View Full Version : March Start and Social Aspect of AT
gonewalkabout
02-13-2009, 23:52
I planned to start on March 3rd. It seems most people are starting march 17 or so through mid April. I know about the possibilty of bad weather but am more concerned if I be missing out on the social aspect of the AT. After all if I didn't want to experience the social aspect I might as well do the PCT.
Thanks
There will be others on the trail then gonewalkabout - probably more than you might think. My wife and I are starting on March 3 as well. We look forward to seeing you on the trail.
RememberYourZen
02-13-2009, 23:59
I'm starting the 4th or 5th probably. Check the trail registry, lots of folks are starting early :)
ChinMusic
02-14-2009, 00:01
With a March 3 start you will start ahead of the main pack but will still see LOTS of folks. If you are a real fast hiker you could outrun most folks, with things thinning out. If you are on the slow side you will be seeing new folks all the time as they catch you.
There will be plenty of people there with you. Just remember every one who is hiking this year may not be on this web site. I dont know why though? It seems that they should have to, to hike the trail
Cabin Fever
02-14-2009, 02:18
There will be plenty of people there with you. Just remember every one who is hiking this year may not be on this web site. I dont know why though? It seems that they should have to, to hike the trail
That would be an interesting stat to know. How many people who hike the AT are on White Blaze? Or better yet, how many people on White Blaze have never hiked on the AT?
Baltimore Andy
02-14-2009, 02:32
I'm starting march 4th, ready to socialize! or party. or what ever happens happens.
Pedaling Fool
02-14-2009, 10:32
That would be an interesting stat to know. How many people who hike the AT are on White Blaze? Or better yet, how many people on White Blaze have never hiked on the AT?
It seems to me that the number is not as high as one would think, at least in my limited discussions with people on the trail.
HippieHiker
02-14-2009, 14:09
ill be out their the first
Kaptain Kangaroo
02-14-2009, 17:50
I started my thru in 2006 on March 3rd. There were lots of people on the trail, shelters were full almost every night. I hiked a reasonably quick pace (4 months) & found that the crowds started to thin out around southern VA. Gradually saw less & less thru-hikers (plenty of day hikers & weekenders though) until New England. We saw a couple of other thru-hikers in CT & that was it, no more for the rest of the trail.
Cheers,
Kaptain Kangaroo
hopefulhiker
02-14-2009, 18:21
March Forth!
max patch
02-14-2009, 18:30
Last year on 3/1 Saturday 61 potential thruhikers started at Springer.
You'll probably be looking for peace and quiet.
Rockhound
02-14-2009, 19:05
If it's just the social aspect you are looking for I would start on or around the 15th of March and take your time. That way you can time it so you will hit the Fools Day bash in Franklin, the Earth Day bash at Standing Bear, the festival in Hot Springs and Trail Days in Damascus. Leaving in the beginning of March you will still see plenty of other hikers but you will be north of all these places when they have their parties/festivals.
I started March 7. You'll probably have moments when you wished there were fewer people. Translation = no worries! Have a great hike!
pilgrim '09
02-14-2009, 22:36
I am starting around this time, not a "in stone" date to report. I hope to see all of you out there.
Blissful
02-15-2009, 00:15
Plent of hiekrs ot socialize with. We met two guys the first day on March 5th and by the end of the week there were a dozen of us that congregated at one of the shelters after Neel Gap.
garlic08
02-15-2009, 01:07
There will be plenty of people there with you. Just remember every one who is hiking this year may not be on this web site. I dont know why though? It seems that they should have to, to hike the trail
Good question. I just checked the WB registry for '08 hikers, and there are only 88 there, so not a very high percentage. I never heard of WB until I was on the trail and didn't join until after my hike.
Starting March 4th by myself. I have hooked up with folks at the shelters, but most days hike alone.
Rockhound
02-15-2009, 09:58
We have come a long way. People used to hit the trail to detach from society and now people hike for the social aspect. Go figure
gonewalkabout
02-16-2009, 15:52
That would be an interesting stat to know. How many people who hike the AT are on White Blaze? Or better yet, how many people on White Blaze have never hiked on the AT?
Based on responses to asking for voluteers and club memberships vs how many non memebers take part in the activity without belonging to a club that you find 5-10% respond or belong. I think that in the age of the internet its higher number visting the site. Maybe 20%. How many responded to the survey this year? That should give us a ball park %.
gonewalkabout
02-16-2009, 15:55
We have come a long way. People used to hit the trail to detach from society and now people hike for the social aspect. Go figure
Acturly I am hiking patly to get "detached" however IMHO part of the "AT experience" is the soial experience of meeting the folk along the way and other Thru hikers. If you want more isolation the AT is not the place to go. I recomand the AZ trail or the northern trail that goes from MT to WA can't remember the name.
Blissful
02-16-2009, 16:24
Socialization on the trail has some big differences. All the talk is food and where we are hiking next. Simplistic and refreshing.
Rockhound
02-16-2009, 18:41
Acturly I am hiking patly to get "detached" however IMHO part of the "AT experience" is the soial experience of meeting the folk along the way and other Thru hikers. If you want more isolation the AT is not the place to go. I recomand the AZ trail or the northern trail that goes from MT to WA can't remember the name.
Not sayin' the social aspect is a bad thing. I think it's great that more people are becoming interested in hiking and if I want Isolation I still know where to find it.
CrumbSnatcher
02-16-2009, 19:04
remember general custers last stand when he said "WHERES ALL THESE G. DAMN INDIANS COMIN' FROM'' it'll be sort of like that.
gonewalkabout
02-17-2009, 13:15
If it's just the social aspect you are looking for I would start on or around the 15th of March and take your time. That way you can time it so you will hit the Fools Day bash in Franklin, the Earth Day bash at Standing Bear, the festival in Hot Springs and Trail Days in Damascus. Leaving in the beginning of March you will still see plenty of other hikers but you will be north of all these places when they have their parties/festivals.
Could someone tell me where Standing Bear is? When is the festival in Hot Springs? All I saw on the internet was a river festival. Are there any links to either festival?
Thanks
Rockhound
02-17-2009, 15:37
SBF Post Easter, Pre Earth day party is on Mon April 20th. It's located just north of I-40 after you exit the Smokies. When you go under the overpass you'll see some stone steps in front of you on the gravel road. That's the AT. Follow it for less than a mile and you'll come back out on the gravel road. to the right the trail continues north and to your left 200 yards is Standing Bear.
Tons of people. You won't be alone.
After all if I didn't want to experience the social aspect I might as well do the PCT.
Thanks
You'd be wrong to expect total solitude on the PCT. With more people doing the PCT and starting within a few weeks time, there's lots of people to socialize with. :D
stranger
02-22-2009, 22:49
There will be plenty of hikers out there, so much so you might not get into hostels and forget shelters, but that's a good thing, I've always preferred tents and motels anyway!
No worries, plenty of hikers out there
There will be plenty of people there with you. Just remember every one who is hiking this year may not be on this web site. I dont know why though? It seems that they should have to, to hike the trail
why would they have to be on wb to hike the trail? i gave up asking thru-hikers about wb about 4 years ago. albeit a small sample size, not one of the 15-20 i meet each year have heard of wb. and i generally meet the educated ones... the ones going sobo. :D while there may be many more members today, relative to the hikers attempting a thru or doing a long section, i doubt the percentage of wb'ers is very large. although, i believe wb can help a hiker in many ways, people were doing just fine before the internet and wb.