Twig--- Baxter Reservations

“A buddy of mine just submitted (mailed Friday) for 1 nihgt Roaring brook and 3 Chimney pond for 7 people.

June 27, 28, 29, 30.



How are reservations running these days?? What are our chances? We (he) was supposed to submit 3 months ago . . ..oh well!!!

I remember that reservations used to go on Jnauary1 for the summer.

I just read in AMC mag. that Baxter is 17% off usership from 5 years ago . . .

What has been your experience lately?

Or is it different becuase you are a Maine Resident . . . (or just because you are twiggy :0”

“Hi lee!
everything's different just because I'm me...LOL...

I mailed reservations one day last week - dropped them off at the post office when I left work at 4:30, and BSP called me at 9am the next day! Course, that just means the post office was speedy for a change...

My reservations were for northern Baxter in August and mostly I wanted some lesser used places anyway...I did have to rearrange the sites so I could get a lean-to instead of a tent site at South Branch.

Yes, your buddy should have submitted the minute he was able. Good luck, but I think your chances are slim - though some of the days are weekdays, so that's in your favor...

Let me know what you get...”

“Gotta say they are responsive.


Reservation request went in Friday, my friend got a call yesterday.

The only slot for 7 at CP is for the Thursday.


But that should work. We can try for 1 of 3 things:

1) by the time we summit on Friday and come back down maybe someone will have cancelled at C.P.

2) Maybe they'll be something at Roaring Brook for Friday (HAHAHAH)

3) Myabe a private campground outside the park on Friday (Twig . ..got any ideas???)

4) I have a friend with a couple of lake cottages in Millinocket.”

“Hidden Springs campground is a popular choice - not far from BSP.

Or you can try the paper company, $7 per person per night, just a space for your tent - no facilities...

OR - my favorite - one of the paper company cabins ~$100/per night, split between 7 wouldn't be bad...outhouse, no running water, gorgeous views...”

“.....and frozen beer on the porch


No wait, that was in a different season many moons ago.”

“At least you got one night lee, that's great!

man, I've had so many great times at Compass Pond...last night we were even hoping for a budget stalemate so the state would shutdown and we'd have time to get out there for a bit, LOL...
The kids just love the place.”

“Is Compass Pond the cabin we stayed at in '03?”

“yep - was it THAT long ago?”

“Not Compass Pond.

Chimney Pond.”

“Yes it was that long ago.
It was before Ped's accident.
The temperature went from wet snow in the evening to below zero the next morning.”

“sorry, we're off topic, LOL...

Compass Pond is the location of one of the paper company cabins.”

“Off Topic???

So?

That should be my trail name.

That or, Opportunity Hiker.”

“Twig --

For the night we couldn't get Baxter reservations, I have reserved a couple of spots at New Enlgand Outdoor Center, together with a half day raft on the lower part of the Penobscot with the kids.


If we can't confirm space for 7 at Chimney . .. .we may be there two nights.”

“Cool!

We've watched the rafters a bunch of times - the best place seems to be by the bridge on the Telos road - I didn't even think they could get through there, but they do!”

“Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Night one. Drive from hartford with 3 dads and four kids as far as we reasonably can.

Day two. Drive to Baxter. Hike to Chimney Pond. We have three shelters there for the night. (we won't forget the leg stretch hike out to Sandy Stream Pond).

Day 3. Baxter and possibly Pamola . .depending on how we feel about the knife edge. I have done it, but the others haven;t. Kids range in age from 9-12.

Hike out from Chimney Pond, drive out to NEOC, stay in a couple of their cabin tents.

Day 4 Half day raft on the lower Penobscot. Drive home.”

“If we make it as far as the Augusta area on the night of our drive up Route 95 . .

any particularly good exits to find a cheap motel?

i am not fishing for an invite! Just looking to draw on your wealth of knowledge.”

“I think it's exit 109...
brings you to Western Avenue in Augusta and there are several motels - Super 8, Motel 6, Econo Lodge, and the Suiss Chalet (or maybe they've changed their name) and the Senator.
Further north, like exit 133, is Waterville, and there are also many motels there.

You're welcome to camp out in my backyard - there's a campfire ring out there.
I'm exit 113. If you think your friends won't feel comfortable at a strangers house, I won't be offended.”

“Day 1.

Stayed inthe Augusta Ecno Lodge. Ate at Applebees.

Kids swam in pool. Dad's had a couple of beers.


Day 2: Morning:

On road to Millinocket. Got off road long enough to tour the campus in Waterville. One of my buddies managed to pry the kids out of their gameboys long enough for thme to acknowledge that their Dad went to school there.

Afternoon:

Arvived in Millinocket around 11:30. Grabbbed lunch at a deli/bakery. Drove out to the Togue Pond entrance. and on out to Roaring Brook.

Hiked out to Sandy Stream pond. The first time in 1/2 dozen trips NO moose. Had promised a van full of 4 boys and two other Dads there would be moose. Pointed at a stump across the pond and declared it to be a moose. Argued strenously with anyone who disagreed.


Hiked 3.3 miles up to Chimney Pond. It was HOT and HUMID. And BLACKFLIES. Kids and other dads were STUNNED at the beauty and sheer ruggedness of the glacial cirque. In spite of having lied about there being moose at Sandy stream pond, my reputation somewhat restored.

Ate dinner, got bitten. got bitten some more. Some one steals our last two beers from the pond. we are pissed.


In our shelters by 9:30. Temperatures drop into the low 30s. Bastard black flies all die. die blackflies die. NO bug problems overnight.


Day 3.


A SPECTACULAR morning. 34 degrees. Crystal clear and dry. On the trail by 8:30.

Party of seven up the Cathedral trail. 3 kids scamper. One kids lies on belly and cries.

Two Dads scamper. One dad lies on belly pretending not to cry.

It is steep. It is sheer. It is exposed. I love it.

Rounding the second Cathedral we lose another kid to hysteria (mine this time).

The pitiful cry of "i'm gonna die i'm gonna die bounces off the rockwalls of the glacial cirque. Followed by growls of "just shut up and climb".

One Dad gets dropped on a hand assist up a ledge. Ooops.

Kids are handed from Dad to Dad up obstacles. More threats of imminent death.


Summit.


A top 10 day on the summit of Baxter peak.

Given the trauma associated, not with the difficulty of the Cathedral trail, but with the exposure, we decide not to do the Knife's Edge.

I am still in mourning.



Down the Saddel Trail, lunch at CP. Out to New England Outdoor Center. Cabin Tents.


Dinner at the Scootie In in Millinocket. Joined by a college buddy who has a bush flying service.


Up at 5:30. rafting the lower west branch of the Penobscot. Class IV and III rapids. Small boat. More choruses of "i'm gonna die".

Newbie guide puts us sideways to a 4 foot haystack in a class IV rapid. I go "swimming". ANother Dad also goes swimming.

New chorus begins: "My dad is gonna die. My dad is gonna die." (my youngest (9) was extremely distressed. He couldn't see my holding the line around the boat. my head was out of his sight. I tried yelling up to him, but he wasn't hearing me.

I swim the Class IV rapid. Loose sunglasses. Son hysterical. Dad gets legs run over by boat trying to get back in.

No damage done.


Oh. Saw BULLWINKLE at Abol Stream campground bridge area. Kids Thrilled. Dad's reputation preserved.



Ride home.

Stop in Freeport. By new sunglasses. Also Tent, windproof microfleece, back pack for elder son, hydration pack for both.


Elder son (12) moved WAY too fast up and down. Means only one thing: he's not carrying enough. All three older boys leave Northface outlet store with new women's sized back packs. Next trip they won't be moving quite so fast.


Wish I was still there.


A day in the north maine woods being bitten by blackflies, beats a day at work.”

“LMAO!!

I'm heading up there to retrieve my AT thru hiker friend in August. Seriously can't wait.

You're trip report just made the anticipation go up about 10-fold.

He'll hopefully be summitting on 8/20 and then we're spending the rest of the week goofing off in ME. We might have to do the other 3 summit routes. ;)

Thanks for the laugh. :D”

“I figured I'd use an old thread. Which is the better hiking map to get of the park from the Baxter State Park Store? I have the Clark Guidebook, but it didn't come with a map.

http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/store/index.html”

“The USGS topos. Could be pricey though if you need very many of them.”

“Pedxing are the trails updated on the USGS maps? If so, than I think I'd be covered with NG Topo! NE.”

“I use the Clark map.”

“hi twiggy!!
zac too
and ped
I have the Clark map too, don't know if it's better but I'd like to put it to some use again soon.”

“I don't know how up to date those topos are. The people I know who swear by the topos do a fair amount of bushwhacking, so even if the topos are the best - they might be overkill and uneccessary if you have the nat geos.

Anyway, Twig is here and she knows Baxter way better than I do, and probably better than my bushwhacking friends - so take her word over mine on anything related to Baxter.

Pepsi - It would be great to hike with you. Please give me a holler some time if/when you head up to Northern New England for some hiking.

It would be great to get a hike with you Zac, Twig and others together some time. I had the pleasure of a hike with Twig a good while back (she did some great planning and organizing) and benefited from some guidance, good company and a lift from Zac when I hiked the Northville-Placid trail.”

“I do love to plan trips, LOL...

I'm sure the topos are best (I have all the BSP ones) but I don't believe the trails are marked on them.”

“One thing about Baxter in the winter...

THE ROADS ARE CLOSED! LOL!!!

Not only was there a truck parked just beyond the rangers place, but we were sitting in the bunkhouse one night and a car drove by! Right on by the "road closed" signs, tires slipping on the (BIG clue) unplowed road all the way....

Talking with the ranger he said the first time it happened was last year - took a ranger with a backhoe 9 hours to get the vehicle out - and the park charged them.

Not to mention that in winter the road is a snowmobile trail and it is illegal to drive a motorized vehicle (other than a snowmobile or groomer) on snowmobile trails.”