early January: BMT or AT???

[sloetoe]

My best guess right now is that I will have a two week window to hike, from roughly January 1 to the January 15 weekend (which weekend corresponds to the SoRuck...
http://www.soruck.net ).

I figured I should walk to the Ruck. But how? The two primary choices are...
1) NOBO on the AT from Springer. ~130 miles, familiar territory to revisit, possible company in early-start NOBOs, easy logistics.

2) NOBO on the BMT from Springer. ~230 (~188 to the Smokys, +40 SOBO to Wesser). Springer/New Years start, new unfamiliar to explore, solitude, but perhaps untried logistics. (Mags, I'll re-read your journal on who/what was open on your February hike.
http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.ph...&submit=Search )

Now, one immediate variation on this theme is to finish the BMT to Davenport Gap, working out some sort of ride back to Wesser. It'd be nice to check off the BMT, sure, but that'd be 300 miles -- 20 miles a day, which I don't think I'm worth at all right now, AND you've got to make some allowance for sneaux, which could cut mileage in half easily.

So the AT would be easiest and most familiar, but then there's that whole exploration beast that needs to be fed, and looking here...
http://parkaymaps.110mb.com/ scroll down
that's some fine looking territory.....

But what of company?!?!? It'd be neat to have people to bump into every night -- especially NOBOs so full of promise and gear (and food)....

Thoughts?

uncertaintoe

[The Solemates]

my thoughts are to do neither. instead do the bartram. i hiked into soruck on the bartram in 05. wonderful trail. guaranteed you won't see anyone.

[Bearpaw]

Ditto on doing the Bartam Trail. Start in Georgia, head north past Rabun Bald into Franklin, NC. Layover for rest, laundry, and resupply with one of Ron Haven's three hotels in Franklin. Head up the trail over Wesser Bald, head up to the trail's end on Cheoah Bald, then hike 8 miles south to NOC. 118 total miles.