You are reading a post by Tina from 2008-10-06 18:52:51
Great advice Brett,
also...bringing some moleskin for blisters helped me out. Because there is no resupply until Monson (going sobo) having good shoe inserts I found were a must. The rocks and roots can wear on the feet.
Whitehouse landing has limited supply (candy, pasta sides, etc. and lodging (fee)- its 30.9 miles past the north entrance to the 100 mile wilderness..(46 miles from the peak of Katahdin). Its at Maher Trail/Maher Tote rd.
Dont under estimate the power of deet. The mosquitos (and black flies) can make your life very miserable if you run out. Especially if it rains a few times during your hike. I went thru the 3rd week of June and the mosquitos were insane.
Bring one extra pair of socks (in a plastic ziplock bag) to designate as your night socks so your feet will always be warm and dry at night..just an idea. I ended up doing that and do not regret it.
Keep your sleeping bag and clothes bag dry (garbage bags work). If all your gear gets wet in the rain...there may be nowhere to dry it if it rains multiple days.
I cant really comment on what you would chuck because I dont know what you are bringing.
The 100 mile wilderness was one of my favorite parts of the A.T. - Enjoy that wonderful stretch of protected wilderness.
Hey there Tina! The 100 mile wilderness is a beautiful section of the AT. It's actually about 114 miles long, and almost completely secluded. You'll need to bring all your supplies, as there is no where to resupply (except for White House Landing, in an emergency). If you averaged 10 miles per day, this means that you'll need 11 days worth of food!
I hiked the 100 mile at the very start of my hike, so I was not exactly in "trail shape", so I also planned on about 10 days, with 11 days for of food. This turned out to be pretty accurate for me.
The dog won't be allowed inside Baxter State Park, so keep that in mind when planning your trip.
If you are used to carrying a bear canister for hiking out west, you can leave that at home. People typically store food in a stuff sack hung from a shelter or tree to keep it safe from smaller critters.
Late spring/early summer can be pretty intense with black fly season. Bring deet and/or mosquito netting. Sleep in a tent.
Water is usually easy to come by, but you'll want to filter/purify.
Elevation/altitude sickness is not an issue like it can be out west - you won't go above 5k.
Hope this helps! Do you have other questions?