View Full Version : Straight direction thru hike? Or split sections?
Procras108r
10-12-2009, 13:55
As I plan my thru hike, I wonder if there are benefits of doing it in one continuous direction......
OR, is there a benefit to start in one direction, then get transportation to the other end to hike back to where you left the trail?
I wonder if there are benefits such as .... avoiding bugs or harsher climates, better access to water, improved natural beauty, etc, etc., etc.
I mostly likely will do a direct path to simplify things, but since I am in the planning stages, why not ask the experts !
Hot Shoe
10-12-2009, 14:02
What are your constraints (Time, Endurance, Degree of Thru Hike Commitment, Job, Family, Property, etc...)?
Assuming you have the flexibility to do so, how important is thru hiking the AT to you vs. hiking it in sections over time? Only you can really answer that question.
Procras108r
10-12-2009, 14:13
I do not wish to do the hike in many sections. I wonder if it makes any sense to hike north to somewhere such as Harper's Ferry then get transportation to Maine to hike back south to Harper's Ferry.
Jester2000
10-12-2009, 14:17
The only people I know who have intentionally planned a flip-flop before their hike were doing so because they lived close to the trail and wanted to end near their home town.
For the most part, flipping is done by people who realize that they are somewhere in the middle of the trail late enough in the season that they don't want to go through the Whites and Maine when they get further North even later in the season. Others realize that they will get to Baxter after October 15th, when your chances of getting a Class 4 day (and thus, not being able to go up Katahdin) seem to rise sharply. In addition, past Oct. 15 you cannot camp in the Park.
So most people flip out of perceived necessity rather than for the reasons you mentioned, and they make that decision on the trail.
The one advantage to changing directions is on more of a micro level -- if you slack Southbound back into towns when the opportunity arises, you don't have to do the big climb out of that town.
I would plan on just going in one direction, and playing it by ear once you're on the trail.
garlic08
10-12-2009, 14:21
One advantage of going one direction is cost. It'll usually cost some extra money in transportation and probably lodging to flip.
Jester2000
10-12-2009, 14:32
For people that do end up flipping, one of the nice aspects to it is that you get to see friends who you've fallen behind at least one more time as you pass them.
modiyooch
10-12-2009, 14:42
For people that do end up flipping, one of the nice aspects to it is that you get to see friends who you've fallen behind at least one more time as you pass them.
a disadvantage would be that you leave the compatible friends that you have acquired during the first section. The one advantage that I see, but again is dependent on the hiker, is that if you want to avoid the masses then hike against the grain by starting at a different place and go a different direction.
It is a matter of personal preference, of course, but my wife and I began in Georgia and hiked straight through north to Katahdin. We would do it that way again.
One aspect of this approach is that the trail and scenery, in our opinion, got better and better as we moved through the last three states. We loved Vermont, thought New Hampshire (particularly the Whites) was awesome, and felt Maine was absolutely the best. In short, we appreciated ending on such a high note. Maine was more of a wilderness experience, and it was great finishing with that being the case as well.
Jester2000
10-12-2009, 16:17
a disadvantage would be that you leave the compatible friends that you have acquired during the first section. The one advantage that I see, but again is dependent on the hiker, is that if you want to avoid the masses then hike against the grain by starting at a different place and go a different direction.
Yeah, I agree. But I was thinking more in terms of people who have already been left behind by the friends they had travelled with -- I know a number of people, for example, who flip-flopped due to having to spend time off trail because of injury.
Rather than a full flip up, many of them jumped up to rejoin their friends, then flipped down afterwards to finish the section they missed.
Your second note about advantages is one I've thought about -- I've thought it would be interesting to do an inside-out flip, going from Harpers Ferry to Springer and then flipping up to Harpers Ferry and hiking to Katahdin. You'd avoid the big throngs at the beginning, but you'd still end up passing and meeting a lot of thrus, and then when you flipped up you'd be joining some of the people you'd already met after the numbers had thinned out a bit.
Believe me- One direction is the ticket.
Oh, and be sure to go the preferable NOBO. Besides the unexplainable thrill of touching that Mt. Katahdin sign you'll get too have a congratulatory feast of fresh Maine lobster (instead of a SOBO's meal consisting of Georgia BBQ).
Good luck!
Jester2000
10-12-2009, 16:58
Believe me- One direction is the ticket.
Oh, and be sure to go the preferable NOBO. Besides the unexplainable thrill of touching that Mt. Katahdin sign you'll get too have a congratulatory feast of fresh Maine lobster (instead of a SOBO's meal consisting of Georgia BBQ).
Good luck!
Agreed! Wait. I didn't get any lobster.
Slo-go'en
10-12-2009, 18:30
One advantage to doing a flip is if you time it right, you can avoid the sweltering heat and humidity of the mid atlantic states. If you start at Springer late in the season, like mid April, you avoid much of the cold and rain of early spring. Hike north until it gets too hot, say mid June, then flip to Katahdin and go south to where you left off.
The down side to this plan is Maine can be wet, cold and buggy in June. This year, summer didn't start until well into July.
bigcranky
10-12-2009, 19:17
If you look at the ATC web site, they offer a number of different itineraries (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4805565/k.67EA/Alternative_Itineraries.htm) for a thru-hike, with varied start and end points and flipping options. You might choose to do this to get better weather, or fewer crowds, etc.