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View Full Version : Sections Left before New England what am I in for?



Gambit McCrae
01-25-2017, 12:22
Now that all the (most) short trips are complete due to distance from home logistics my trips are finally on a 1-2 week schedule through the rest of my map1 completion of the AT. I have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the remaining 3 sections I have before I am ready to start New England.

Note: I am not asking for expectations of New England**

I have saved NE for last for the obvious reasons..
Risk vs. reward, leave the best for last, finish the trail on K, furthest more expensive trips last, its more climatic then finishing on some FS road in the woods because "that was the last section"

SO What do I have left?

Over 2 trips Complete Bearwallow Gap BRP 90.9 - Waynesboro, VA (http://www.atdist.com/atdist?k1=FT&k2=GO&h=28db1eb9&year=2017) both trips Nobo

Duncannon, PA to Wind Gap/ DWG over 8-9 days in the spring Nobo (May have seen my logistics planning thread on this trip) (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/122702-Section-Logistics-with-an-airplane?highlight=)

Salisbury, CT to DWG over 14-15 days in the fall Sobo

Any insight into your pros and cons of these sections, I am aware of the rocks in PA but a lot of people have explained that they are not as bad as people make them out to be.

Week long hike completing PA- Last week of may ending June 4th. Shorts and t-shirt for walking, down puffy needed are we into full on summer by that point with a summer bag?

My expectations for CT, NY, and NJ is that CT is short but up and down and then NY and NJ kind of mellow off into more enjoyable walking.

AVG weather for End of September first week of Oct for CT, NY, and NJ? Still shorts and t-shirt hiking but a down puffy at night with a 15* bag? That's what I carried 3rd week in Oct for southern pa last year and was perfect for the temps. I have a 5* bag but I don't really see that as needed.

Lots of questions....My reservations are coming from not having any experience with these areas temperature wise.

Patchy
01-25-2017, 14:19
The weather has been unpredictable. Summer bag with warm base layer to put on if needed would be suggested for the early fall hikes.

Patchy
01-25-2017, 14:20
PA in June can be quite warm during the day, and chilly at night. I suggest summer bag, with a nice micro-fleece or soft long sleeve just in case. A rain jacket will do if you are watching pack weight. I was in N. PA in August 2 years ago and it was 40F at 5am, and 79F at 1pm.

Studlintsean
01-25-2017, 14:42
I was in PA (Duncannon N to 501) last June a week after you plan this year and it was damn hot. I do not think you will need a down jacket. I would pack a super light fleece or long sleeve baselayer for at night for worst case scenario.

Hikingjim
01-25-2017, 15:06
Part of my hike last May was Waynesborough to Glascow, which is the majority of the route you're looking to finish up in VA.

If you're doing that in 2 sections, you could do bearwallow gap to US route 60. Some decent climbs NOBO, but easier of the 2 sections
You could stay and/or shuttle from the 3 springs hostel if they're still operational, but they might be closing from what I heard. Many other good shuttle options around there

The section from US route 60 to rockfish gap (waynesborough) is quite scenic and also fairly challenging as far as VA hiking goes. the priest, three ridges, humpback mountain all have their share of rocky areas and lots of elevation change. I really enjoyed it though. More than the triple crown section, just because there were less hikers and it wasn't a zoo.

May was a very nice time to be there. Around mid-may the rhododendrons were appearing, there was plenty of water, and nice temps. Some of the shelters are just under 4,000 ft, so a bit of chilly nights. Sept/Oct would be nice too

Slo-go'en
01-25-2017, 15:25
Duncanon to DWG is the worst of PA. It really bites when it's hot or when it's wet. I've done PA when it was hot and when it was cool and wet. Cool and wet was much better, even though the footing was more tricky. Early May is a good time, late May and it might be getting too hot already. As a section hike, that area can really beat you up and you may not travel quite as fast as you'd hoped.

CT/NY/NJ isn't bad, but there are some rough sections between High Point, NJ and Bear Mt, NY.

US 60 to Rockfish is one of the more difficult sections of VA, but it's a nice one.

moldy
01-25-2017, 15:36
Bearwallow gap to Highway 60 is about 60 miles and it a very nice section to hike either in the Spring like late May. I left a car there where the AT crosses highway 60 with no problems, there were a dozen others parked there. I averaged about 18 miles per day in that section and averaged about 20 in the section North of there to the park. I saw some bears, which was nice. You have the feeling that you are back in woods in the area. Good trail surface the entire way. Camp where you want. Dirt is so much better to hike on than rocks. Water can become a problem later in the Summer and Fall. This section will be the end of poor grubbing. From Rockfish Gap Northward grub becomes a snap with more and more road crossings with nearby food possibilities all the way to Maine. My food bag went from 4lbs to 1lbs at this point.

la.lindsey
01-25-2017, 15:59
Buchanan to Waynesboro is a pretty nice section. Everything is switchbacked, nothing too hard. I hiked all of that in crocs, some with food poisoning.

Maybe some PITA climbs for a minute but that's about it. Glasgow has a nice set up in town with the free shelter. It would be a great place to start or end a section (better than Buena), imo. Decent resupply there, and a good restaurant. I used Ken Wallace for a shuttle, as well as Gary (in AWOL) and then Stanimals in waynesboro. I think the hitch into Glasgow would be pretty easy. It's a pretty busy road. We used Gary because we needed fuel anyways, but I'd maybe just hitch next time.

CT only has one notable section and it's a boulder scramble. There's maybe a climb or two that might get your attention, but I did most of the state in a day because it was boring. I hear that's common.

Can't help with weather for CT, but as usual, I'd check the weather just before rather than going off averages.

PA set me on my ass way more than I expected it too. I still pulled big miles there, but they were *hard* miles and some of the most miserable I've ever experienced. Couldn't ever hit the mileages I wanted, either. I think the rocks are just as bad as people make them out to be.

Good luck


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JohnHuth
01-25-2017, 16:20
Also - lots of poison ivy to accompany the rocks in the northern part of PA. June in northern PA can be tough - heat, humidity, bugs, rocks, poison ivy.

peakbagger
01-25-2017, 16:26
We did Swatera Gap to DWG in the early spring. The rocks lived up to their reputation. There are quite a few old style shelters in the area and some have easy access to the road so tend to become party spots. There was one near a public water supply and the majority of the overflow sites were covered with poison ivy. The Kirkridge rereat was closed so no water at the shelter. One of our party hiked down a blue blaze to the east almost to the base of the ridge and found a stream.

LittleRock
01-26-2017, 09:15
I really enjoyed Bearwallow Gap to Glasgow last fall. Highly recommend the 1 mi side trip down to Apple Orchard Falls. Planning to do Glasgow to Waynesboro NOBO this spring, maybe we'll run into each other.

Gambit McCrae
01-26-2017, 09:21
I really enjoyed Bearwallow Gap to Glasgow last fall. Highly recommend the 1 mi side trip down to Apple Orchard Falls. Planning to do Glasgow to Waynesboro NOBO this spring, maybe we'll run into each other.

Easter weekend (3 day weekend) Bearwallow Nobo 50ish miles

July 4th weekend (4day weekend) Completing VA walking into rockfish gap- Gunna wear mings out! lol

LittleRock
02-01-2017, 16:49
Easter weekend (3 day weekend) Bearwallow Nobo 50ish miles

July 4th weekend (4day weekend) Completing VA walking into rockfish gap- Gunna wear mings out! lol

Whew, that's a lot of miles to cover in 7 days! Good luck!

Hmmm... I'm looking at starting NOBO from the James River to Rockfish Gap on Easter Sunday. Maybe we could help each other out with a shuttle? PM if interested.

Cookerhiker
02-01-2017, 18:58
What stood out for me was your statement about NY and NJ being more mellow. The 45 miles of NY east of the Hudson River has some up and down, but not too bad. Once you cross the Hudson and arrive at Bear Mountain, you're in for some very steep ascents and descents. Even thruhikers have been known to underestimate the difficulty of this section.

You're smart hiking in spring and fall. The mid-Atlantic heat & humidity are brutal in the summer. I've known some of your fellow southerners who figure NY and NJ must be cooler in summer because they're "up north." They're in for a rude awakening.

Regarding the PA rockfields - do you recall Virginia west of I81, north of Pearisburg past Bailey Gap Shelter? That rockfield was as bad as any in PA and as I recall, it was, or seemed, longer.