View Full Version : Earliest Start Time Going NOBO
RaslDasl
09-05-2017, 08:31
What's the earliest that people can start going NOBO? Does anyone ever start in January or early February? :sun
Anytime, multiple people in 2017 started Jan 1. Some even started in late December. The issue becomes how fast you move. If you get to Katahdin before it opens, what are you going to do?
Trailweaver
09-05-2017, 09:27
The issue really is how well you tolerate cold, wet, icy hiking - dangerous conditions, sickness, and accidents take out several early starters every year. Read their journals & see if you want that.
Tennessee Viking
09-05-2017, 10:41
Many will start November/December if weather is friendly to avoid the crowds and to jump start before the real cold weather hits.
Then jump off for the holidays and snow/ice.
Others will use this time to start a Flip Flop.
Just wear your Blaze Orange as well.
Just Bill
09-05-2017, 10:55
What's the earliest that people can start going NOBO? Does anyone ever start in January or early February? :sun
It is illegal to hike in North Carolina in January. But if you really take your time on the first 80 miles to the border, you can spend all of January in Georgia. :sun
HooKooDooKu
09-05-2017, 11:11
It totally depends upon your winter hiking skills...
I've got a relative (collage age at the time) that started the day after Christmas so that he could finish some time in June. He was successful, but then his dad had been teaching him winter hiking skills in places like GSMNP for years.
Longboysfan
09-08-2017, 16:37
It totally depends upon your winter hiking skills...
I've got a relative (collage age at the time) that started the day after Christmas so that he could finish some time in June. He was successful, but then his dad had been teaching him winter hiking skills in places like GSMNP for years.
Yes. Your ability to adapt to the weather conditions is most important.
Met a guy on the trail today near Gooch Gap that is just now starting his NOBO. Not for me, but with the proper gear and enough cash for zero days you can start anytime.
Slo-go'en
09-08-2017, 22:25
Do people start in Jan + Feb?
Yes, but should you?
Probably not. Lots of disadvantages to starting early and not many advantages.
It is illegal to hike in North Carolina in January. :sun
Something doesn't sound quite right about that - can you elaborate?
mid Feb is a reasonably practical start, if you do decent milage/ few days off and have average to lucky weather, a mid June finish is realistic
MuddyWaters
09-15-2017, 00:18
What's the earliest that people can start going NOBO? Does anyone ever start in January or early February? :sun
People have started at midnight on jan.1. That early enough for you?
Usually dont make it. Often babbling something about cold, frostbite, finger damage etc by time reach Va.....if make it thru smokies.
Prolly just wusses though........
AllDownhillFromHere
09-15-2017, 07:39
It is illegal to hike in North Carolina in January. But if you really take your time on the first 80 miles to the border, you can spend all of January in Georgia. :sun
In the entire state??
Many will start November/December if weather is friendly to avoid the crowds and to jump start before the real cold weather hits.
Then jump off for the holidays and snow/ice.
Others will use this time to start a Flip Flop.
Just wear your Blaze Orange as well.
I've contemplated a fall Springer start (September-ish) with a holiday break, putting the spring launch point or eventual Flip-Flop finish around Hot Springs (give or take, of course.)
It's all a calculus of potential weather, seasonal services, and what you're willing to tolerate.
mid Feb is a reasonably practical start, if you do decent milage/ few days off and have average to lucky weather, a mid June finish is realistic
My son has a college buddy who started Feb 15 this year and finished in 130 days. (100 mile wilderness took him 3.5 days) He was #66 on the registry at Baxter and finished the latter part of June. He's a recently graduated college swimmer, so his level of conditioning was a bit above average.
peakbagger
09-15-2017, 08:24
Anyone who can survive the bugs and possible high water issue in Maine in mid May to mid June deserves extra points ;). A southerner once commented to us in the Mahoosucs in May that he had hiked all over the US for many year and only in the Mahoosucs did he contemplate heading down to the road and heading home.
Dan Roper
09-15-2017, 14:13
The short daylight hours is a issue.
Old Goat and Check Six started a through hike in late December or early January six or eight years ago. Their Trail Journals blog was interesting to follow. The intense cold and short days really got to them. I think they eventually gave up in the Nantahalas.
Fireplug
09-24-2017, 20:18
It is illegal to hike in North Carolina in January. But if you really take your time on the first 80 miles to the border, you can spend all of January in Georgia. :sun
Where did you get that info? Can you post your source please
Where did you get that info? Can you post your source please
From the same source that says tomorrow is the earliest one can start a NOBO hike.
Or maybe the day after.
The important, real world question, is how early can you finish a NOBO hike?
The answer: It depends. Research is the key.
Wayne
People have started at midnight on jan.1. That early enough for you?
Usually dont make it. Often babbling something about cold, frostbite, finger damage etc by time reach Va.....if make it thru smokies.
Prolly just wusses though........
Hilarious! This bring back fond memories of my first sub-zero Boy Scouts Klondike camping in Michigan. Froze my ass off but believe me...got it right on the next one!! And yes, felt like a wuss on the first one,
AllDownhillFromHere
09-24-2017, 21:29
Where did you get that info? Can you post your source please
He didn't respond 9 days ago, I'm sure he won't now. What a turd.
He didn't respond 9 days ago, I'm sure he won't now. What a turd.
Sarcasm eluded you.
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Gambit McCrae
09-26-2017, 10:29
Jan 1st= More Solitude, Cold start, earlier finish. Walking without leaves a big chunk of your trip
April 1st= Social time, warmer start, More establishments will be open, later finish
Will be starting second week of Feb '18, prepared for the cold start. Mainly to get ahead of the big crowds, but also to get a warmer finish. Will still likely get passed by the speedsters, but expect to have several solo days before that happens.
From the same source that says tomorrow is the earliest one can start a NOBO hike.
Or maybe the day after.
The important, real world question, is how early can you finish a NOBO hike?
The answer: It depends. Research is the key.
Wayne
the real question is how long one can procrastinate starting their hike??????????
Will be starting second week of Feb '18, prepared for the cold start. Mainly to get ahead of the big crowds, but also to get a warmer finish. Will still likely get passed by the speedsters, but expect to have several solo days before that happens.
with a mid feb start, it was Buena vista VA before the first group of speedsters passed
the real question is how long one can procrastinate starting their hike??????????
25 years for me.. i started planning when i was 16 :)
I think it happens almost every year... the super-early starters spend an inordinate number of nights in town and aren't making anywhere near the sort of miles they'd expect. So, the net gain (over folks starting later) tends to be not so much.
Days are cold and short. Nights are cold and long. Long-distance hiking in snow, slush or cold rain takes extra special grit.
Check out Chris Gallaway's excellent video, Long Start to the Journey. He had a fairly early start. Walked through a lot of snow and slush in the Smokies.
I started a 250-mile section in mid-Feb. Loved every minute of the weather. Beautiful and not jammed with crowds. Way better than when I started my thru in April.
Greenlight
10-29-2017, 20:20
I followed Slipknot on trailjournals.com two years ago. He started Jan 1 and did fine. His circumstances were well aligned with his plans, though. Retired. Support at home. No mileage goals per day. Outdoor and cold weather skills. When the weather got bad, he pulled off the trail, sometimes for days and mostly at hostels. Some of his pictures of the winter landscapes in Georgia, GSMNP, Virginia especially are breathtaking. are gorgeous. It is possible, but not always preferable. You can get yourself in serious trouble very quickly and get injured, lose your life because of an innocent mistake.
What's the earliest that people can start going NOBO? Does anyone ever start in January or early February? :sun