View Full Version : when to start your hike
gravy4601
03-26-2009, 20:33
:-?I am planing a thru hike for 2010 or 2011 what month would you say is the best time to start if going GA-ME if you would like to travel and be able to say hit trail days in Damascus or better weather?:sun
The best month is up to you to decide. Some start Jan 1. Late starters leave May / June, but need to hike faster to complete the hike.
March & April are the most popular months to start a thru NOBO
stranger
03-26-2009, 21:23
You can get to Damascus in a month but most hikers seem to take longer, I believe Trail Days was initially set up in mid May so the major crowd of early April hikers would walk into town for the weekend.
It's easy to get to regardless of where you are on the trail, atleast in the south.
Slo-go'en
03-26-2009, 22:27
I left Springer April 1st last year and got to Damacus just as the party was starting, mid week.
garlic08
03-26-2009, 22:55
Back in '02 my wife was a newbie hiker. She left Springer April 15 and walked into Damascus for Trail Days as it was starting.
Spirit Walker
03-26-2009, 23:26
I started April 1 and was in Damascus a week ahead of TD. I didn't go back, but a lot of the hikers around me either got a ride ahead and walked back to TD or stayed in town to attend or hiked north and got a ride back for the weekend.
Whether it takes a month or six weeks to get to Damascus depends on your pace. How much pre-hike training are you willing to do?
The later you start the less chance of snow/ice on your hike. If I were to hike again northbound I'd probably start mid-April so I could enjoy spring early in the hike and so I could experience autumn in New England. I finished the trail too early for autumn colors.
gravy4601
03-27-2009, 11:44
The later you start the less chance of snow/ice on your hike. If I were to hike again northbound I'd probably start mid-April so I could enjoy spring early in the hike and so I could experience autumn in New England. I finished the trail too early for autumn colors.
I didn't even think of where i will be in autumn that's something to think about when i start and there should be lots of spring flowers popping up in the smokes to.. mid march sounds like a good time to start
Blissful
03-27-2009, 13:31
Early April.
I didn't even think of where i will be in autumn that's something to think about when i start and there should be lots of spring flowers popping up in the smokes to.. mid march sounds like a good time to start
Spring hasn't even begun to sprung at the higher elevations in Mid-March. You could still have potentially bad snowstorms. If I wanted to hike with spring, I wouldn't leave any earlier than the 1st of April to mid April.
drastic_quench
03-27-2009, 17:15
Spring hasn't even begun to sprung at the higher elevations in Mid-March. You could still have potentially bad snowstorms. If I wanted to hike with spring, I wouldn't leave any earlier than the 1st of April to mid April.
Maybe April 2nd so your family doesn't think it's an elaborate joke.
Pedaling Fool
03-27-2009, 17:26
I like early/mid March
catfishrivers
03-27-2009, 20:20
I'm starting the approach trail on April 19th. I can't believe how close my start date is! Yay!