Looking for optimum time to hike Georgia and travel lightest

[fivemillionsteps]

I want to hike the Georgia section of the AT and have been making gear and squirreling away stuff for several months.

I just ordered an Osprey Exos 48 backpack - the price bounced around on Amazon between $137 - $190, and I grabbed it when it dipped to $110 :). Even after checking so many thing off my list, I still find that I need $ hundreds more in equipment, such as shoes, trekking poles, clothes, sleeping pad, etc.

Adding warm clothes to my list will set back my trip even longer. I intended to be prepared for cold days, but figure that there must be a best time to be able to carry the least amount of gear, clothes, etc. I imagine that would be summer, although I don't favor sweating to death trying to have fun.

Any suggestions for the perfect time to hike Georgia with the least amount of gear (able to use a light sleeping bag, less need for warm clothing, etc.) but without getting heat stroke?

Thanks,

Randy

[orthofingers]

Late September or October . . . but, water might be scarce then.

[soumodeler]

Early October would be my choice. 40* lows on average, but you can have a hard time with water some years.

[Dogwood]

Look for a 5-9 day warmish during the day dry partly sunny spell between late Oct and Christmas. Leaves have dropped having to compete less with AT usage(leaf peepers, fairer fall weather hikers, Holiday hikers/camprers, etc) making it cautiously possible to cowboy and lean to hop without a shelter. Lean to space is less at a premium. Warmish spell means less winter wt gear. Water wt logistics can be managed to carry 1 L even in most falls seasons. Break up food wt hauls into 3X by not doing all of GA with one resupply. Pick a period after several days of dry high winds have blown some of the lives off the trail or have dried the leaves. Don't go right after wet weather because what leaves are on trail can pose slippery conditions underneath.

Summer is also good during a dry period night hiking the state expecting to cowboy sleep some in shady stealthy off trail LNT sites. Could go really light and fast under such conditions.

[bigcranky]

Late May or early June. Pleasant days, cool nights, no need for very warm clothing, etc. Shorts and a t-shirt to hike, dry clothes for camp, a light fleece pullover if it gets chilly in the morning. None of this is very costly, really.

[Dogwood]

Really though, any season can be done lighter relative to another's hiking approach. I'd say stay away from deep winter with deep snow and frigid near 0* nights since that can load you up on clothes and winter gear.

It also depends on how you individually define your optimal. Mainly night hiking during summer under no rain can be done super light minimalist style super fast cowboy stealth camping(really just sleeping) during the day in shaded cooled sites. Late afternoon hit the trail and hike until mid morning when fewer hikers are there to slow you down.

[daddytwosticks]

Late May or early June. Pleasant days, cool nights, no need for very warm clothing, etc. Shorts and a t-shirt to hike, dry clothes for camp, a light fleece pullover if it gets chilly in the morning. None of this is very costly, really.

Agree 100%. Nothing like being out in the woods immediately after the trees leaf-out. Try right before Memorial Day. However, there is still a chance for a cold snap this time of year. Just keep an eye out on the long range weather forecast. :)