Safety when out of sync w/ thru hikers

[Sunny Daze]

What about lone hiker safety along the trail when you are not among the thru hiker group. For example Ga to VA starting in late July. Should I just plan to start furthur north? Where would the thru hiker stragglers be at that time? MB hike south from VA? I'm open to suggestions. I have 2 months for section hike.

[tiptoe]

I'm a section hiker who usually hikes alone, and I plan my hikes for times when there will be other hikers around. Georgia to VA will probably be beastly hot in July, especially this year. If you start further north, say Harpers Ferry to New York, there will be plenty of people around.

[Creek Dancer]

Ahhh...two full months. You are fortunate to be able to choose any seciton. Yup, I would go way further north at that time of year if you want to be part of a thru hiker bubble. The water sources in Georgia and North Carolina tend to get low in the hotter months anyway. In fact, I live in North Carolina and I don't do much hiking in July and August because it's just too dang hot. Not sure about things will look this year though. The weather has been a little whacky.

[Spokes]

Why not just use the same skills and intuition you use to be safe in St. Petersburg, FL?

[Sunny Daze]

Why not just use the same skills and intuition you use to be safe in St. Petersburg, FL?

Seems like a different skill set. I wouldn't sleep outside in a tent or hammock in a roadside shelter or hitch hike in St pete

[Slo-go'en]

Even in July/August, I would think there would still be pleanty of other hikers around down there. Camp groups, weekenders and other section hikers would be the usual suspects.

But your biggest worry would be heat stroke and lack of water. Definately go north - far north, like New England.

[ShoelessWanderer]

There are plenty of hikers on the trail, in all section, during July and August, maybe not through hikers but lots of other section hikers. I usually do a week during the summer (plus weekends) and have never had an issue, and have never been truly alone on the trail during summer months. To get truly away...ya gotta hike in the winter.

[Spokes]

Seems like a different skill set. I wouldn't sleep outside in a tent or hammock in a roadside shelter or hitch hike in St pete

Of course you wouldn't. But it does reveal you have the ability to listen to that "little voice inside" when making decisions about what's safe and what isn't. No different on the trail......

Cheers!

[Sunny Daze]

Thanks to all for the input. The heat I think I can handle- but do a lot of those springs/ water sources really go dry in summer?

[ShoelessWanderer]

Thanks to all for the input. The heat I think I can handle- but do a lot of those springs/ water sources really go dry in summer?

Yes they do! So make sure you check sources in advance so you know where to get water. And anytime you pass water fill up! Even if you don't really have too.

[nu2hike]

I've hiked the Georgia section of the AT in both July and August! I live in Mississippi so the heat wasn't a problem! Water was more of an issue! Like mentioned above check in advance for viable water sources!

[rubyvermonter]

I will be hiking a southbound section in August from outside Roanoke to south of Damascus. If you are interested in exchanging more detailed information, send me a PM.

[Boots73]

Vermont thru NH would be great that time of year, or even all of Maine. August will give you some late afternoon thunder stoms in New England but some times rain is refreshing.

[Astro]

I sectioned from Dicks Creek to Fontana Dam late July/early August last summer and did not have water problems. While I was alone at most shelters I did usually run into people during the day. I plan to do New Found Gap to Erwin in early August this year. The next four years it looks like I will be sectioning the rest of the AT in July/August. While some may not like the heat, having grown up in South Florida, as long as I have enough water I can handle that a lot better than the snow/ice I had in SMNP this past March on Spring Break.

[Sunny Daze]

Thanks for input. Decided to start in New England and go south.