Thru in Two- planning ahead

[GolfHiker]

I don't believe I have ever really seen a thread addressing the question of doing a Thru hike in parts of two years. For many reasons, it's looking like I may need to schedule my thru hike in two consecutive calendar years, so I'd like to address this specifically to anyone who has done this, or planned to do this, or is now doing this.

My calendar should be pretty open, meaning I can cherry pick the best weather months, I can select NOBO or SOBO, starting at either end, Harpers Ferry, just about anywhere. I don't want to over think this, or have so many options it becomes confusing.. I'm sure there are many ways to make this work, so for now, I'm just hoping to engage some interesting thoughts. Nothing will happen until 2015 or so...

Thanks in advance...

[Dogwood]

Section hiking the AT or any long distance trail in America over the course of two or more yrs to complete all that trail is definitely not something new. This has been discussed ad infinitum here and elsewhere as it pertains to the AT and a few other trails. And, you've let the proverbial cat out of the bag. You're going to get all manner of suggestions and advice on the pros/cons of doing ALL of the AT over two hiking seasons. Check out the articles section here on WB regarding some of the more common ways people do all the AT over two or more seasons. I think there is some advice about that still in that area.

[Slo-go'en]

Technically, if you split it into two years, it's not a thru-hike, but we know what you mean.

Since your flexable with the dates, I'd do the first half first and the second half second. That is, do a traditional April start at Springer and go to Harpers Ferry (or however far you can get that first year in the time available). Then pick back up the next year where you left off, at about the same time of year when you left off. That would kinda be like a thru hike, with a lot of zeros days in between

[kayak karl]

if he did SOBO july- october and next year NOBO march - june he will have hiked the trail in 12 months. is this a thru?

[hikerboy57]

if he did SOBO july- october and next year NOBO march - june he will have hiked the trail in 12 months. is this a thru?

although i think i remember the interpretation being in one calendar year,it would be no different than someone starting in december and finishing in june. yes, its a thru hike.

[kayak karl]

although i think i remember the interpretation being in one calendar year,it would be no different than someone starting in december and finishing in june. yes, its a thru hike.

i brought it up because of someone that started August SOBO and finished end of January. somebody tried to tell him it wasn't a thru.

[max patch]

if he did SOBO july- october and next year NOBO march - june he will have hiked the trail in 12 months. is this a thru?

No. 2 section hikes.

[hikerboy57]

i brought it up because of someone that started August SOBO and finished end of January. somebody tried to tell him it wasn't a thru.

not to open a can of worms, but who cares? hed still qualify for 2000 miler status, and he knows in his heart he did complete a thru hike.
as a matter of fact, i dont understand the concept of "status" at all when it comes to hiking.

[max patch]

i brought it up because of someone that started August SOBO and finished end of January. somebody tried to tell him it wasn't a thru.

If he was just a slow hiker and pretty much hiked continously for a year and a half then thats a thru.

If he took 6 months off then thats not a thru.

[GolfHiker]

I appreciate all the comments. I guess I did not intend for this to become a thru vs. not a thru hike debate. God knows I'd do it all at once if I could ( if lucky maybe I will ). I'm not too hung up on the distinction, but rather making the distance happen. Anyway it's fun to read everyone's take on things. Don't stop.

[max patch]

i dont understand the concept of "status" at all when it comes to hiking.

I consider thru, flip, yo-yo, sectioned, etc etc etc as adjectives not as status.

[Zipper]

I think it depends on whether you want to be hiking with the thru class of that particular year. If that's important to you, then you'll want to start on the trail where the main "bubble" of hikers are. I know two people who did this - one went from Springer to Pearisburg one year and then Pearisburg to Katahdin the other - these are not even-sized sections but that's what she did. I think she was originally going to split it into thirds but then just kept going year two. Another started in Harper's Ferry one year in June and hiked to Katahdin, then hiked NOBO from Springer to Harper's Ferry the following year.

And of course there are zillions more people who've done this! These are just two I know personally.

If it is not as important to you to be around the thru hike class, then you can start anywhere, anytime. I started my flip flop around Roanoke Virginia at the beginning of May and thought it was a beautiful time and place to start hiking. I was at the front of the thru bubble, but since I was starting slow, they caught up to me and then I was in the middle of the thru bubble, which I really enjoyed. I continued north to Katahdin finishing in September. And then flew back to where I started and hiked south. The southern third was beautiful in the fall and I was lucky with pretty mild weather overall.

Almost anywhere on the trail is beautiful in spring and fall. Maine is gorgeous in September, except maybe this past September when it rained a bunch? There are way fewer people on the trail in the fall overall. And of course, even fewer in winter.

Good luck with your decision!

[max patch]

All kinds of choices.

How about starting in April at Springer as if you were going to do a traditional NOBO. The next year start in June at Katahdin as if you were going to do a traditional SOBO. You'll get most of the thru hiker experience if that is important to you.

[MuddyWaters]

Question: If taking 5 months off isnt a thru, why is taking 2 weeks off, or even 2 days for that matter? Where is the line drawn, and why is that the place?

Answer: Because the concept is totally arbitrary and everyone defines it based on their own ridiculous concept of what is "right".

[kayak karl]

I did not intend for this to become a thru vs. not a thru hike debate.

but it's Monday night and we're bored

[GolfHiker]

A yup. I get that.

[TEXMAN]

Golf Hiker,

[hikerboy57]

well, there is no right answer. there are so many possbilities, and it all has to get hiked.start at harpers ferry in may and hike north,itll keep you out of worst of the heat. the following spring, start at springer and hike north with the bubble,finish at hf.

[TEXMAN]

Golf Hiker, Don't over plan it is a futile exercise. I was a thru hiker in 2009 and had my mileage for every day set on a chart, where I would stop, when I would take breaks etc.. well it is now 2013 an I still haven't finished. Now I just try to get to the trail every year and do as much as I can do. Old Man River GA>PA MA>Vt ME<ME NH>NH NH> NH

[Data]

This year, I started my attempt at a thru hike in late March in GA and hiked until the end of August. I had every intention of doing a one year thru hike but due to family issues and my slow hiking pace, I ended at the NY/CT state line. Next year I plan to to restart on May 1st and hike from CT to Maine. The whole thru hike debate is meaningless to me. We are all just attempting a thru hike until we finish it. And we all finish it in our own way. I'm calling myself a 2YNOBO. One piece of advise I am trying to follow is to hike north in a continuous manner and to finish on Kahatin. When I am done, will be standing on top of that mountain and know that yes, I did walk here from Georgia. Hope to see you on the trail.