Hey guys,
This year seems to be the year for me to attempt a through hike. With that said, I have an obligation the last weekend of May that requires a Northbound start of early June at the earliest. I have contemplated all my options on direction, flipflop, etc and I think I would prefer to go North and finish at Katahdin or Mt. Washington. I generally prefer more solitude and would not want to hike with the bubble. I know that is a very late start from Springer but I think it could be possible. My plan depending on my pace/mood when I get there is to hike up to Mt. Washington summit and then flip up to Katahdin in order to not have to worry about the "Dec 15 est deadline." I would then hike south from Katahdin and finish my thru-hike on top of Mt. Washington. This would be pretty iconic for me to finish in my home state in the Whites, which I consider my home mountains. This would also offer the opportunity for friends/family to join for the finish if wanted along with easier logistics getting home.
A little background: I consider myself a fairly strong hiker and in very good shape. I am first and foremost a hiker but I'm also a marathon runner and will go into the hike not long after a scheduled marathon (I will be in shape from the start). I have experience hiking the entire Long Trail along with a lot of year round day hiking and multi day hiking in New England (including the Whites). I pack light and hike fast.
I am looking for some insight as towards the temperatures I'll see throughout the east coast starting in June in Georgia along with some gear suggestions. I plan on switching out to warmer gear in September or VT/NH whichever comes first.
Here is a potential gear list: https://lighterpack.com/r/9movle
As you can see, I have several options regarding insulating clothes and shelters. I understand the shelters are probably not going to be completely full and I tend to use shelters but also love tenting/tarping on my own.
Last question, if I flipped up to Katahdin, are last minute camping reservations even available in September?
Thanks in advance! Any kind of input, suggestions, comments, questions, etc are appreciated (availability of esbit throughout trail?)!