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mverville
03-21-2019, 11:42
Anyone with experience on a late start, flip-flop?....Springer-Harpers, Katahdin-Harpers.

ldsailor
03-21-2019, 11:51
How late? There are still many thru-hikers leaving Springer through April. The link is to an ATC chart of registered thru-hiker departures.

https://atcamp.org/atthruhikerreports.cfm

FreeGoldRush
03-21-2019, 12:12
If you want to leave late (reasonable idea) then why not do HF->K and then HF->Springer? You'll have a bigger window of acceptable weather.

mverville
03-21-2019, 15:35
I live in Maine, and I’m concerned that if I pass home, after HF driving up to Katahdin, the temptation to bail will be a factor! Better to walk to K!

Slo-go'en
03-21-2019, 16:30
You still don't say how late. Get too late a start and it will be blistery hot and humid before you get out of NC and that can drive you off the trail too.

But then, blistering heat and humidity is hard to avoid no matter how you do a flip flop.

IslandPete
03-21-2019, 16:39
We did May 1st Waynesboro to Katadin, Waynesboro to Springer. Finished Halloween day. Little snow flurries and some cold nights in the Smokies. Perfect...

mverville
03-21-2019, 17:53
EO April or 1st of May

Slo-go'en
03-21-2019, 21:00
EO April or 1st of May

That's not too late. Still be a fair number of hikers starting at Springer at that time. The advantage of a 1st of May start is all the cold weather is long gone and you can start out pretty light.

You could always skip north early if it starts to get too hot. Marion, VA, a few days north of Damascus, is a convenient spot due to it's having a Greyhound stop.

ldsailor
03-22-2019, 10:49
Another question, "What is your hiking rate?" In other words, how many miles can you cover in a day? That assumes you have hiked before and pretty much have your hiking pace down. If you are new to hiking, how good of shape are you in? A lot of factors go into how fast you can move. A first of May start for someone who can do 20 or more miles right off the bat is a lot different than someone who has done little long distance hiking in the mountains.

mverville
03-22-2019, 11:21
I do 2-2.5 mph in the Whites. Ultra runner, so in pretty good shape.

ldsailor
03-22-2019, 12:11
You'll probably catch up with the bubble of thru-hikers at the pace you are capable of. If you're doing 2 mph in the Whites, you're probably going to do up to 3 mph or more on the southern part of the trail. As a matter of fact, you can probably go straight through NOBO and do the trail in 5 months or less. That would put you at Katahdin in late September.

Slo-go'en
03-22-2019, 12:27
I do 2-2.5 mph in the Whites. Ultra runner, so in pretty good shape.

But is that with a full pack or is that just trail running?

FreeGoldRush
03-22-2019, 17:37
I do 2-2.5 mph in the Whites. Ultra runner, so in pretty good shape.
With a full pack, blisters, some chafing, and a so-so nights sleep? That's about twice as fast as the average thru hiker in the whites. You may get the trail done in under 90 days.