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skinnbones
02-26-2016, 23:37
Been doing some reading about the Flip Flop alternative for a thru hike. Less crowds, begin with least elevation change, better water sources and cooler in the mid Atlantic states, reach the white mountains before the heavy crowds appear, miss the black fly season, and longer hiking season with no worries about reaching Katahdin in time. Why is this not a more popular option? Just wondering.

Kebler
02-27-2016, 03:16
I'm flip flopping for those exact reasons you listed. I'm sure for some, arranging or affording transportation back to the middle of the trail could be a big deterrent. Also, the idea of finishing somewhere other than the infamous Katahdin may feel anticlimactic to some. And then, I'm sure there are those that are drawn to the social aspect of starting at Springer with tons of people, partying and what not. These are all things I can totally understand, but are not that important to me. Although I certainly don't want to be alone, I don't want to be fighting others for a place to set up my tent or waiting in lines for the privy. That's my take on it anyway.

Malto
02-27-2016, 09:47
Not sure if your question was rhetorical or not but I suspect the following reason are why it's not more popular.
1) it's not well known, there isn't a thousand Facebook posts and journals telling future hiker how it's done.
2) it adds extra logistics and likely expense.
3) it breaks up the journey.
4) it's not traditional.

That probably covers the majority of reasons.

moldy
02-27-2016, 10:10
Because the odds of you finishing your thru hike this year are far worse for flip flops when compared to traditional thru hikes. Flip flops tend to not make it. They lack something that traditional NOBO's or SOBO's have. I have attempted to follow this by reading Trail Journals for the past 3 years. I track NOBOs SOBOs and FLIPs. It's been rare to have a FLIP finish at all. I know it's a small sample and not very scientific but a third of the NOBO's I follow will make it. FLIPs don't seem to form up into teams or groups like NOBOs and don't get the mutual support. They also tend to get distracted by the flip and end up with an excessive amount of "hometime". I hope that the ATC will publish the stats that they have collected this year to see if I'm full of it, or not. They have a much better sample size. If I'm right this data point may conflict with their efforts to encourage more FLIPs.

Viper2016
02-27-2016, 12:54
Surprisingly, I was at Harper's Ferry talking to staff about an alternative thru and they reported the completion rates for flips is higher than either NOBO or SOBO. While the rates, percentages, are higher, the numbers are fewer. Check the ATC website. I think the 2014 numbers were something like 122 reported flip flop attempts, with about 70 completions.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

Slo-go'en
02-27-2016, 13:47
The Flip Flop concept has been around for a while, but is only now gaining some popularity, mostly due to the overcrowding down south and promotion by the ATC.

The main disadvantage of the Flip Flop is that you have to do PA first. While PA starts out pleasant enough, before long it turns into a rocky, ankle twisting nightmare which can be very discouraging.

Puddlefish
02-27-2016, 14:06
Would more than double my travel costs, and force me to spend days on buses. Plus that whole trying to be more social thing I have problems with.

BillyGr
02-27-2016, 16:19
Would more than double my travel costs, and force me to spend days on buses. Plus that whole trying to be more social thing I have problems with.

Seems that might depend on where one is starting from - if someone was closer to the mid point it would make less difference in costs (or at least it should) than someone like you being almost at one end (who could either take a long trip to do a NOBO then very little to get home or a short trip to do a SOBO then a long trip at the end).

Roamin
02-27-2016, 16:34
In my humble opinion, a flip flop would zap my motivation. Having a deadline helps keep me on track. I look forward to meeting making and meeting friends along the trail to keep me encouraged. And a flip flop would allow me to justify extra zero days along the way. To counter the crowding I would consider a SOBO or starting Jan/Feb. The true answer is in HYOH.

squeezebox
02-27-2016, 20:25
The flip-floppers at the 2015 kick off were an older group for the most part. With our extra body wt. medical issues and such. Before saying anything about flip-flop success rates , I would suggest cross referencing to age groups.

egilbe
02-27-2016, 21:10
My gf and I plan on flip-flopping, mostly because she hates people :D She wants to enjoy the trail, not some non-stop mobile party. Me, I have no preference. We both have already climbed Katahdin a few times, we've hiked almost all the AT in Maine, so we are used to rocks. It doesnt matter where we finish, as long as we enjoy the trip.

Slo-go'en
02-27-2016, 22:06
we've hiked almost all the AT in Maine, so we are used to rocks.

Maine has rocks, Pennsylvania has pebbles in comparison. Loose, fist sized pebbles which roll under foot. Very annoying.

George
02-28-2016, 02:00
succès rate of flip flops likely means little - correlation does not prove causation

brendathompson71
02-28-2016, 08:34
I will also be doing Flip Flop (puts less wear on the trail, AT is asking people to please do the flip flop or leap frog) I don't believe the cost is a lot more... there is the train that does not cost much and there are a few spots where the train stops at the trail. many people would be spending the money and time in a Hostel so I don't by the money or time reasons... I believe its because your head plays games and even though its the same amount of miles and you are covering the same area you want to be able to say your walked from GA to Maine and when people say... all the way though... you are able to say YES without explaining how you did it.