View Full Version : Hypothetically speaking...
mtnbums2000
07-12-2006, 19:39
Let's say you had 5 months to hike the A.T but you could only do it in the months of April, May and half of June. Then you had to work from mid June to September. But you were able to finish up your hike from September to Novermber 15th before your favorite ski area opens. Where would you start your first leg and where would start your second leg?
I've been a whitewater raft guide/river manager since 1999 on the Pigeon River (outside of Davenport Gap) which the A.T crosses on a road/bridge. And my wife has been the Outpost Manager since 2002. During the winter my family and I live in Mammoth Lakes Ca. and we decided to stay in Mammoth this summer to hike the JMT. Well we aren't making the money living here like we were back East on the river and the new Manager is not up to par with the owner. So now the owner wants us to come back next year to manage the river with an offer that is hard to turn down. So do you see where this is going???
If we go back to the river I have the months of April, May and half of June and then September, October and 15 days in November to hike the A.T. I don't mind doing this at all if it's come down to it cause I love backpacking in the spring and fall. But I'm just curious what you all think would be a good way to break the trail up. We will have 75 hiking days between April, May and half of June and if we averaged 14 miles a day we could do 1,050 miles w/out any zero days. So I was thinking of starting at the Mason-Dixon Line at the MD and PA state line and finishing up at Katahdin in middle of June(or when we get their and Baxter State Park is open). I have a few days or so to play with. Then in September we would jump back on the trail at the Mason-Dixon Line(MD-PA state line) and finish up at Springer on or around the 15th of November. That stretch is 1,125 miles and we would have to average 15 miles a day w/out any zero days to finish up by the 15th of November. I also have a few days or so to play with in November if we need them.
So lay it on me and tell me what you think and what you would advise for this trip and time frame. Keep in mind that I've hiked from Springer to Hot Springs in both directions several times and my son has been hiking on the A.T since he was 3 and he will be 14 in April. So we aren't newbies who have no idea what we are getting our-selves into. As long as we are both injury free I don't think averaging 14/15 miles a day w/out any zero days will be impossible. I'm sure we could up that average and take a couple of zero days if we need to. So I'm not really worried about that...I'm just curious on what some of you think about the start and finish points and any other helpful info is more than welcome.
Thanks in advance...
-by the way it will be my 14 year old son and I doing this hike. Either way we are going to be on the A.T in 2007 either thru hiking or sectioning it.
Blissful
07-12-2006, 20:09
Thanks in advance...
-by the way it will be my 14 year old son and I doing this hike. Either way we are going to be on the A.T in 2007 either thru hiking or sectioning it.
I'll be heading out March 1st NOBO with my 15-year-old. Glad there will be some other young men out there! If your son would like to communicate about the trail via e-mail, let me know and I will forward it to my son. Although he won't be accessing e-mail until August (he will be in a Youth Conservation Corps program for three weeks until mid August)
I like thru-hike puzzles. Under the conditions you have described, you can come up with something better than the traditional NOBO thru-hike and better than your first plan.
Just a few ideas to get things rolling. Two things you have the opportunity to avoid in New England are mud season and black fly season, roughly May and June respectively. Your proposal calls for you to be in New England at that time.
You may want to consider alternatives that put you in Maine and New Hampshire in September SOBO and beyond Glencliff by the end of the September +/-. You will walk into and thru peak leaf coloration and miss the worst of the heat in the middle which is one of the negatives of the traditional NOBO hike.
I originally intended to provide just a piece of the puzzle, but WTH, hike NOBO from SM to Harpers Ferry and SOBO from K back to Harpers Ferry.
fiddlehead
07-12-2006, 21:20
Except for the fact that you are taking your 14 year old, I would just do a typical NOBO hike. Go as far as you can till you have to work, and then continue afterwards.
The only problems are the whites, and Baxter and as long as you have the time to wait for good weather, you will probably be rewarded with some unbelievably clear days in late fall.
I don't know about risking a 14 year old with possibilites of having to hunker down for a few days because of a big snowstorm, but i wouldn't have any problem with it myself.
mtnbums2000
07-13-2006, 00:15
Except for the fact that you are taking your 14 year old, I would just do a typical NOBO hike. Go as far as you can till you have to work, and then continue afterwards.
The only problems are the whites, and Baxter and as long as you have the time to wait for good weather, you will probably be rewarded with some unbelievably clear days in late fall.
I don't know about risking a 14 year old with possibilites of having to hunker down for a few days because of a big snowstorm, but i wouldn't have any problem with it myself.
Yea my son isn't your typical kid...we live in a ski resort town that recieves about 500 inches of snow a year and my son'c profession is snowboarding. Plus we do some winter backpacking here in the Sierras so hunkering down in a lil' snow storm wouldn't be a problem. I thought about going North the whole time but I have family in Atlanta so it would be easy to have someone pick me up at Springer in November.
mtnbums2000
07-13-2006, 00:22
I like thru-hike puzzles. Under the conditions you have described, you can come up with something better than the traditional NOBO thru-hike and better than your first plan.
Just a few ideas to get things rolling. Two things you have the opportunity to avoid in New England are mud season and black fly season, roughly May and June respectively. Your proposal calls for you to be in New England at that time.
You may want to consider alternatives that put you in Maine and New Hampshire in September SOBO and beyond Glencliff by the end of the September +/-. You will walk into and thru peak leaf coloration and miss the worst of the heat in the middle which is one of the negatives of the traditional NOBO hike.
I originally intended to provide just a piece of the puzzle, but WTH, hike NOBO from SM to Harpers Ferry and SOBO from K back to Harpers Ferry.
Not a bad idea...actually that was my first plan but I have family in Atlanta so I was hoping to end at Springer so I could get a ride to the Airport in Atlanta. But I may consider this option. What is the nearest airport to Harpers Ferry?
Thanks for the advice!!
MedicineMan
07-13-2006, 04:17
i need to do the 'whites' next year and i can go any time....i will have 3 weeks to do this section....any thoughts/suggestions as the best time?
I agree with Shades of Gray. If it were me I would do the south first and then do the north. Hiking in the north in the spring means damaging some New England trails in mud season. For the northern part start at Katahdin and head south. For the earlier part pick a point near the half-way point and head south to Springer. You avoid the crowds that way and you at least get to end one part of your hike in Georgia where you have some family waiting.
MedicineMan
07-13-2006, 23:53
I know I will need to be in peak condition for this section but as mentioned can use all 3 weeks to do the 100+ miles...hopefully this will allow for exploration in the area non-AT wise, example on last weeks hike I got to visit Gettysburg after my section ended....so any suggestions while in the area? also, where might be a nice place to setup 'base camp' in the area for said exploration?
Thanks!
After I posted #3, it occurred to me that hiking SOBO on the first leg of your thru-hike might be better. Map man picked up on that and posted it before I got around to posting it myself. Hiking that portion of the A.T. SOBO may be easier on you and your son physically although I gather you are more fit presently than many who set out to hike the A.T. The fact that you have family in Atlanta only serves to make this option all the more desireable.
Hiking SOBO from Harpers Ferry might be a good idea for many comprising The Class of 2007 and subsequent years to consider, especially people who are less experienced or who are packing extra weight because of a need or desire to begin earlier than +/-April 15. Opening with a SOBO hike to Springer may also be a way to reduce pack weight by carrying less clothing than those who would start say March 15 to April 15 in Georgia. Furthermore, it might be easier for those carrying excess body weight to work some of that off before getting into more demanding terrain.
I've sent a PM to mtnbums2000 pertaining to this message's topic (title). Others interested in this information should refer to ALDHA's Online Companion for current schedules and fares.
There's something for everyone to discover at ...
http://www.aldha.org
Shades of Gray lists some good reasons for doing the southern half first, and doing it SOBO, and points out rightfully that it's pretty easy to get to Harpers Ferry. Another place near the half-way mark that's easy to get to is the point on the trail that passes closest to Harrisburg, PA (Highway 11 between Carlisle and Harrisburg, or thereabouts). Harrisburg has major airline service and then it's a fairly easy cab ride to the trail. A drawback, though, is that in most circumstances air fare to Harrisburg is going to be more expensive than to D.C.
Good itinerary samples here at the ATC site.
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.848729/k.6FA1/Alternative_Itineraries.htm
Johnny Swank
07-15-2006, 19:54
I'd go with Mapman's suggestion. Having that support crew down south when you finish the first leg would be cool, Harper's Ferry is a cakewalk to get to by train from DC, and most importanly, you'll be doing it as a SOBO as god intended:)
But really, that's what I'd do.
mtnbums2000
07-15-2006, 19:56
After I posted #3, it occurred to me that hiking SOBO on the first leg of your thru-hike might be better. Map man picked up on that and posted it before I got around to posting it myself. Hiking that portion of the A.T. SOBO may be easier on you and your son physically although I gather you are more fit presently than many who set out to hike the A.T. The fact that you have family in Atlanta only serves to make this option all the more desireable.
Hiking SOBO from Harpers Ferry might be a good idea for many comprising The Class of 2007 and subsequent years to consider, especially people who are less experienced or who are packing extra weight because of a need or desire to begin earlier than +/-April 15. Opening with a SOBO hike to Springer may also be a way to reduce pack weight by carrying less clothing than those who would start say March 15 to April 15 in Georgia. Furthermore, it might be easier for those carrying excess body weight to work some of that off before getting into more demanding terrain.
Thanks alot Shades of Gray and Map Man!!!! So I've decided to either start at Springer and hike to Harpers Ferry or just the opposite for our first leg. When I find out if I will be going back to the river I will then make the decision. My son wants to start at Springer so he can meet new friends so we may just start at Springer and go to Harpers Ferry and get a flight from D.C back to Knoxville which is 45 minutes from the river. Plus we can drive out from Cali to Springer if we decide to go back to the river. My wife will have to be back around the middle of April anyways. And then we would start our second leg at Katahdin and finish up in Harpers Ferry and fly out of D.C back to California. WOW this sounds great!!!! Thanks again for your great advice guys!!!!
Shades of Gray thanks for the PM with the info on the rail transit.
www.trailjournals.com/mtnbums