Three part thru-hike 2009

[stinkytoe]

I hope I'm posting in the right section.

I am writing this as I sit in my hotel room, out of town on a work trip. I have been blazing on this site for the past several hours reading posts and figured that I would ask for some advice. I have been a member reading on the topics here for months but this is my first post, hello all.
I am planning on attempting a thru hike this April, which for I have been preparing over the past several years. This past year putting forth the most effort. As our departure date gets closer, we must decide on our itinerary. For a variety of reasons (personal and logistical) I was considering doing a three part thru hike. Me and the mate I’ll be hiking with are both planning on bringing our four–legged companions(enhancers of our senses) . Note: I am not trying to make this post any issue of dogs on AT.
Our Itinerary:
Start in southern New York April 2009 begin to hike south to/near Blacksburg, VA. Return to NY and continue northward to the Northern terminus in Maine (hurray, Katahdin hopefully). Return to VA and finish south bound to Springer, late 2009 finish.
This plan would vary from the typical NOBO thru hike, with the majority. I think we would be missing a large part of the good interactions with many of the other hikers during the beginning/concuring stages of our hike. I feel we might also miss some of the potential friendships that are made during a complete NOBO hike. Time is getting closer for us to finalize our itinerary in planning out mail drops and time schedule, so I thought I could ask for an opinion of our three section plan. I try to consider a variety of pros and cons and the three part hike seems to fit everything the best.
I cannot start until mid-late April due to work, but I want to be able to hike at a pace that is considerate of our dogs. We cannot hike a quick hike in 5 months, our plan is allowing for many shorter days to begin with and to take when they are needed for the dogs. The thought of dividing our hike allowed for a longer hiking season in “temperate” conditions and also lowered the potential of interactions with any non-hiking-dog individuals on the trail and in camp.
This will be my first thru-hike attempt, but am determined. Any luck and advice I could get will only be a benefit. I would love to hear your opinions on our itinerary, and please inquire on any aspects I might be overlooking.
Cheers and look forward to running into the 2009 hikers.

[Serial 07]

only a thought, but maybe you can have the best of both worlds...hike from springer first...go until you get to harpers ferry, maybe around mid/late july...then go up to katahdin, join the SOBO's and go south...you can meet both waves of folks...just a thought...

[BigBlue]

I don't see any problems with your plan. Yeah you won't get to summit Katahdin with hikers you were with when you left Springer, but so what, hike your own hike and have fun, ultimately that's what it's all about.
Also you would be supprised how quickly you make friends on the trail.

[Slo-go'en]

I would do the south section first, (Springer to SW VA) the north section second (VT/MA line to Katahdin) and the middle section last.

The reason for this is water is pleantiful in the south in the spring, but can get scarce in the fall. With a pretty good snow pack again this year and June typically being a wet month, going to Katahdin in June you will hit the stream fords when the water is at its highest, the trail its muddyist and hit the peak of the black fly season. Starting in VT instead will avoid most of that.

The main problem is timing your jump from the south to the north. You want to jump north before it gets too hot, but not so soon that you hit the peak of the black fly season in the north, which is usually in mid June.

[Lilred]

I'm unclear as to why you are doing your hike in three sections. Are you trying to avoid people because of the dogs?? If so, forget it. Are you trying to avoid the cold weather in the Mountains down south?? The weather is already mild around mid-April, with only a few scattered snow storms, if any. If you give the reasons for doing three sections, we could give better advice.
To me, doing it like you've set up sounds like a logistical nightmare. If you are leaving mid-April, that still gives you six months to mid-October, when Katahdin starts closing down to hikers. You could still start at Springer and have plenty of time to get to Katahdin, even with the dogs.

[stinkytoe]

Thanks for your responses. Let me try to provide a little more information.

I do think that without having the dogs I would more likely do the traditional hike north from Springer. The dogs are great we plan to tent, but it might be nice to find the trails and the shelters a little less crowded especially if that helped avoid bad confrontations. It also seems like the weather might be better overall if we hike in this pattern, avoiding the hottest hots, and coldest colds?

If I leave in April, that gives us 6-ish months to get to Katahdin. I was thinking myself to leave 7 to maybe 8 months to finish the entire trail. I don’t know if we will really actually need all of that time to finish, but could be stressful to find time getting short for the team before winter in Maine.
VA and NJ are both good locations for turning points for us since I’m in VA and the other hiker is in northern NJ. Are the sections of the trail in upper NJ southward slightly flatter that starting in GA? Thanks for bringing up June as a bad time to be in Maine. Is most of the north section of the AT under high water and bad black flies then? It would be nice to try and avoid putting ourselves into the bad areas at the worst time of year. I read that Sassafras can help deter black flies, anybody tried this?

In choosing this approach, am I missing things? Are there things that will make it harder for us, or that we might be missing out on by not just pushing it hard and going NOBO from GA?

[4eyedbuzzard]

Just an FYI (not a criticism)...You do realize the dogs are prohibited in Great Smoky Mountain Nat. Park and also Baxter State Park in ME(they do enforce the law in both places, the fines are substantial, and you will be told to take your dog and leave) and a short section in Bear Mountain State Park in NY(there's an alternate route there).

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.795337/k.9784/Hiking_with_Dogs.htm

[Blissful]

Going south first off from NY you will soon encounter infamous rocks which will make it tough on tender soles of feet of both humans and dogs not used to hiking. And you can still get snow and cold too in that part of the north in April. Not that it's bad, but just so you are prepared for what's ahead.

[Slo-go'en]

Is most of the north section of the AT under high water and bad black flies then? It would be nice to try and avoid putting ourselves into the bad areas at the worst time of year. I read that Sassafras can help deter black flies, anybody tried this?


Its only in Maine you have to worry about high water and mostly in the 100 mile widerness. There can be lots and lots of mud though and there are some mud holes where you can sink up to your knees in them!

I'm not sure there is anything which will deter black flys. After you get bit a dozen times, you develop an immunity so the bites don't swell up so bad. Those first few times can be nasty if you react bad to bug bites. Mostly they just drive you nuts buzzing around your head and getting into your ears, up your nose and in your mouth. Thier only really bad for a week or two before they tapper off to more tolerable numbers. The extact timing for when thier really bad depends on the weather and can be anywhere from mid May to late June.

[stinkytoe]

yes, i am aware of the areas that dogs are not allowed. we have made arrangements with friends to take care of them during those sections, and if we have to send the dogs back home for any reason.

unless anybody knows of a good kennel in maine for the 100 mile wilderness?

[max patch]

April in Georgia is actually imo the best time to start a nobo thru. I'd start at Springer and head north and not worry about your schedule. You can jump ahead to Katahdin any time you want to. If hikers who start off thinking they are going to do a traditional nobo can change plans and flip up to Katahdin, then certainly you can to if it becomes necessary.

[stinkytoe]

I sometimes just think that I really just want to have as long of time as I could possibly need. That way it would give me the opportunities to move at a slower pace or stop if I want to for a little while. I think finishing at GA last would give us that chance. But then see by reading how people bond with other hikers moving in the same direction when they leave from GA and think that maybe I should just push along north steadily and finish at Katahdin. Based on your trail knowledge, what are your thoughts? I want to start making mail drops and plans, but get a glimpse of doubt sometimes about our method of hiking 3 parts.

It would also be nice, but not necessary, to finish our trek together with the dogs. And that would probably have to happen at springer.

[DRRouner]

On one of my thru hikes I started April 7th and finished Oct 1st. My dog is a Alaskan Malmute and I pretty much let her dictate the pace of the hike and I really didn't have too much trouble. Of course it helped she was in excellent shape. Are you worried about the heat or cold? In any case, its nice to know you are planning your hike based on your dog's needs.