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Mount Katahdin is not only the final ascent, for those heading northbound, at the end of the Appalachian trail, it’s a very strenuous climb all on its own. It takes preparation for a successful summit and one of the most important pieces of a successful summit is what you pack.
You can hike to the top and back in one day but you need to ensure you are prepared in the rare occasion a descent becomes impossible due to a turn in the weather. There have been some dangerous situations that hikers have experienced and emergency preparedness is always important on these hikes.
As I mentioned in my personal experience climbing to the summit of Katahdin, we met two hikers descending early in the morning because they became trapped at the summit when the weather took an unexpected turn. We’re talking hail in August.
Make sure to check the Baxter state park website before heading out and use common sense and your best judgement, remembering that you are hiking in a pretty remote location and rescue in these areas can be challenging. Being prepared can be the difference maker.
I recommend camping, with a good sleeping bag, in the area so you are already there and able to get an early start. You can either make online reservations with campgrounds with the state park or check Hipcamp.com for cool places nearby.
If you decide to drive in that day, make sure to get an early start so you can get a parking spot and to get the most out of your summit day. It can get really busy during peak season and you can have a challenging time finding parking but it’s the best time to go for the highest chance of success for reaching the summit.
So, this is my recommended packing list to summit Mount Katahdin.
Backpack
Having the right sized pack depending on your needs is key. If you are staying overnight in a hotel before making the final drive into Baxter State Park, then you might not need a 45+ liter pack.
If, however, you decide to camp out at the base of the mountain so you can get an early start, you are going to need a bigger pack as some of the campsites require you to hike in a little ways from your car. This is my recommendation, we left at around 4 AM to start our ascent in order to have enough time to summit and get back.
If you don’t plan to spend the night at the base of the mountain, a smaller daypack will suffice.
Food
Make sure you have high protein, high energy foods on hand. Things like peanut butter, trail mix (my personal favorite), granola bars, and jerky (another big favorite of mine).
This isn’t a multi-day trek, so I would try to avoid things that need cooking or take up a ton of space. A couple pre-made sandwiches and some easy snacks should suffice.
Water
Having enough water is the single most important thing to have on hand. My recommendation is to bring as much water as you can carry because there are not a lot of water sources along the trail.
I recommend taking either a LifeStraw or using a CrazyCap water purifier, so you can easily fill up with water along the way if needed. Either are an excellent choice because they both filter out parasites, viruses, bacteria and other particulates through a specialized, built in filter. And the best part is there is no wait time before you can drink.
Have at least 2 liters of water with you, you lose a surprising amount of fluids while hiking up this formidable mountain.
First Aid
Anything can happen while you’re hiking, even to the most seasoned hiker. So, being prepared can turn a bad situation into a better one.
You can purchase small first aid kits from various stores, but having a few key essentials can make all the difference.
- Band-Aids of various sizes
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Pain relief medication, such as Tylenol
- Elastic bandage wraps for sprains and strains
Other small items to consider include bug spray, sunscreen and lip balm with sunscreen. When you ascend above the tree line there is nothing to protect you from the harshness of the sun. This can quickly and surprisingly lead to severe sunburn and painful lips with blistering.
Clothing
You can hit bad weather and wind up in pouring rain at any time of the year, even in the middle of summer and if you are start in the pre-dawn hours of the morning you will want to have a few layers. Having both pants and shorts as well as a sweater and windbreaker that is also waterproof or rain gear are your basics. It’s also good to bring an extra pair of socks in case your feet get wet or excessively sweaty, you can change them out to avoid creating painful blisters.
If you are trying to keep your pack fairly light, this will be enough. There is a balance, you don’t want to over pack because you need to lug that pack up the mountain and back and too little could spell disaster.
Shoes
Every good hiker knows you need good footwear to attempt a challenge like this. So, feel free to gloss over this part. This is for you flip flop wearers out there. For those people who attempt to summit mountains, Katahdin or otherwise, like you are taking a short stroll in the park.
Having good, supportive footwear that is waterproof is going to make the trek that much easier. There is no reason to make this harder than it already is.
There are lots of options out there from trail runners to hiking boots that hug your ankles, find what works best for you. For me, its all about the trail runners, they are light, comfortable and mine are waterproof.
Trust me, it matters.
Trekking poles
Not everyone uses hiking poles but for me they keep my hands from swelling and they save my knees. I am all about my high trek endurance poles, they are adjustable and sturdy and a great thing to have on trail.
They can help hoist you up over tricky sections and safely clamber down steep terrain, so why not bring them along? If you have collapsible ones, then you can put them in one of the outside pockets of your pack so they are ready when you are.
Navigation and electronics
There are two things I would suggest having, one that is not 100% necessary because the trail is so well marked. A GPS. I have a Garmin that I can wear on my wrist that tells me all the stats from my speed, to my miles/hour, to my route.
You can set it to a point on the trail if you need to head into the woods to relieve yourself and then it will navigate you back to that point so you don’t get lost. I used it constantly on the Presidential Traverse.
Your phone is another thing you may want to consider bringing, just for emergencies. I know everyone’s phone is like an extension of their arm these days so this is probably a no-brainer for most. But it is also in the event there is an emergency.
Honestly, I am not sure how the signal is there because I didn’t have a cell phone when I hiked Katahdin (I know, shocker) but bring it in case.
Concluding thoughts
Katahdin may seem like a daunting mountain, and it can be, it’s a long day, but if you are prepared and have been monitoring the weather it’s a good day in a special place.
Reaching the summit is one of the most fulfilling feelings of accomplishment and I wish that success for everyone.
