View Full Version : starting late- mid may
Hello, I'm thinking of hiking the AT northbound, but have to graduate college first, which is May 10th, so I'll be starting mid may. What do y'all think of this? I'm young and in shape, so I can rip for a while. Let me know what you think. Thanks
I think you should have fun. Let 'er rip!
dessertrat
03-15-2008, 15:43
What's the question? Will you make it to Katahdin before snowfall? Only one way to find out. You will be behind the pack, so you won't have as many distractions as others.
If you don't make it to the big K, no biggie. Do the rest some other time. But if you're young and in shape, and your goal is Katahdin, and you are willing to put in some long days, you will most likely make it before October 15. Just don't forget to enjoy the journey.
I've got the same time constraint with not graduating until May either (next year, though). I am afraid of not hitting Katahdin by October 15 if I don't leave until May.
I'm dealing with it by delaying until June, and going southbound. Less of a problem that way, though the hike could be tougher.
fiddlehead
03-15-2008, 21:52
I started one of my thrus on May 10 from Springer. Got to Katahdin Oct 9 that year. ('95)
I think it's a good time to start. I remember lots of partying going on as many people claimed they were going to Maine but in no hurry and enjoying the trail.
I even took off a week two times during that hike. (I do hike fairly big miles compared to many.) (20's)
Have fun.
I am hoping to start around second half of May as well. But since I must be back by the end of August and do not want to be SOBO, I decided to start from Damasacus and leave the rest of the of trail till some other time. I know I will be very much satisfied with a VA-ME hike. This is my compromise with family obligations and work.
I met a couple of hikers in 06 that started around May 9th and made it I think around Oct 6
hammock engineer
03-16-2008, 01:31
I met a few last year that did it pretty quick with a late start. I was thinking that if I decide to hike the AT again, I would either do a northbound later or a flip-flop. I would start northbound around when you are saying. Hike until June and see where I was at. There are plenty of options to flip if you need to. No reason to make the decision now.
With a flip, you could hit up everything in a good season and get back before it got too late in the year.
Bring it. You will pass me early on, I'm starting a section May 03rd. Nobody gives a **** if you hike the whole thing, just come out and soak up the fun. If finishing a thru is really important to you or your friends/family/etc., just lie to them, BINGO! you're a thru-hiker.
OOPS! I just told the dirty little secret 75% of thru-hikers don't want you to know:cool:
Why not go southbound? I'm graduating May 9th and that was my solution. I'd rather be able to take my time than have to worry about making a 5 month deadline. But if you like doing big mile days, go ahead and NOBO!
I'm not leaving till late June or early July, and during the intervening month or 2 I'm gonna work full time to save money.
Should be on the AT by May 7th (leaving OKC on the dog, May 6th) and will be starting SOBO from Harpers Ferry, VA. I was going to go NOBO to Mt. K then flip South but as time progressed, summiting Mt. K has become less important. Just going to go for a long walk 'n see what there is to see.
I started my thru hike May 21 in Ga. and finished Oct 11 in Me, yr. "72" That was with about 10 zero days. The trail is about 150 miles longer now. It can easily be done if you don't get distracted. Good luck.
It sounds like a good plan to me. I started May 1st in '06 and finished 17 Sept. With about 10-12 zeros thrown in.
There are advantages to starting late. You don't have to carry anywhere near as much cold weather gear and you are not going to get hung up by the Mar/Apr snowstorms like everyone else. There are not as many thru hikers which is both bad and good I guess, but there are LOTs of others.
Don't rush yourself because you feel like it is late in the year and you need to hurry. You have lots of time. I did not start into the Smokies until around the 21st of May and was in Hot Springs on Memorial Day if I remember right. After that I just rolled until I was in Northerm Va where I slowed down for a while (it is where my home is) and then took off again.
Have a good time. Wyo