View Full Version : late season stragglers
Slo-go'en
09-20-2014, 17:12
Happens every year. I just meet a whole gaggle of NOBO stragglers at the Gorham, NH Walmart this afteroon. Close to a dozen I'd guess. With only about 3 weeks left to do almost 300 really tough miles, they better hope for some really good weather the next couple of weeks or that Baxter stays open late this year. At this point it's a little hard to say if they will get that extra week or not.
Usually the ones who get here this late in the season are the ones who have been taking it easy and/or partying the whole way. For them to suddenly find religion and do serious miles through Maine at this point is questionable, but I wish them luck!
Good on them for keeping at it, in spite of the goal of the Big K.
298 miles, 21 days = 14.2 miles a day. Whites are behind them and the last 100 miles are fairly tame.
What's the problem?
johnnybgood
09-20-2014, 17:28
Continue a nobo thru until it ain't happening. At that point I'd think about skipping ahead to summit THE K then start hiking south.
I guess they have to figure out when to flip up to K and hike south?. If they wait too long, logistics or weather may end the hike. This is one of the reasons I like the idea of a SOBO thru hike since there is no hard date to finish (although I'm sure hiking the Smokies in December can be tough...)
Slo-go'en
09-20-2014, 17:38
298 miles, 21 days = 14.2 miles a day. Whites are behind them and the last 100 miles are fairly tame.
What's the problem?
Mostly the 198 miles between here and the HMW, which can be worse then the Whites. Yes it's doable, but nothing can go wrong, like the weather turning on you. There is no margin for error at this point.
Rafe, if we go up to Grafton Notch next weekend, bet we meet some of them at Baldpate Shelter.
Baxter SP announced they extended their "camping" season this year until later in October. Some thruhikers interpreted that to mean they have more time to hike north. Mother nature has her own deadline.
CrumbSnatcher
09-20-2014, 18:31
keep hearing we are in for one of the biggest & baddest winters in a century coming this year!
even down in the lower states. calling for winter to start the first week of Oct. in some places
Slo-go'en
09-20-2014, 19:54
Don't get me wrong, this is a great time of year to be hiking in Maine, which those who finish in late August and early September miss. It's just that those still here in NH at this late date are cutting it pretty close. They may not make it all the way to the top of Kathadin, but does that really matter?
Old Hiker
09-20-2014, 19:59
keep hearing we are in for one of the biggest & baddest winters in a century coming this year!
even down in the lower states. calling for winter to start the first week of Oct. in some places
Already here in FL - high today was 81* - normal is 89*. Almost had to wear a t-shirt mowing. May have to open the closet to glance at my sweater early this year. If I can find it. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.......................
Maybe the hikers you ran into just found the trail so far to be "Slo-go'en." :rolleyes:
Slo-go'en
09-20-2014, 20:05
Maybe the hikers you ran into just found the trail so far to be "Slo-go'en." :rolleyes:
Ayeh, no doubt :)
WingedMonkey
09-20-2014, 20:09
Pulling out the old log books I see that I left out of Gorham on August 25 1995 (a Monday).
Something about staying an extra day for the Belgian Waffles at "Hiker's Paradise".
Never occurred to me to skip ahead to Katahdin. I was hiking north after all.
:D
WingedMonkey
09-20-2014, 20:12
Pulling out the old log books I see that I left out of Gorham on August 25 1995 (a Monday).
Typo, make that August 21...Monday.
Yeah.. I'm having a hard time finding a problem here...
Nobody can predict the weather so that's pretty pointless but 298 miles in 3 weeks isn't exactly burning up the trail, especially for someone who has already hiked ~1800 miles.
CrumbSnatcher
09-20-2014, 20:57
Yeah.. I'm having a hard time finding a problem here...
Nobody can predict the weather so that's pretty pointless but 298 miles in 3 weeks isn't exactly burning up the trail, especially for someone who has already hiked ~1800 miles.
i thought 3 weeks was the avg. time for thruhikers? thru Maine.
i agree on the weather prediction
Another Kevin
09-22-2014, 07:43
Will you guys shut up about the early winter already? I'm starting a 15-day trip in two weeks. :eek: :datz
Oh well, bad weather on the trail is better than good weather in the office!
Slo-go'en
09-22-2014, 10:22
It's back to summer like temps for this week at least. Actually, these stragglers are having some pretty nice weather, so maybe they have a shot if it holds.
After two nights of killing frost and a chilly week, the colors are coming out big time now.
They have to October 15th they should be fine.