Is starting May 5th too late?

[CamG]

I could potentially be ready to leave in 2-3 weeks but if I wait until May 5th I will be able to start with a friend who can't leave until than for prior obligations. I think that waiting and starting with a buddy will help us cover more ground and hopefully make up the fact that we arent leaving now.

[fiddlehead]

IMO it's an excellent time to start.
But, to finish before Oct 15th, you'll have to keep moving and not take off as much time as the average hiker (which is too much anyway IMO)

I started in '95 on May 9th and finished Oct 09 that year.
You'll be behind the pack with the stragglers and partyers who have decided they'd rather party their way up the trail than finish in one year.
They are easy to fall in with so, you have to have the drive to say goodbye and keep going.

Also people who stay in towns more than a day or two will attract you to stay.
Up to you, but if you want to complete a hike in one year, these people must be ignored.

Good luck.
Spend this pre-hike time getting in shape and go climb some mtns and get those hill climbing muscles ready.

[Last Call]

Get on the Trail !!!

[Don H]

I'm sure you are aware of the Oct. 15 deadline in Baxter SP when the park closes to camping.
The average hiker takes 169 days to complete the trail http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php?44

[fredmugs]

Can you wait until the end of June and go SOBO? Either way you have plenty of time.

[garlic08]

If I were to hike the AT again, that's when I'd leave. But I also know from my AT hike that a five-month pace would be no problem for me. Unless you've hiked 2000+ miles, that's something you don't know. I met quite a few other first-time, four-month hikers near the end of my hike. So it's definitely possible.

If you have limited funds, keep in mind that a faster hike is a cheaper hike.

[Lambarrassment]

I'm starting the first week of May, too. I think we'll be fine as long as we keep moving and follow fiddlehead's advice. I think I'd prefer to trail the bubble till they spread out a bit, anyway.

Worse case scenario, we can always flip-flop before fall in the north has a chance to catch us.

[Spirit Walker]

One option is to start farther north, at Damascus or Harpers Ferry or even NY, and hike to Katahdin, then flip south and hike the rest of the trail in the fall. This avoids the pressure to push the miles in order to finish before October and you also miss the worst of the summer heat in the south.

[ocasey3]

The camping season has been extented in Baxter State Park for this year: http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/pdf/ExtendedCampingTrial_blog.pdf

[ocasey3]

***extended

[Slo-go'en]

The good part of starting early May is you'll miss all the cold, rainy weather. The bad part of starting early May is you miss all the cold, rainy weather.

[flemdawg1]

One option is to start farther north, at Damascus or Harpers Ferry or even NY, and hike to Katahdin, then flip south and hike the rest of the trail in the fall. This avoids the pressure to push the miles in order to finish before October and you also miss the worst of the summer heat in the south.

Starting in early May in Damascus puts you smack in the TH bubble. But starting at HF gets you to Sobo in August, not fun either.

[Prime Time]

It could get interesting toward the end of your hike. New England Autumn will be in full swing but the Whites and Maine could kick you in the teeth. On the other hand, the beginning will be awesome. Rhodedendrons in bloom, warm nights, less crowded campsites. I think it's a great time to start. If you're running late, you can always flip flop.

[rafe]

I concur with most of the above -- pleasant time to start, but you'll need to move efficiently toward Katahdin and you'll be dealing with the height of summer at relatively low latitudes. The median thru-hike is around five months.

Prime Time makes a good point about autumn in New England, it can be gorgeous, or it can be dreadful.

[jimmyjam]

That would be good time, better weather, far less crowds.

[Mags]

Pack light.
Hike consistently (not fast) all day.
Tent more between shelters since you want to do your own schedule and not where the established camps may be.
Take near zero (nero) days rather than full zero days.
Try to stay less in town.
Between now and May hike,bike,run, etc.

Have fun!

[CamG]

Thanks for the info, so does extending the camping season in Baxter mean that gives us ten more days to summit Katahdin? Or will the trail still close on the 15th?

[jdc5294]

you'll have to keep moving and not take off as much time as the average hiker (which is too much anyway IMO)
wow i must be doing something wrong

[DavidNH]

CamG regarding Baxter State Park (assuming you hike all the way to Baxter) the October 15 deadline is for camping in the park. IF the weather is still decent after then (a huge IF), you could summit but you would have to either start from outside the park (10 mile RT up mt and down + another 20 mile RT to Abol Bridge... basically undoable) or you could hike to from Abol Bridge to Katahdin Stream campground.. get driven out to Millinocket stay the night the get driven back.. hike the mountain and then get driven out.

But let's remember.. this is Mount Katahdin.. well above tree line and over a mile high located in northern Maine. After October 1 weather conditions go down hill and after Columbus Day your chances of climbing the mountain generally go down hill fast. Winter conditions. Weather conditions are similar to New Hampshire's Presidentials including Mount Washington. If the rangers find you hiking up the mountain on a class III or IV day (ie they either strongly recommend you don't go up or prohibit you from doing so) things won't end well.

But back at the ranch so to speak.. with a May 5 start date it's still very possible to thru hike the AT. You've got basically five months. You won't be able to take many zero or non hiking days. You should plan on averaging 15-20 miles per day. I don't know anything about you..but most of the under 30 crowd and even a lot of the under 40 crowd hike the AT in five months. I'd recommend you blow by Damascus Trail days (and most other festivals) and focus on hiking. So this won't be a relaxed visit all the towns type of hike. If you are in good shape and buzz right along you should be able to do this with minimal difficulty.

[fireneck]

Had a chunky paragraph, then realized Mags said it better....


Pack light.
Hike consistently (not fast) all day.
Tent more between shelters since you want to do your own schedule and not where the established camps may be.
Take near zero (nero) days rather than full zero days.
Try to stay less in town.
Between now and May hike,bike,run, etc.

Have fun!

[Venchka]

The good part of starting early May is you'll miss all the cold, rainy weather. The bad part of starting early May is you miss all the cold, rainy weather.

Last year, 2013, it rained the month of May along the NC-TN border. June was almost as wet. Slightly warmer than April. Every year is different. Sort of.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[CarlZ993]

The good part of starting early May is you'll miss all the cold, rainy weather. The bad part of starting early May is you miss all the cold, rainy weather.
You may miss some of the cold, rainy weather. I'll doubt if you'll miss all of it. The last day it snowed on my last year was May 13th @ Thunderhill Shelter in VA. But, I was told that 2013 was an unusual weather year (colder & wetter than normal).

[lemon b]

No it is not too late HYOH. Have fun.

[Prime Time]

I think it's a perfect time to start. Less crowds, beautiful flowers from the get go, great time to be in New England, and you can flip if you are running out of time. If you start May 5 at Springer, your chances of cold weather or snow in the far south are almost nil. NH and Maine in late September or October could be another matter, but you'll be tough as nails by then and so close to finishing that nothing will stop you. Besides, you'll be dazzled by the fall color!

[sadlowskiadam]

I started my thru last year on April 28 and finished on Oct. 12. I missed most, but not all, of the bad spring weather. The weather last year in September and October in New England was absolutely perfect. No snow, no cold, and beautiful fall foliage. Of course, each year is different and it may be colder this year. You will be able to do bigger mileage than early starters because of longer days and better weather, so finishing in 5 months time should not be a problem. If I ever thru again, I would start no earlier than May 1.

[jeffmeh]

As mentioned, if you begin to fear that you won't make it to Katahdin before the window closes, you can always flip and head up there early to start hiking southbound.

[FinnMelanson]

I will be starting on May 5th. I think it is the perfect time to start.

[Kc Fiedler]

I'll also be a May start. I should see you out there. Plan to start the 10th-14th ish.