2026 XXXIII Annual Extreme Trip: – Maine, WAY OUT IN THE WILLIWACKS!
Ex-treme (ek-streme) adj.
1. Most remote in any direction; outermost or farthest 2. Being in or attaining the greatest or highest degree; very intense 3. Extending far beyond the norm 4. Of the greatest severity; drastic
Trip preview:
Where in the world are the Williwacks? Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont! We are heading there to hike massive Mt Katahdin, Hamlin Peak Loop & Knife's Edge in Baxter State Park, raft the thrilling class IV-V Penobscot river, explore Acadia National Park with it's beautiful and challenging trails, take the Monhegan Island ferry from Port Clyde to hike the Monhegan Island Cliff Trail, take a chill day on a lobster boat and watch seals, & have lobster in Bar Harbor, cliff jump in both Maine and New Hampshire, go spelunking at Lost River Gorge (Boulder Caves), NH, eat Ben and Jerry's ice cream in their home state of VT, and hike the challenging Mount Mansfield Loop Trail, VT. PHEW! So come along and you will have joined an elite group and will live your life going forward in a whole new way. Nothing can take these experiences away from you. Come and enjoy the thrills, the revelry, and the camaraderie among a certain kind of unusual people the Extreme Trip breeds – overcomers. You’re invited…GET PREPARED (not optional!!), and Be There…BONZAIII!!!
ITINERARY (subject to change):
Thursday 6/18 – Arrive at 6:30 pm, pack, depart 7:30 pm from 5838 Shannon Rd, Hartford, WI
Friday 6/19 – 7:30 pm Arrive The Penobscot Outdoor Center, 135 Base Camp Rd, Millinocket, ME and setup camp
Saturday 6/20 - MARATHON DAY #1 Hike Mt Katahdin, Hamlin Peak Loop, Knife’s Edge 10.2 mi, 4442' gain, ~13 hrs
Sunday 6/21 - MARATHON DAY #2 Raft Penobscot River class IV-V w/lunch (arrive 7:30 am for 8am – 3pm trip)
Monday 6/22 - Lobster catching and seal watching. Afternoon Acadia Natl. Park Moose Pt Loop Trail 2.5 mi.
Tuesday 6/23 – MARATHON DAY #3 3 am rise for U.S. 1st light Cadillac Mtn North Ridge Trail 4.4, 1118' elev. gain
1 pm Beehive Loop Trail, Gorham Peak, and Ocean Path 3.5 hours. 784' ascent. (Bolted Ladders on Beehive).
Wednesday 6/24 - MARATHON DAY #4 Monhegan Island Cliff Trail; 4.4 mi, 6-7hr hike (strenuous) 16 hr day
Beehive Loop Trail, Gorham Peak, and Ocean Path 3.5+ hours. 784' gain, technical.
Thursday 6/25 – MARATHON DAY #5 Part 1: Precipice Loop trail, 2.7 miles, 1000' gain, strenuous & technical. Will not do if wet. Part 2: Jordan Pond Path and South Bubble, 3.6 mi, 508' gain loop. Part 3: Lobster Extreme Dinner.
Friday 6/26 – MARATHON DAY #6 Frenchman's Hole, Newry, ME 2.5 hours cliff jumping; Lost River Gorge (Boulder Caves), North Woodstock, NH 1.5 hrs spelunking; camp at Underhill State Park group camp, Underhill, VT
Saturday 6/27 - Mount Mansfield Loop Trail (7.6 mi round trip, 2,877' vertical, 2 technical sections), until 11 am; Ben & Jerry's 1 hour factory tour; Warren Falls, Warren, VT cliff jumping. Depart for home by 5 pm
Sunday 6/28 - Arrive home around 5pm. Unload, clean up vehicles, and trailer.
COST
$750 per person. Note: this trip is partly underwritten. Registration due ASAP, and payment due by May 19, 2026. Note: only 18 registrations accepted. Please make payments to Kirk Bailey, 5838 Shannon Rd., Hartford by cash, or check (or by Paypal: @kirkbailey1, or by Venmo: @Kirk-Bailey-3)
Trip limitations:
Must be at least 14 years old and in good condition to participate. Attendee must not be afraid of water nor heights, a good swimmer, and must be prepared for strenuous physical activity and “carrying their own water”.
What to bring:
Pair of water shoes or sandals for water activities, Under Armor style nylon shirt to wear under wet suit when rafting, broken in hiking boots, shammy or towel, mosquito/black fly & sun protectant, snacks for trip, hot-warm-cool-cold weather clothes, gloves to assist with rock scrambling, rain gear, jacket with hood or sweatshirt for cool nights, swim suit (one piece for ladies, please) and travel towel, travel games, bible, wide brim hat, sleeping bag for cold weather & a blanket, air mattress or sleeping pad, water bottle, energy bars, day pack with 3L water pouch, sports mouth guard (for cliff jumping), flash light with new batteries, cooling towel for hikes, beret from past extreme trips, spending money ($50), camera (opt)., canned oxygen (opt).
Things that will be provided: Chaperones, recreational equipment (rafts/wet suits/water boots), passes/tickets, camping fees, first aid kits, food, food prep/storage gear, tents, transportation.
Ex-treme (ek-streme) adj.
1. Most remote in any direction; outermost or farthest 2. Being in or attaining the greatest or highest degree; very intense 3. Extending far beyond the norm 4. Of the greatest severity; drastic
Trip preview:
Where in the world are the Williwacks? Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont! We are heading there to hike massive Mt Katahdin, Hamlin Peak Loop & Knife's Edge in Baxter State Park, raft the thrilling class IV-V Penobscot river, explore Acadia National Park with it's beautiful and challenging trails, take the Monhegan Island ferry from Port Clyde to hike the Monhegan Island Cliff Trail, take a chill day on a lobster boat and watch seals, & have lobster in Bar Harbor, cliff jump in both Maine and New Hampshire, go spelunking at Lost River Gorge (Boulder Caves), NH, eat Ben and Jerry's ice cream in their home state of VT, and hike the challenging Mount Mansfield Loop Trail, VT. PHEW! So come along and you will have joined an elite group and will live your life going forward in a whole new way. Nothing can take these experiences away from you. Come and enjoy the thrills, the revelry, and the camaraderie among a certain kind of unusual people the Extreme Trip breeds – overcomers. You’re invited…GET PREPARED (not optional!!), and Be There…BONZAIII!!!
ITINERARY (subject to change):
Thursday 6/18 – Arrive at 6:30 pm, pack, depart 7:30 pm from 5838 Shannon Rd, Hartford, WI
Friday 6/19 – 7:30 pm Arrive The Penobscot Outdoor Center, 135 Base Camp Rd, Millinocket, ME and setup camp
Saturday 6/20 - MARATHON DAY #1 Hike Mt Katahdin, Hamlin Peak Loop, Knife’s Edge 10.2 mi, 4442' gain, ~13 hrs
Sunday 6/21 - MARATHON DAY #2 Raft Penobscot River class IV-V w/lunch (arrive 7:30 am for 8am – 3pm trip)
Monday 6/22 - Lobster catching and seal watching. Afternoon Acadia Natl. Park Moose Pt Loop Trail 2.5 mi.
Tuesday 6/23 – MARATHON DAY #3 3 am rise for U.S. 1st light Cadillac Mtn North Ridge Trail 4.4, 1118' elev. gain
1 pm Beehive Loop Trail, Gorham Peak, and Ocean Path 3.5 hours. 784' ascent. (Bolted Ladders on Beehive).
Wednesday 6/24 - MARATHON DAY #4 Monhegan Island Cliff Trail; 4.4 mi, 6-7hr hike (strenuous) 16 hr day
Beehive Loop Trail, Gorham Peak, and Ocean Path 3.5+ hours. 784' gain, technical.
Thursday 6/25 – MARATHON DAY #5 Part 1: Precipice Loop trail, 2.7 miles, 1000' gain, strenuous & technical. Will not do if wet. Part 2: Jordan Pond Path and South Bubble, 3.6 mi, 508' gain loop. Part 3: Lobster Extreme Dinner.
Friday 6/26 – MARATHON DAY #6 Frenchman's Hole, Newry, ME 2.5 hours cliff jumping; Lost River Gorge (Boulder Caves), North Woodstock, NH 1.5 hrs spelunking; camp at Underhill State Park group camp, Underhill, VT
Saturday 6/27 - Mount Mansfield Loop Trail (7.6 mi round trip, 2,877' vertical, 2 technical sections), until 11 am; Ben & Jerry's 1 hour factory tour; Warren Falls, Warren, VT cliff jumping. Depart for home by 5 pm
Sunday 6/28 - Arrive home around 5pm. Unload, clean up vehicles, and trailer.
COST
$750 per person. Note: this trip is partly underwritten. Registration due ASAP, and payment due by May 19, 2026. Note: only 18 registrations accepted. Please make payments to Kirk Bailey, 5838 Shannon Rd., Hartford by cash, or check (or by Paypal: @kirkbailey1, or by Venmo: @Kirk-Bailey-3)
Trip limitations:
Must be at least 14 years old and in good condition to participate. Attendee must not be afraid of water nor heights, a good swimmer, and must be prepared for strenuous physical activity and “carrying their own water”.
What to bring:
Pair of water shoes or sandals for water activities, Under Armor style nylon shirt to wear under wet suit when rafting, broken in hiking boots, shammy or towel, mosquito/black fly & sun protectant, snacks for trip, hot-warm-cool-cold weather clothes, gloves to assist with rock scrambling, rain gear, jacket with hood or sweatshirt for cool nights, swim suit (one piece for ladies, please) and travel towel, travel games, bible, wide brim hat, sleeping bag for cold weather & a blanket, air mattress or sleeping pad, water bottle, energy bars, day pack with 3L water pouch, sports mouth guard (for cliff jumping), flash light with new batteries, cooling towel for hikes, beret from past extreme trips, spending money ($50), camera (opt)., canned oxygen (opt).
Things that will be provided: Chaperones, recreational equipment (rafts/wet suits/water boots), passes/tickets, camping fees, first aid kits, food, food prep/storage gear, tents, transportation.