View Full Version : Where to backpack in May?
WingnutVA
03-02-2018, 22:21
I have about 1.5 months off starting in early May and am trying to pick a great backpacking trip. Last time I had a break like this I hiked the AT from Virginia to NH and it was awesome. Would love to pick back up in NH and hike to Katahdin, but I think it will be too cold starting in early May. So right now my best option would be to start at Springer I think and hike until I run out of time.
Any other suggestions? I can go basically anywhere in the world. Would love to do a long trip through Europe, but it looks it will be too snowy to do the good hiking there. If you have any other good long trail recommendations, or a couple longer trails that I could do, please let me know. Basically if you had 1.5 months off starting in early May, where would you go? Thanks!
chknfngrs
03-02-2018, 22:52
Go south from where you started in Virginia - until you have to go
CDT. Mexico north to Chama, NM.
Wayne
MuddyWaters
03-03-2018, 09:26
When you put limits on it like "i can go anywhere in the world", that makes it kind of hard. ...:)
Its a great time snow trek in the sierra. If you got the skillz. Mountain Education can teach how in a 7-10 day course that covers 100 mi, and you can keep heading north on JMT/PCT. Class cover trekking, camping, route finding on consolidated snow.
Actually on checking they arent offerring the extended classes this yr. Just 1 day in april aimed at pcters. Pity...a week on snow held interest for me, especially to pick up new skills. Was hoping to do it some yr. Not cheap...but sounds awesome.
DuneElliot
03-03-2018, 13:08
How about the Te-Araroa in New Zealand! You said anywhere and that's a good trail for that time frame
Arizona Trail is around 800 miles. Starts getting hot in June but if you go NOBO you would be in the higher elevations by then.
MuddyWaters
03-16-2018, 06:51
I'm going to throw something out there that most people don't know about yet.
The Jordan trail.
This is a trail like no other in the world. Incorporating breathtaking scenery and magnificent historical , cultural and archaeological sites sites that are relatively uncommercialized.
Honest to God this should be on any hikers short list. Ive spent a lot of time in that part of the world and the people are wonderful. And a lot of English is spoken. I've seen all these places and it's incredible. To link it all together in a hike would be just like nothing else in the world. Much of it is like stepping back in time.
Scrounge together the airfare. Endure the long travel to get there. This would likely be the highlight experience of most americans lives.
https://www.wanderlust.co.uk/content/sections-jordan-trail/
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/jordan-trail-trekking-highlights/index.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/jordan-trail-hiking-petra-wadi-rum-red-sea-aqaba-umm-qais-tony-diane-howard-a7670101.html
peakbagger
03-16-2018, 08:58
Definitely do not go north to Katahin, about a month too early
Boy, that's a great period of time to do GA/NC/TN. You'd want to end up in the Roan area the first or second week of June to catch the rhodos and flame azalea in full bloom. Start in Ga in early May and you'll see some of that starting to come out there and along the way. Might make it to Pearisburg if starting at Amicalola?
I know if I could go anywhere in the world I'd certainly look real hard at other options, but if you're inclined to do the southern portion of the AT anyway, that would be the time to do it.