View Full Version : Thru-Hike Time Frame
I'm trying to defer admission to med school for a year, and hopefully thru-hike the AT. However, I would have to be done by the end of July at the latest to start back at school.
I realize that mileage drops during the winter, when I would probably have to do a decent chunk of the hiking. When would be a good time to start in order to safely finish by the end of July the LATEST. I’m in fairly athletic and regularly play hockey and jog through the winter to stay in shape, so hopefully there shouldn't be too much of a lag getting adjusted to the mileage.
Also, for winter hiking down south, do you need anything in particular such as crampons or snow shoes?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Matt
Well Matt,
I don't see why you can't make this possible. No need to doing long sections. A thru-hike is more than doable, if you are motivated and it is the most important goal for you. I finished in 5 months, from 1march to 31 July. I took 9 days off for my brothers wedding in Pitttsburg. I also took a couple really short days in Maine due to being sick. I could have easily finished by the 22nd of July or earlier. If I left a week earlier (Feb 22) I could have been done by mid-july. A 5 month thru-hike is not a difficult goal to obtain, really no need to start in janaury and endure lots of snow and cold (not to say you won't experience it). It's becoming more popular to start in feb now and you won't be alone. Many people who left the last week in feb/first week of march were on a deadline as well, heading back for college/grad school/etc. It was helpful for me to hike with like minded people who had similar timetables. We all pushed each other.
No need to be a speed demon. Simply stay consistent. You only need to average 15 a day to finish in 5 months. Someone like yourself in decent shape can do this easily. Actually pretty much anyone can thru-hike in 5 months. Simply the difference between a 5th month hike and the average hike (6 months) is that a lot of hikers spend a month or more on zero mileage days in town. For me it was just as simple as staying disciplined and motivated enough not to get sucked into town. I stayed in town a good amount, but found I felt better about being there had I put in a full days hike to get there and a full day on the way out. Still plenty of time for chores and rest. Once you're in tiptop shape you'll be able to hike 15 miles easily, with half a day to lounge around and see the sights. Days of high mileage will seem natural and just, the right thing to do.
You don't need to make your hike a job, but keeping consistent and keeping goals in mind help. I had a destination for the night I was always trying to get to. A bigger destination/goal was the next town. Then maybe a state line and so on. There was always something to look forward to around the next bend. Good luck, you can do it.
flyfisher
04-30-2004, 09:01
If seeing the whole trail is more important than a thru hike, it is possible to move a finish date well into July next year by doing some of the trail this summer.
Six weeks of hiking the southern trail this year could make your starting point Damascus or so, and all a mid March or even April start date next spring.
I mention this, because it is my plan. It keeps me from being gone from family quite so long.
A couple of things to consider.
First, the average thru-hiker need 5 1/2 months to complete the AT. If A-train did it in 5 months, then he is going faster than most. That's probably faster than 80% of the thru-hikers. As he states, he was able to do it in that time frame by hiking every day, and I assume, limiting zero days and time in towns.
Now, if you want to finish by July 1, that means starting Feb 1, or earlier. Some years are snowier than others. Maybe when A-Train hiked, he didn't hit the snows. But recall that even Flying Brian got off the AT because of heavy snows. It's totally possible that you could have heavy snows in February and March.
Good suggestion would be to do a long section hike this summer, and then finish up next year.
Andy Skurka aka Paul Revere started May 3 and finished August 5 in 2002. Highlander II finished in something like 90 days in 2003 (he has a journal at www.trailjournals.com). Glory hiked in 4 months in 02 (ending mid July). Daddymention hiked in 02 in about 4 months. There some other faster hikers who post here occasionally. Get some outdoor experience with backpacking. Lighten your load. Get mentally ready. Then, start out April 1 with the plan to hike for four months. If you are on top of Katahdin, great! If you are in Vermont, perfect! The main is to take the time that you have and hike as you see fit, rather than trying to conform. If you don't finish, you should be able to take enough time during a break in med school to finish up, maybe even adding on the IAT if you like.
By the way, Peaks is correct that Brian Robinson had to get off because of snows. But that was because he was in Mass, in March.
Matt,
I'm kinda suprised by the advice you got. I'll stick to my original posting. I don't know why Chris recommends starting April 1st if you have to be done by late july. Limiting your window for finishing seems foolish when you can start a month or more earlier and have plenty of time to enjoy it. The thru-hikers he mentioned above to me are in a different place than the hikers I hiked with. There is a huge difference in miles and mentality between say a 3 month AT hike and a 5 month one. Both are making a commitment, but the faster groups is basically saying they are going to hike big miles pretty much everyday no matter what, and hardly take a zero day off. That group of folks will be the type that will most likely never run into anyone twice and will just keep passing folks. There is nothing wrong with that style but its certainly a choice, and to me, you've got to be completely commited to that style of hiking to pull it off.
Peaks, I did hit two snowstorms, both in April. Luckily I was near or in town both times so I ended up taking an unexpected zero in Erwin and Damascus. Anyone who starts in feb, or march for that matter will most likely hit at least one bad stretch of snow or cold, but it is short lasting in the south. If you can handle that, you'll be fine. And, Chris is right. Flyin' Brian only stopped hiking the AT because he got up north too quickly, not something this poster would have to worry about.
Matt, I'd suggest going to trailjournals.com and checking out some AT journals from previous years to check out what type of mileage and hike a 5 month one entails. Check out mine (A-Train) or Dimples from 03' and Sweeper's from 01'
jersey joe
04-30-2004, 10:43
It's all about being mentally prepared. If you want to thru-hike in one shot badly enough, you'll have no problem finishing on time. I think your start date depends on how you want to hike. You could start Feb 1 and deal with the colder weather and take a little extra time to hike the trail. My suggestion would be to start March 1st to avoid some of the harsher weather and this will still give you 4 1/2-5 months time. In 02' I hiked with Turbo and Glory (mentioned by Chris) in Maine. These two incredible women finished in around 4 months and while it was a challenge, they were enjoying themselves. It was also completely doable.
It doesn't take a superhuman effort, like A-Train said, just stay consistent. Don't get sucked into EVERY town, limit your stay in towns, limit your zeros, lighten your load, and again, most importantly get yourself mentally prepared!
btw...I began my 02' thru on March 17th and finished on July 5th.
I recommened April 1 just because it was a good, round number, and happens to be April Fools day. Starting on March 1, you can probably count on an additional 2-3 bad stretches of weather in the south. See the trailjournals this year for people like Xena, Bloody Cactus, Grace, and Syracuse for what a March 1 start might entail. Of course, you could also have fabulous weather. Then again, none of them liked the Smokys, and left it cursing the terrible place. Bloody and Xena flipped up to Virgina and started hiking south because of the foul weather.
Incidently, Glory thruhiked the PCT last year and I was with her for most of California. Definitely one of the strongest hikers I've ever met. She has plans (or did) for the CDT this year, which would make her the youngest triple crowner.
Moon Monster
04-30-2004, 11:16
Hey matt, Go For It! A thru-hike is the best thing for which you could put off professional school. I'm a law school geek myself, and I'm going on to graduate school for a PhD and I put that off a year to do the trail.
I agree with A-Train's posts here. I started March 9 last year (not long behind A-Train) and I finished on July 26. That's 140 days, which included 14 full zero days and about another 7 or 8 days at or below 5 miles. It did also include a couple 30 mile days and many high 20 mile days. I never thought it would be possible for myself to do that kind of time, especially as I started a bit slower than average in the south. The miles just come in the mid-Atlantic states.
Many of the folks up front in the 2003 pack with me last year were racing to be done with the trail before time to go off to grad school or the like. You will not be alone in that and you may actually get to hook up with some other people having the same motivational need as you--that could be helpful for you to stay on task. I do know one hiker who skipped a couple hundred miles to finish by her selected date in early August, but she also started in late March. Everyone else I met who needed to be done for school was able to do the whole trail in time.
I suggest you aim for a March 1 start, or even a week earlier. It's almost ecrtain you will see snow, but the kinds of snows that slow hikers for weeks on the AT are usually over by then. Even if you saw 3 feet of snow in the Smokies in March (possible, but rare), it will be mostly melted within 3-4 days. Try to never take back-to-back zeros. Use town stops for resting and not partying, but do not turn away from hanging loose with trail friends.
Perhaps my biggest advice is to not go too fast too early and to not be discouraged when your mileage is low at first. My daily mileage including zero days was 11 as late as 500 miles into the hike. I started doing about 8 or 9 miles a day in the first week. I finished with a daily average mileage of 15.5, though. You can make up a lot of time from central Virginia onward. If you push too hard too early no matter how good of shape you think you are in, you may hurt yourself.
Undetermined
04-30-2004, 12:02
You asked if you could do it and finish in July. I don't think anyone has suggested otherwise, although people seem to be making other suggestions that don't anwer your question. We did it in a little over 4 1/2 months last year, and I have to agree with A-Train that just about anybody can do it in 5 months if they want to. Almost all the hikers we met could have done it in 5 months, although the average time is more than this, that's just because people choose to hike their own hike, which might mean more zero days, time off for weddings, etc...you will be certain to catch more "snow" days if you start March 1 or earlier, but nothing you can't handle if you're prepared.
jersey joe
04-30-2004, 12:50
Incidently, Glory thruhiked the PCT last year and I was with her for most of California. Definitely one of the strongest hikers I've ever met. She has plans (or did) for the CDT this year, which would make her the youngest triple crowner.
Chris,
I still keep in touch with Glory and she has deceided not to hike the CDT this year and is going to school instead.
Who IS the youngest Triple Crowner?? Wondering if it is in my reach....probably not.
A five month hike is extremely do-able. It is NOT superhuman by any means.
If I can do it...then just about anyone can. :-)
- was 25 lbs overweight at the time
- was carrying standard gear for the time (my how things changed in six years!) ...leather boots, a base pack weight of 25-30 lbs (egads!)
- did it in an El Nino year when the weather was crappy to say the least.
The key is consistency. Start early in the day, hike all day at a decent pace (2 MPH over 10 hrs = twenty miles), try to avoid spending a light of time in towns. If you pack light and wear light shoes, you an easily do a pace of 2.5 mph and get in your mileage goal for the day. In some areas you can do more milage (N. Virginia through southern Mass), in some areas you will do less (Whites to Katahdin).
When I did the PCT in '02, was in the front of the pack. Not because I hike fast..not because I did big mileage but because I was consistent. And I was in better shape and packed lighter than the AT!
Using the same style (light pack weight, few zeroes, consistent daily mileage) you should be able to have an enjoyable and amazing thru-hike. Don't be afraid of starting in ealrly March. When you are in the Whites in July, think of all the people sweltering in PA at that time! :)
The main thing, of course, is to have fun!