View Full Version : How do I beat the crowds NOBO
I really want to hike the trail SOBO but the calendar doesn't work for me. My ONLY objection to hiking NOBO is the crowds. What would be the best strategy to avoid the pack? When would you leave, what would be a good strategy?
SteelCut
03-23-2015, 19:00
There are a fair number of hikers this year (including myself) leaving in April and early May from Harpers Ferry (or northern VA) doing a flip-flop hike. You can read more about alternate thru hike strategies here:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiking/thru-section-hiking/when-where-to-start
Your concerns were exactly mine when I decided to go from a NOBO to a Flip-Flop thru hike.
garlic08
03-23-2015, 19:32
My strategy was to hike long days and not stay very long in or around shelters. I left April 4, near the traditional peak, and finished mid-July so I hiked "through" the pack, and I didn't have many problems with crowds. It was very easy to bypass shelters crowded shoulder-to-shoulder. I did not go into some of the popular towns or stay at many hostels, either. The exception was Erwin, TN--that was the only experience I had with crowds and it was not the best.
One advantage of so many hikers is there's a lot of trail magic. Lots of hikers means lots of friends and family coming out to meet them and they often have a cooler of goodies. It's not all bad.
start from Springer NoBo in the 4th week of April thru early May. That puts you way behind the mob. Hike at your own comfortable pace, if you average 15 mpd you can finish in 5 months, putting you in Maine in September, the best fall weather. If I was doing a NoBo thru hike this year, I would wait and start May 1st. No way I would want to be in the middle of that mob that is already out there. Good luck.
squeezebox
03-23-2015, 21:18
Come and join us for the flip flop kick off in Harpers Ferry May2. Check the thread " flip floppers unite." for more info. Sounds like it will be a good group. You'll have some company but not the crazy crowd.
Another way to do it is to leave relatively early (say, late Feb) and put in long miles to stay ahead. Of course, that may or may not be consistent with the goals you have for your experience. :)
coppertex
03-28-2015, 16:37
When my time comes for the trail, I am planning on a mid April-early May set off. This way you can still be a part of the NOBOs without all the frenzy (or at least a little less of it). Plus better weather!
Easy solution...hike the BMT from Springer to Davenport Gap. In five to ten years from now when the ATC encourages this route to help with the crowding you can say you were one of the first to do so.
ChrisJackson
03-28-2015, 19:19
Easy solution...hike the BMT from Springer to Davenport Gap. In five to ten years from now when the ATC encourages this route to help with the crowding you can say you were one of the first to do so.
I like this idea!
swisscross
03-28-2015, 21:50
Leave early, walk fast!
MuddyWaters
03-29-2015, 08:23
Leave in feb, or leave in may. Or flip flop.
wornoutboots
03-29-2015, 10:14
Flip Flop = Start in Harpers Ferry, DWG etc & head South or North, after completing that section, go back to your original starting point & hike the other way. ~Enjoy~
Flip Flop = Start in Harpers Ferry, DWG etc & head South or North, after completing that section, go back to your original starting point & hike the other way. ~Enjoy~
Flip flop is a good approach except that one must keep in mind that Katahdin closes on October 15. I think leaving Harper's Ferry NOBO is a good choice. Then you beat the October 15 date and coming back to finish the lower half SOBO after everyone has passed and there is no cut-off date.
Easy solution...hike the BMT from Springer to Davenport Gap. In five to ten years from now when the ATC encourages this route to help with the crowding you can say you were one of the first to do so.
This is what I did in 2008. I started on Springer, hiked the BMT to Davenport Gap, then hoped on the AT to Kathadin. The only time I ever saw people on the BMT was on the weekends (with a few more encounters while in GSMNP), it was nice. The AT has better resupply options than the BMT, and the people in the towns along the BMT aren't as used to hikers as those in towns along the AT, but I had zero problems finding what I needed (including alcohol for my stove).
From what I have heard, some of the road walks have been removed which should make for an even nicer trip. I think the current route goes through the Fontana Dam area, so that would be an even easier resupply than what I had to do (hike the AT southbound from Shuckstack, resupply, then hike the lake shore trail starting at the dam, skipping a small portion of what was the BMT).
Trail navigation wasn't much of problem on the BMT, and I'm sure it has only gotten better since 2008. White-diamond blazes were infrequent, but often enough to know you were in the right area. Since the trail isn't as heavily used as the AT, the BMT was often covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves, so extra route-finding care was needed when the trail was obscured. Wilderness areas were unblazed, and probably still are, so I made sure to take extra care at trail intersections in these areas (especially since many signs were missing at the time). GSMNP was easy to navigate, all trail intersections were signed with mileage information and a BMT diamond logo was stapled to each sign post.
By the time I got to the AT at Davenport Gap, the crowds were already starting to thin out with people both spreading out and leaving the trail.
Hare '08
Tipi Walter
06-30-2015, 16:10
Easy solution...hike the BMT from Springer to Davenport Gap. In five to ten years from now when the ATC encourages this route to help with the crowding you can say you were one of the first to do so.
The BMT has only 2 shelters and they are way south of Cohutta so this one fact alone will discourage the multitude. Can thruhikers pull a real trip without shelters? Not in the Southeast where the AT has spoiled them. Plus, people who do the BMT as part of the AT may not get the beloved patch and recognition of an honest-to-god Appalachian Trail thruhike. Many will find this upsetting as they need the official notch in the belt.
My strategy was to hike long days and not stay very long in or around shelters. I left April 4, near the traditional peak, and finished mid-July so I hiked "through" the pack, and I didn't have many problems with crowds. It was very easy to bypass shelters crowded shoulder-to-shoulder. I did not go into some of the popular towns or stay at many hostels, either. The exception was Erwin, TN--that was the only experience I had with crowds and it was not the best.
One advantage of so many hikers is there's a lot of trail magic. Lots of hikers means lots of friends and family coming out to meet them and they often have a cooler of goodies. It's not all bad.
Garlic has the answer to over-crowding---avoid the shelters. He does not mention if is he camped at the shelters or not but my recommendation is to get your water at a shelter and move on a mile or two and camp. There are thousands of legal undesignated campsites along the AT. I can think of 10 or 12 between Fontana south to Cable Gap shelter and this doesn't include hammock trees.
The BMT has only 2 shelters and they are way south of Cohutta so this one fact alone will discourage the multitude. Can thruhikers pull a real trip without shelters? Not in the Southeast where the AT has spoiled them. Plus, people who do the BMT as part of the AT may not get the beloved patch and recognition of an honest-to-god Appalachian Trail thruhike. Many will find this upsetting as they need the official notch in the belt.
The BMT has only 2 shelters that are not shared with the AT (Springer Mtn and the Fontana Hilton are essentially along the trail), one is in GA, the other in GSMNP. I'm not sure where the GA shelter is in relation to Cohutta, but your statement about the only 2 shelters being far south of there is patently false. There are plenty of camping opportunities along the BMT, the shelters are not needed.
If the ATC does the smart thing and accepts the BMT as an alternative route for the AT, then there will be no problem with the belt notch thing. Personally, I had already hiked the AT from Springer to Hotsprings before my 2008 trip, so I didn't miss anything by going this route (except conversation with other people perhaps).
kushtakaa
07-06-2015, 21:47
We started our flip north early April from the Shenandoah Park. We are moving somewhat slowly but are now heading soon in to the whites...probably still 2-3 weeks ahead of the monster NOBO bubble. Should hit leaf turning on our way south through the Smokes as well...
kushtakaa
07-06-2015, 21:51
...should summit K around August 10...turn-around...south with fast legs after doing the roughest parts...should summit Springer no later than Halloween. ..
kushtakaa
07-06-2015, 21:55
Best thing about a N to S flip is that you miss extreme cold (&#s) on either side. Screw NOBO or Sobo...go Bobo! :-)
Best thing about a N to S flip is that you miss extreme cold (&#s) on either side. Screw NOBO or Sobo...go Bobo! :-)
Bobo? Maybe it's Fobo!
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/icons/icon1.png How do I beat the crowds NOBO
I really want to hike the trail SOBO but the calendar doesn't work for me. My ONLY objection to hiking NOBO is the crowds. What would be the best strategy to avoid the pack? When would you leave, what would be a good strategy?
In all seriousness without sounding snarky, and not rehashing this again in ad nauseam book length detail for the umpteenth time, learn what the typical AT thru-hiker does and don't do that! :) HYOH, it also means being responsible for designing your hike how you want!
Just start earlier, I started Feb 19th and it was fantastic.