sooooo much fun!

hey, i just looked up Baxter State Park...now what exactly is this, ummm, "moose" doing?? LOL!
WTF? ”

“it's Oct. 14th, Artex!”

“Lyra, Bangor is probably your best bet.”

“Lyra --

bangor is the correct answer.

Portland would leave you several hours short.

YOu would have to weigh the cost/benefit of a probable cheaper flight versus a longer drive.


and Lyra . . . just WTF IS that moose doing???”

“Taking a toke off a moose-sized bong, of course!

Geez you kids today...”

“lyra, that's Pamola, storm god of Katahdin - he brings mighty storms. Many yarns have been told about this critter, and we keep our kids in line with tales of his wrath. (jk) When I take my nephews we listen to "Chimney Pond Tales" on the way, they're stories about him.

I am on my way to BSP October 10 or 11, depending on who bites for the trip and their schedule. The Guv just told us we have October 11 as an unpaid holiday.

Bangor is the closest airport.”

“okay, Bangor, gotcha :-)

oohhh, a mythical beast...that makes sense, i guess. i was thinking along the same lines, bitpusher, heheee!”

“On a side note, Bangor is a great town! I'm hoping to move there in a year or two (which I've been saying for a year or two).”

“well, i've never been, but the joke possibilies really make it attractive.

Bangor? You just met 'er!

no, but for real, i've heard it's awesome too :-)”

“I haven't been able to access TT in the afternoons lately, but feel free to e-mail me for details.”

“geez lyra, you're a real Rodney Dangerfield! You really need to visit Butte sometime.”

“It sounds very tempting, twigeater. I don't want to commit until I figure out what else I have going on, but I'd love to go.”

“Unfortunatly, I will not be able to attend. BUT she put on a GREAT hike!”

“yeah, well you can kiss my @ss too, Aero!!
;-) hahahaha! just kidding, i would love to come to MT, and to ME. i just need to get a sponsor and go on TT trips for a living...

i'm the same as Artex, twigeater. i'll see if i can come, it would be awesome...”

“thanks for the reference jerbear, you are a great hiking buddy - too bad you can't make it. :(”

“twigeater.
i would love to go...
maybe we can get a car pull for the people like myself and artex that live near NYC. drive up on friday and then hike out on sat. morn.
sounds like a good plan to me.”

“They sound like great trips. I wish I didn't have to teach on 9/17/02.

I'm thinking about the October trip, but fear someone else will jump in before I have a chance to calculate this out.”

“I have another trip August 19-25. Northern Baxter, short flat days, all lean-tos on relaxing water spots, should be canoes at a couple of the ponds, lots of wildlife...four nights backpacking, two nights car camping at South Branch Pond. Although I'm gonna bag one night car camping to go the the international folk festival in Bangor. Probably stop and get a shower first, lol.

Ped can't you call in sick in advance, lol? Bring along your woman and/or son. Davis Pond is the best. Or shoot for the Isle au Haut end of the trip. I'm sure there'll be plenty of space in October!

I haven't got my reservation back for October 11, but there is the opportunity for a Katahdin hike that day.”

“So...has everyone jumped shipped in favor of someplace closer to home? :( Can't blame ya there, although it'd be fun to meet some more tt'ers. I'd join ya if I didn't have this trip planned.

Anyway my October 11 reservation is a lean-to at Roaring Brook. That means probable bull moose in Sandy Stream Pond and a Katahdin climb, weather permitting.”

“OK since it is at Roaring Brook I assume from the map that we just drive in, park, register with ranger, hike maybe 200 yards to the leanto and then the next day hike up Katahdin or hang out moose watching at Sandy Stream Pond. Is this approximately correct? I am still thinking about this one also - its only 14 hours of driving - the same as my trip to MI earlier this year although there are more tolls going up 95 than there were in PA and OH on my way to MI.”

“I wrote all this once, hit submit, and got booted out... ~>:(

I have lean-to #3 on the map, it holds four people. One vehicle can park at the lean-to. If more than four decide to come along, we can get another lean-to or tent site.

suggested itinerary:

10/10 (Thursday) - drive up and camp outside the park. I'm not sure if this fits into anyone's schedule, but it allows for an early start the next day and a full day on Katahdin.

10/11 - drive into the park and hike Katahdin or whatever. OR, if we wait until this day to drive up to BSP, our arrival time will determine if we can get to Baxter Peak or not. However Chimney Pond is nice all by itself, and from there hike to Pamola Caves or the Blueberry Knoll. Also could do South Turner mountain or laze around at Sandy Stream Pond.

10/12 - hike into Russell Pond. Probably hike to Grand Falls along the way.

10/13 - day hike, moose watch, canoe, watch the leaves change color.

10/14 - hike out, maybe day hike.

Somewhere along the line we can go to Big Rock at Sandy Stream Pond and moose watch. If you enjoy moose watching, it's an addicting place.

I'm flexible as well...those plans can be altered somewhat to accomodate pickups and deliveries.”

“I'm dying to see a moose again. The trip sounds absolutely fantastic, I just have to figure out what I'm doing.. I'll keep you posted.”

“i thought this was going to be just a 3 day trip.. i guess im out. have fun everyone!”

“Maple Leaf, don't give up on the trip yet!

I only added a night because I now have the 11th off as an unpaid holiday. I figured either a) people would like to do Katahdin and that puts them in the park in good shape for that, or b) if someone flew in Friday and needed to be picked up, I could pick them up in Bangor and we'd be in the park that night ready to go in the am. I thought some might like the opportunity to hike Katahdin, but no one has to.

You can still drive up Friday if you're interested for the two nights at Russell.”

“hello would like to go in october if you still have room and will be coming from ohio.”

“Plenty of room lipton, when do you think you'll arrive?”

“i will be up wed morning and plan on staying at frost pond camps wed night and thurs too or camp with you guys.”

“Hey Artex - what happened to the Daks trip that same weekend? Just kidding since that is kind of up in the air, but this sounds pretty cool. I could finish off the week by swinging down to Acadia NP.

I can't commit just yet but this sounds promising. Twigeater - would the 15th-20th be a good time for foliage on the coast?”

“Pennsy - last year peak foliage was around October 10, but the color is still good after that.”

“I probably should mention something about the weather as far as Katahdin goes. There could be snow on the mountain and/or trails to the peak could be closed. High winds could close the Knife Edge (you guys are on your own for that trail!). Two years ago there was a freak snowstorm and campers were stranded at Chimney Pond in a few feet of snow.

But it will be a perfect fall weekend for us this year :)”

“This does sound a lot better!”

“I think I might postpone or cancel the Adirondack Trip in favor of this trip? If I can manage can I come along?”

“you know the more you guys talk about this, the more im leaning to go...
got to swing the days off from work and transportation. maybe amtrack? any info on that?”

“Yeah, I wasn't sure what I was doing for October!! So many trips, so little time.. Hearing Adventurist's thoughts alleviates some of the guilt. :-)

I really like the idea of seeing some moose (I'm a wildlife freak). Katahdin would be wicked awesome as well.

Twigeater, I'm at about 80% certain that I can make it, if it's okay if I come along.”

“artex.
how are you going?”

“I would drive.. but would likely stay over at a very good friend of mine's house in Cape Cod before and after the trip... so carpooling would be tough.”

“I wish I could go.”

“Twigeater - I'm almost certain I want to do the October trip. If you need a commitment or money for the reservation, count me in.

As far as foliage goes, I was 1 for 2 last year. I was in the Whites Columbus Day week when they got 4-12 inches of snow during peak foliage. It was fantastic!!

I was in Shenandoah NP 2 weeks later and everything was brown and on the ground. I purposely waited a week because the year before I was too early.”

“Yes...Twigeater, If we decide we are going what fees are involve and will we just meet at the Lean-to?”

“Yeah, I also insist on helping out with fees of course, it's only right. I'm thinking I'm totally in, just have to get the days off approved from my boss.”

“Hey, Adventurist.. I think we should still plan a trip for the Adirondacks, by the way.. drop me an e-mail..”

“Sounds good to me...I am at work. I'll email you tomorrow.”

“Twigeater: is there any room left on this trip? If so, I'd certainly be interested.”

“boy oh boy, twig mentions one time that she showers daily on the trail and look what happens.

I'd go too BTW, but I am afraid she'd get me wet. :)”

“don't be afraid dom, it's just water - and you'd have to find me first...

Wow - I return from a GREAT weekend at Chimney Pond and Katahdin to find this great response to a Maine trip! I'll make some phone calls and post our options and the fees tomorrow. I'm pretty sure we can accomodate everyone who wants to go, it's just a matter of how!”

“OH!!!! time to practice my tracking skills for a nice "prize" worth earning. I wonder if I could claim it as "geo-cacheing" :P”

“...yeah, if ya like BMW's (big Maine women)
:p”