View Full Version : Southbound Advice/Tips/Information
southwalker
01-16-2007, 20:33
I'm a prospective southbounder and wanted to start a thread for those of us planning on or considering taking this seemingly lesser chosen route. So here it is--any special advice, tips, or good-to-know information for southbounders out there from veterans?
Some questions to get the ball rolling:
1. Is it an easy transit from Bangor International Airport to the trail head?
2. The infamous blackflies--any tips or tested methods for combating them?
3. Gaiters for the wetter weather?
4. Mile Per Day average to expect for a healthy, athletic younger person starting off?
5. Cold weather gear? What should you expect to be prepared for for a June start?
6. Cool spots and town stops?
7. General benifits of taking this direction? Cons?
8. Anything else I'm leaving out, fellow green southbounders?
Thanks ahead of time for your time and advice.
--AM
Southwalker, I can't advise you about a SOBO hike, but if you look at the lists of forums, there is one forum called "Thru-Hiker Specific Topics," and you will also see a sub-forum listed with it specifically for southbounders. I think you will find that sub-forum helpful. And:welcome to WhiteBlaze.
One curious thing about going SOBO is that you'll hit some of the toughest (and most scenic) parts of the AT in your first month and a half. Bring a head-net and lots of DEET. I'd expect a lot of wet, boggy trail in the 100-mile. All town stops are good. :) You can do a lot of slackpacking around Andover ME. (From Hwy. 17 to Grafton Notch, if you're so inclined.) Gaitors get a bad rap, but they can be useful. Who knows, you might even walk through a bit of snow... In terms of "the wilderness experience" Maine is as good as it gets.
TJ aka Teej
01-17-2007, 00:28
I'm a prospective southbounder and wanted to start a thread for those of us planning on or considering taking this seemingly lesser chosen route. So here it is--any special advice, tips, or good-to-know information for southbounders out there from veterans?
Some questions to get the ball rolling:
1. Is it an easy transit from Bangor International Airport to the trail head?
2. The infamous blackflies--any tips or tested methods for combating them?
3. Gaiters for the wetter weather?
4. Mile Per Day average to expect for a healthy, athletic younger person starting off?
5. Cold weather gear? What should you expect to be prepared for for a June start?
6. Cool spots and town stops?
7. General benifits of taking this direction? Cons?
8. Anything else I'm leaving out, fellow green southbounders?
Thanks ahead of time for your time and advice.
--AM
:welcome to WhiteBlaze, SouthWalker!
Map man's suggestion is a good one, and be sure to check out the journals linked to in that thread!
1. Bangor to the Park, a taxi into town, a bus to Medway, and then a shuttle might be needed as the Taxi is out of business. That bus gets in after supper, so you'll need a stay over that night.
2. Blackflies can be thick in spots. Use Deet, sleep in a tent, and bring a headnet. You'll be fine.
5. Maine weather in June? You might see snow on Katahdin. You might see 80 degree days and 30 degree nights.
7. No shelter mice. Spring, and June is still spring-y up Katahdin way, is beautiful in Maine. You won't be alone, as its usual that 100 or so MEGAs will have entered the 100 Mile by the end of June.
Have fun!
Nameless
01-17-2007, 04:01
I started a sobo on June 8, 2005. Don't expect Maine to be into full summer. That year the mountain opened on the 6th of June after 26 strait days of rain melted the snowpack. Ankle deep streams were dangerously past the waist. Be ready for the trail to be a bit cool. Then again, three days out of my first three weeks were over 100 degrees, Maine can throw out anything.
1. There is a really nice guy in Bangor that gives shuttles. For some reason I cannot find a link to him right now, I found the link on whiteblaze orrginally. But, what we did was stay in a motel for the night, so we got a free shuttle to the motel. Then the shuttle driver picked us up in the morning and ran us around town until my luggage arived and we went to the trail (long story, don't check your backpack).
2. B12 supposidly helps, i dont know if it actually did. It comes in pills anywhere that carries vitamins. Bring a headnet, i bought one in whitehorse and it was the best decision I have made in a long time. All you need is a light weight one, dont worry about hats or hoops, they add a lot of weight.
3. I enjoy hiking in gaitors, i use Montrail Hardrock trail runners. I've always used gaitors, but I think its more of a personal thing.
4. Start of SLOW. I was off the trail after 200 miles because I took it so fast. You may feel fine now, but your in some hard stuff so don't push it if you want to feel fine later. I start my second thru attempt (this time nobo) march 1 and I plan to take it a lot easier.
5. I didn't bring anything that I would think of as special cold weather gear, but I am from Alaska and most of our backpacking is far above tree-line so we carry more layers. I wouldn't recomend hiking without long underwear and a warm coat such as a fleece.
6. The new guy running the hostle in Stratton and Rangley is super nice and will help you with anything and everything. He even found me a ride to bangor to catch the bus when I decided to leave the trail. Peirce Pond is amazing. We nearly zeroed there, ended up decided to leave at 5:30 pm (dark just after 8) and race to the next shelter 9.2 (i could be completely wrong with milage) miles away so we wouldnt run out of food. Take a day off there if you can, and don't miss the pancakes in the morning.
7. Its a lot quiter. Early June will miss most of the crowds. It was fascinating watching the very first of the northbounders come to finish their hike. They were an interesting group. Even convinced one to turn around and hike back home to georgia.
8. Don't forget to swim every chance you get on hot days. You can hike any day, great swimming holes on hot days though, those are special.
Pink
Pierce Pond is one of the most beautiful shelter sites on the AT (imo.)
Ole Man and Navigator now own the AT Lodge in Millinocket. There's been a thread up recently about that. They'd be the people to contact about transportation arrangements.
I didn't use gaiters, but that's a personal preference.
The miles a healthy young person can do is not the same as what they should do. There was a high dropout rate in Maine, mostly because of knee injuries. Take it slow to start with. There are great places to swim in Maine. Bring marshmallows and roast them over a campfire. Play cards. You can ratchet up the miles after a few weeks, when your knees and feet are more hardened.
Several of this years young SOBOs ran out of food in the Wilderness because it took them longer than the miles would make you think, generally because they hurt themselves and ended up limping, which added a couple of days to the time.
It shouldn't be too horribly cold, but I'd bring your Tennessee fall gear for Maine and NH and VT. Then it really will be fall...
Good luck!
southwalker
01-17-2007, 11:36
Thanks to all you that have posted so far! I appreciate your advice. Apologies if this thread is redundant--I had been looking for a thread similar but hadn't found one yet.
Any thoughts on trekking poles? I usually don't use these, but it seems as though they might come in handy for the wet trail conditions...waist deep streams? really?
And--how long did it take you ladies and gents to get to Harper's Ferry? Trying to figure out reasonable estimates of progress. I will be shooting for doing this a in little over 4 months.
Best,
AM
Southwalker--You should check the TJ of Supernova. He was a faster-than-average SOBO. He started around 7/5 and finished 11/17. Most of the young hikers who started near me, in early July, finished in early- to mid-December.
Hi all
I am planning a southbound thru -hike begining sometime in June.
I was originally going Nobo in April but need my knee "scoped" to remove some torn cartledge. So I'll rest up a few months and go slow when I start in June.
I will be driving up from centeral Va. and may have room for a rider or two.
While there is oodles of info on Nobo hikes I havent found too much on Sobo.
I'd like to ask what others are planning to do for resupply? How much food (in days) should I plan on carrying. Can I replenish food before the 100 mile wilderness? Do nights get colder than 30 degrees often? Any help would be appreciated. I am looking forward to meeting everyone on the trail
I will be driving up from centeral Va. and may have room for a rider or two.
If you think that a former SOBO's house could be a good alternative to a hotel for your crew to crash at on the drive up (500 mile point, probably), please dont hesitate to send a PM.
Of course you would have to listen to me tell you how I carried my full pack up Katahdin.
rickb
TJ aka Teej
01-28-2007, 13:33
While there is oodles of info on Nobo hikes I havent found too much on Sobo.
:welcome to WhiteBlaze, Thorny! Check out the Southbounders forum here on WB, and be sure to visit the journals of the WB MEGAs linked to there.
Cookerhiker
01-28-2007, 13:45
Pierce Pond is one of the most beautiful shelter sites on the AT (imo.)
I second that. Stay there if possible.