I know it's early, but...

[bangorme]

I want to do the 100 Mile Wilderness (south to north) this summer. I'd like to start after the SB's are almost all through there, and before the NB's get there. Anyone have a guess when I should start? I'm expecting a late start for the SB's.

[fiddlehead]

SOBO'ers can start anytime after June 1st.
They've started as late as October already.
So, you probably cannot find a hike without any SOBO'ers.

NOBO'ers will be showing up anytime after July 1st IMO.
Up until late October.

So, I think it's almost impossible to not see any thru-hikers in the 100 mile wilderness.

Why not go with mid to late July for your start.
That way the bugs should be dwindling, snow should be mostly melted, mud season about over and before the masses of thru-hikers are there.
SOBOer's will abound, but, for an earlier start, you have to put up with the black flies, mud and snow in the higher elevations

[Slo-go'en]

I would go after July 4th - that's when it's usually safe to go back into the woods around here :)

[rafe]

I want to do the 100 Mile Wilderness (south to north) this summer. I'd like to start after the SB's are almost all through there, and before the NB's get there. Anyone have a guess when I should start? I'm expecting a late start for the SB's.

Lessee, sobos will start, say, July 1 to Aug. 1 and take, say 7-10 days to get thru. So you're out all of July and a chunk of August. In reality the spread is likely to be greater. Who can say for sure?

Nobos will be coming through the HMW continuously between late June and mid-September, probably peaking in August or early September.

[rafe]

I should add: I've done the HMW sobo twice, once starting in mid September, once in early August. Transit time was one week in both cases. Saw lots of northbounders on both hikes (anywhere from 2 to 10 per day) and less than a handful of southbounders total.

I'm deliberately not counting day-hikers or folks doing significantly less than the whole HMW. On the first hike, this category didn't exist, but on the 2nd hike it was huge. The wilderness has gotten crowded. It's no longer necessary to hike the whole distance. Barriers-to-entry have been lowered.

[map man]

SOBO'ers can start anytime after June 1st.
They've started as late as October already.
So, you probably cannot find a hike without any SOBO'ers.

NOBO'ers will be showing up anytime after July 1st IMO.
Up until late October.

So, I think it's almost impossible to not see any thru-hikers in the 100 mile wilderness.

Why not go with mid to late July for your start.
That way the bugs should be dwindling, snow should be mostly melted, mud season about over and before the masses of thru-hikers are there.
SOBOer's will abound, but, for an earlier start, you have to put up with the black flies, mud and snow in the higher elevations

As mentioned, you won't avoid all thru-hikers no matter when you do it. If you do it in the last couple weeks of July (as fiddlehead describes), however, that will be after the bulk of SOBOs have started and before the bulk of NOBOs arrive, if this year is like past years.

[bangorme]

As mentioned, you won't avoid all thru-hikers no matter when you do it. If you do it in the last couple weeks of July (as fiddlehead describes), however, that will be after the bulk of SOBOs have started and before the bulk of NOBOs arrive, if this year is like past years.

Thanks. I'm not looking for solitude, just don't want crowds.

[Turk6177]

I would hike in the fall. I did the HMW last June and the mosquitoes were very thick. I don't think there are a ton of SOBO'ers anyway, compared to NOBO'ers in GA. I think you can pick any time after June and you will enjoy it.