Help with planning fall section re: weather. Pearisburg to DWG

[Runsalone]

Hey everyone! Im planning my third section hike for this coming fall. Pearisburg through Delaware water gap. My first goal is to make the halfway point, secondarily Id like to make DWG and knockout PA. Weather and time permitting. The big idea is for it to be an end of summer and all of fall hike. Watch the leaves start changing colors thru SNP.

Right now Im thinking last week of Sept through 2nd week of Nov. but Im worried because Im far enough north now that Im not familiar with the late year changes. (I live in Ga.) Is it still fall in early Nov in PA - NJ? A little dusting of snow doesn't worry me but Im hoping to time things so Im finished before the all day freezing winter temps set in.

Anyone familiar with the area that time of year?

Thanks for any help! 😀

BTW, sorry for the double post, I think I put my thread in the wrong place in straight forward. Thanks for the couple helpful replies there of course.

[colorado_rob]

Why not go SOBO and "hike with early fall"? Just a thought.

[juma]

water will likely be a problem, especially in pa.

[Gambit McCrae]

Why not go SOBO and "hike with early fall"? Just a thought.

Trip of that length, high potential for leaving a gap in trail if not finished

[moldy]

On Sept 15 it will be all green in Pearisburg. 2 and a half weeks later you will be entering SNP as the colors start to change. 2 weeks after that you will enter PA at the peak of the color about the 3d week of Oct. You will finish still in the color mid November. It will be a great trip. Take a look at PA's gun deer season.

[Runsalone]

Why not go SOBO and "hike with early fall"? Just a thought.

That would actually be lovely but it would be weird not hiking north, towards Katahdin. I started the trail in March 08 as a hopeful NoBo'er. When that didn't pan out Section hiking ever northward ensued.

water will likely be a problem, especially in pa.

Duely noted! Things dry up once the late summer showers move out I assume. Ill have my Circuit by then and able to carry more in between sources if need be. Anyone know any web sources for checking up ahead for this?

Trip of that length, high potential for leaving a gap in trail if not finished

That would suck. Way worse than stopping short.

On Sept 15 it will be all green in Pearisburg. 2 and a half weeks later you will be entering SNP as the colors start to change. 2 weeks after that you will enter PA at the peak of the color about the 3d week of Oct. You will finish still in the color mid November. It will be a great trip. Take a look at PA's gun deer season.

Thats about how I envisioned it Moldy. Watch it turn to fall and head for home and the fireplace before real winter. Then sit around at Thankgiving going stir crazy and wishing I was still out there. Lol.

Thank you all for your input! I've got about a month to go and getting pretty antsy. Whiteblaze always helps.

[Kerosene]

I'm pretty sure you will be well beyond fall colors by mid-November in eastern Pennsylvania. Leaves will be off the trees by then, which means that you may be wading through them over the sharp, pointy PA rocks, which can increase the chances of turning an ankle. I concur that water availability will likely be an issue. You may get a dusting of snow, but you're unlikely to get anything serious. My bigger concern is that in November in PA you may encounter consecutive days of damp weather with temps in the 30s and wind, which is a recipe for hypothermia. Frankly, I think it is harder to hike in that weather than it is in snow in the 20s.

If you hike south then you might stay close to peak colors all the way to Pearisburg!

[Note that while I now live in Minneapolis, I grew up in Jersey and hiked northern PA in spring months and VA in fall months.]

[colorado_rob]

...
If you hike south then you might stay close to peak colors all the way to Pearisburg!

That's what I was thinking, though Gambit has a point about there being a gap if not finished... but then again, that just provides more incentive to finish. Not sure what is weird about reversing direction for a section, but to each his own, HYOH !

[perrito]

That would actually be lovely but it would be weird not hiking north, towards Katahdin. I started the trail in March 08 as a hopeful NoBo'er. When that didn't pan out Section hiking ever northward ensued.

That's what I was thinking, though Gambit has a point about there being a gap if not finished... but then again, that just provides more incentive to finish. Not sure what is weird about reversing direction for a section, but to each his own, HYOH !

I've actually been doing all of my hiking northward too with the same feelings - heading toward Katahdin! But I'll probably have to break that streak this fall when I hike into a "hammock forums" gathering (MAHHA) from Duncannon to PGFSP. The logistics to go northbound just don't work out unfortunately.

[Runsalone]

I'm pretty sure you will be well beyond fall colors by mid-November in eastern Pennsylvania. Leaves will be off the trees by then, which means that you may be wading through them over the sharp, pointy PA rocks, which can increase the chances of turning an ankle. I concur that water availability will likely be an issue. You may get a dusting of snow, but you're unlikely to get anything serious. My bigger concern is that in November in PA you may encounter consecutive days of damp weather with temps in the 30s and wind, which is a recipe for hypothermia. Frankly, I think it is harder to hike in that weather than it is in snow in the 20s.

Does Pa. have longer stretches between reliable sources? Compounded by dryer fall weather no doubt. I agree with you about the temps. Those cold all day slogfests really wear on you.

Not sure what is weird about reversing direction for a section, but to each his own, HYOH !

I should've prefaced that statement with a "for me". I think because I secretly wish I was thru hiking but cant take that kind of time just yet. I've just always felt compelled to travel northbound to completion. No Idea why. Katahdin is like mecca or whatever. Maybe I'm magnetic.

I've actually been doing all of my hiking northward too with the same feelings - heading toward Katahdin!

Right! Lol, because.......north!

[egilbe]

Pfft, I started hiking the AT in Maine by doing day-hikes. I've walked most of Maine North and South, and some sections a third or fourth time. It really doesn't matter which direction you go in, every season the trail looks different, no matter which direction you are headed.

[Runsalone]

Pfft, I started hiking the AT in Maine by doing day-hikes. I've walked most of Maine North and South, and some sections a third or fourth time. It really doesn't matter which direction you go in, every season the trail looks different, no matter which direction you are headed.

Sorry you dissaprove. Im really looking forward to hiking Maine one day, its like the carrot on the stick for me.

[Malto]

PA in the late fall in lovely, much better than the summer. It is lower elevation so the weather, snow, is no issue. Yes leaves will be on the rocks but that is but an inconvenience. Poison ivy dies back, no bugs, better views, cooler temperatures, what's not to love. I think you have a solid plan.

[Runsalone]

I have been droolin over Pa fall pics. It really does look nice up there.

Does anyone have anything more to add about the possible water situation? Thanks to everyone for thier helpful suggestions and comments thus far.

[Runsalone]

I officially bumped up my start date a week thanks to some of the advice from whiteblaze. Better safe than sorry kinda thing. Now Im hoping not to have a late season heat wave in mid sept lol. 3 more weeks of "the grind"! then Im free!!!!!

[3_dogs]

Take a look at PA's gun deer season.

PA gun deer season usually starts the Monday after Thanksgiving.

[Runsalone]

PA gun deer season usually starts the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Duly noted thanks!

[hikernutcasey]

I should've prefaced that statement with a "for me". I think because I secretly wish I was thru hiking but cant take that kind of time just yet. I've just always felt compelled to travel northbound to completion. No Idea why. Katahdin is like mecca or whatever. Maybe I'm magnetic.

I get it and you should do what you want to do but as others have pointed out your hike would probably by more enjoyable by going south. I too am section hiking the trail and just to offer one more perspective I started out like you doing south to north sections. However, due to parking situations, timing and other circumstances I have hiked south during a few sections as well. I can tell you it made no difference to me once I was out there. Not trying to argue the point but it's not like you're going to Katahdin on this trip anyway so what difference does it make? The only section I am adamant about hiking north is the last one when I summit the big K!

[Berserker]

That would actually be lovely but it would be weird not hiking north, towards Katahdin. I started the trail in March 08 as a hopeful NoBo'er. When that didn't pan out Section hiking ever northward ensued.

Ha ha ha...this is me too. When I started section hiking I only had 2 rules I didn't want to break as follows:

1. Hike the entire AT (no blue, yellow, etc. blazing)
2. Hike all sections North.

So far I'm right at 3/4 of the way done and I have stuck to this plan. It was tough, and some of the logistics got annoying, but I'm all in on trying to finish it this way now.

[Deacon]

Ha ha ha...this is me too. When I started section hiking I only had 2 rules I didn't want to break as follows:

1. Hike the entire AT (no blue, yellow, etc. blazing)
2. Hike all sections North.

So far I'm right at 3/4 of the way done and I have stuck to this plan. It was tough, and some of the logistics got annoying, but I'm all in on trying to finish it this way now.

These are my rules also. So far over three years, I've covered everything up to Rutland VT without blue blazing. Hopefully I can finish next year.