Time Limit

[Oventoasted]

Anyone else on a time limit by chance? My enlistment in the military is coming to an end a very convenient time, right about the end of Feb. But I am enrolling in the fall semester of the college i want to go to which starts mid Aug. I've read that the AT can take between 5-6 months but, if it ends up being 6 months i don't believe i will have enough time to get back to school before finishing.

Anyone else have a similar conflict or maybe someone with experience on this issue could shine some light on it?

In any case I'm super excited and have been waiting to take this adventure for a long time!

[rafe]

A common situation. If you're young and fit (as I'm guessing) and reasonably prepared, you should be able to finish in five months, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Thru hiking is a marathon. Do what you feel is best, just don't let your thru hike turn into a death march. There's no shame in finishing the trail in two seasons or twenty seasons.

[capehiker]

A hiker I met this summer on my Thru started Mar 3 and finished August 25. He took a more zeros than most and still finished under 6 months.

[Martzy]

I'm sorta in the same boat with you. I'm beginning March 1st, hiking north. I work at a winery and harvest begins around late July-early August for most, so that's my "deadline." They wouldn't be happy if I missed the busiest time of year! But like it's already been said, you can hope and aim to finish, but there is no shame in leaving some of the Trail for later. If you don't finish in time, and it's important TO YOU to do the whole thing, you'll find a time to finish it.

[ARambler]

I don't think it is possible for you to not finish, if you are still hiking in July. If you are "average", you will quite for one of the reasons that 75% of starters quit (almost all before August).

As a fit military hiker who knows how to get things done, you should be targeting less than 5 months. Except, you should not worry about timing at all. You will need to address many issues without worrying about speed. March 1 is early and you may have bad, or very bad, weather, minor injuries, heavy winter gear, and just the learning curve that 1 AT mile is not the same as a mile on the road.

Good luck.

[AfterParty]

Do the the trail. College can wait a semester. I'm retired army and that my adivise. Have some time to do compress.

[trailmercury]

I only have a six month leave of absence approved from my employer...April 1st to September 30th....Planning on finishing in 5 months so that I have a few weeks to adjust back to "the real world"
I say you go for it, I am!

TM

[Venchka]

An April 1 start is statistically better than a March 1 start.
Good luck.
Wayne


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[The Roaming Gnome]

My friend Rory hiked the AT NoBo this year in 100 days. He posted his journey on youtube. You may be able to form a game plan by checking out how he did it. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkA...Eg6ZN-BqMy6wow

[Deadeye]

if you need 6 months to finish, but only have 5, are you going to let that stop you from hiking as far as you can go in 5 months? Just do it. Or wait a semester (or a year), the college will still be there.

[illabelle]

I'm "just" a section hiker, but wanted to chip in that you can avoid some of the potential weather delays and issues by doing the trail in a non-linear fashion. Start in central VA and hike north to wherever, then go back to GA and hike to central VA, then go finish up the north. Put yourself in low elevations/latitudes for the late winter and early spring. Spend the hot months where it's cooler. Not only is that more comfortable, but it means you may not have to spend several days in a GA/NC/TN hostel waiting out a mountain snowstorm.

[Slo-go'en]

Do the math. If you have 152 days (mid March to mid August) you need to have a daily average of 14.4 miles. That's including zeros, so realistically you need to have a lot of 20 mile days to make up for zero or nero mileage days. 20 mile days in the middle sections aren't too hard to pull off.

[jjozgrunt]

In the same boat but for other reasons. Visa for one. I have to have return ticket as well so I am looking at 154 days from 13 Mar. But I am travelling for 6 weeks after with my wife so I will have a little bit of a fudge factor.

[jj dont play]

Never backed pack before but have a good fitness background although it had been a few years. I'm sure with your army background you will be in better shape then I was at the start. Planned on 6months and finished in 117 days, could have done 100 if I had planned to from the beginning or if I had to for some reason. I ended up enjoying longer days and hated zeroes.
You'll do it quicker than you think without even trying to. And don't worry about smaller miles the first 2 weeks or so, get your "trail legs" before you start to worry about increasing miles to "finish in time".


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[rafe]

Do the math. If you have 152 days (mid March to mid August) you need to have a daily average of 14.4 miles. That's including zeros, so realistically you need to have a lot of 20 mile days to make up for zero or nero mileage days. 20 mile days in the middle sections aren't too hard to pull off.

Even 20+ years ago, typical successful thru hikers were averaging about 15 miles per day and finishing in a little over 150 days. That was with much heavier packs and fewer town facilities along the way.

I'll join the chorus saying, keep the zero days to a minimum. Particularly in the OP's case where there are hard time limits.

[Oventoasted]

Thanks everyone for the replies and advice! Too add some more info i do not believe my budget can allow me to skip the fall semster due to how the GI Bill works. I need to be a full time student (12 crd hrs) to get any kind of allowance. Dont want to burn my savings to start school in 2018 spring.

What i am curious about is this snowy weather in the first states. Not saying I'm exceptionally skilled but, how bad of a snowstorm are we talking about? I've hiked in some snowy weather when stationed in Alaska, Crow Pass area. Though that was not howling winds or white out conditions just wading through thigh deep drifts.

Thanks again for the advice!

[rafe]

Early spring weather in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina is likely to be highly variable. You may well see daytime temps up in the 60s or higher, but just as likely, overnight temperatures down in the teens or single digits, especially up at altitude.

Most likely you won't need snowshoes, but microspikes may come in handy now and then. Expect some slush, ice, and bone-chilling cold rain.

Fact is, early starts yield minimal returns. For many hikers, it just ends up being a lot of zeros in town, burning up time and money.

Check out the movie "Long Start to the Journey" for an account of an early start. Tough going through the Smokies.

[Venchka]

A couple of random trail journals from 2013. A particularly nasty blizzard hit the southern AT late March - early April.
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=433653
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=401332
Wayne


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[AfterParty]

I went to the everglades a few years ago on a veteran outward bound trip over Thanksgiving. We canoed some pretty serious days and on the last day well into the night we paddled from the gulf back to close the Miami side and one of the guides said we killed them. It was minimal complaining from the vets. Everyone complained no one worked less. So if you want it you will get it just go that place in your head. When I do my attempt I wanna push the smokies hard minimal sleep just get past that part. I don't wanna stay in Shelters. I wish you the best.

[jjozgrunt]

It was minimal complaining from the vets.

I can't believe that we have a saying in the Royal Australian Regiment (Infantry) the soldiers aren't happy if they aren't bitching about something.