Nobo or Sobo when starting in May

[Twilight415]

My girlfriend and I are beginning to plan for possibly thru-hiking the AT after graduation from school in May 2010. What do you guys recommend at that date? Going starting from Maine or Georgia? We would probably start towards the end of May.

[Two Tents]

Thatis your choice. It is not too late or early either way IMO. Enjoy it either way!

[Jester2000]

Boy, that's actually tough. It probably depends on how fast you think you're capable of hiking. If you're planning on going thru in four months or so, I'd go northbound. But if you're more of a six month kind of person (and Lord knows I am), I would wait out black fly season and then Southbound.

I see you're from Hatboro! I used to live in Roslyn. Good luck with your plans -- plenty of good people with good advice on this site.

[Turbo]

I agree that it's definitely a tough decision.

My opinion may be a little bias (I went sobo in '08), but given the fact that your not free until May, I would recommend going sobo, although I would wait until late June or even July 1 before starting. You can start earlier up in Maine, but you will probably experience more rain and more black flies. The terrain in the northern states is difficult, but it's also beautiful. Take your time, and you'll do fine.

The main disadvantages of going south are that you will experience less trail magic and Springer Mountain is nowhere near as spectacular a place to finish as Mt Katahdin.

If you do decide to go north, then definitely plan on finishing in 5 (or less) months in order to avoid winter.

[Kirby]

SOBO. Will ensure you can take 6 months if you want.

I'd start in early July.

[Blissful]

I'd do a flip.

Start Harpers Ferry to Maine
Then HF and end at Springer

[Spirit Walker]

If you can wait a month, go southbound. If you really want to start in May, start at Harpers Ferry and go north, then flip at Katahdin and go south.

Starting a NOBO hike in late May means lots of heat and bugs to start, then racing to beat winter in New England with a good chance of either not being able to summit Katahdin or having to flip anyway. If you are in really good shape, you might be able to do a 4 month hike.

Why not go out this summer for a couple of weeks and see how you feel about pushing the miles. If you enjoy pushing hard, then go for the NOBO. If you want a more leisurely hike, then either go SOBO in late June or July or do a flip.

[YoungMoose]

id do sobo. id wait until july sometime. the blackflies are too bad otherwise. the blackflies single handedly make u quit

[stranger]

The possabilities are endless:

- Staring at Harpers Ferry has already been mentioned

- Start end of May from Springer and hike the trail in a somewhat demanding 4.5 months, this means consistent long days with limited time off resting, but we're still talking averages in the high teens, not 20's

- Start end of May from Springer and hike north until end of July - mid Aug, then jump up to Maine and start back to your jump point

- Spend your time in late May and June preparing physically and earning some extra money (you will spend much more than you think you will), then head south from Katahdin in July

- Leave Springer end of May and hike up to Erwin/Damascus area before jumping up to Maine, then hiking south, you would have the south to yourself for the most part and would be trail fit for Katahdin, by the time you hit souther Maine and NH you would be close to your physical peak. This option would probably give you the most pleasant weather in terms of avoiding extreme heat and frigid cold as you wouldn't have much cold, if any, in the south, and you would start from New England in summer, thus hitting the long mid-atlantic section outside of summer, which would be great in terms of weather/water/bugs

[Kirby]

Damascus is not a climactic place to end, great town though, just saying.

[The Solemates]

cant lose either way you go. have fun!

[SigEp]

Hey, I'm graduating in May and plan on doing a flip-flop. I'm going to start at the Delaware Water Gap(DWG) at the PA/NJ border and going north, then coming back and going south.