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Lemni Skate
10-27-2009, 05:24
It seems like these super early starts are getting very popular judging from the people on here.

I always wanted to start on March 21 (my Birthday), but have always thought that even that would be too early and I'd freeze my butt off.

What's the appeal to doing the South before the leaves come out or there's even a flower on a redbud or dogwood? What's the appeal of getting socked by freezing rain or a blizzard and having your water bottles freeze up at night? What's the appeal of having to carry heavier equipment for months to deal with the cold?

Don't get me wrong, here. I believe in "hike your own hike," and I like winter hikes. I'm not much on winter camping. I spent my hike in April in Georgia last year freezing. My hike in LATE May in SNP 2 years ago was also cold as I awoke on May 19 to 30 degrees and the high temperature didn't hit 60 until around May 28.

Just being a Southern Boy I'm not acclimated to the cold and I truly don't like waking up and realizing it's 28 degrees out there. I can't imagine waking up in February and it's far colder than that.

Lemni Skate
10-27-2009, 05:26
Again, please don't take my post as criticizing the choice. I just want some of you to get a chance to wax eloquent about the joys of winter hiking and to maybe get some hints on how you deal with the stuff I seem to not enjoy.

kayak karl
10-27-2009, 06:30
I like winter hikes. I'm not much on winter camping
its different. there are view you will never see in the spring

http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/40887/2366818440104593866S500x500Q85.jpg (http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2366818440104593866trIbOE)

[/URL][URL="http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2037646770104593866ofvgVD"]http://inlinethumb07.webshots.com/15686/2037646770104593866S500x500Q85.jpg (http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2168700400104593866UyGVjW)

birdog
10-27-2009, 07:34
If your not prepared/comfortable with cold weather hiking/camping then a start that early would NOT be for you. The temps at elevation in the GSMNP can be very cold indeed. It is not unusual for overnight temps to drop into single digits and awaken to find 12" of snow on the ground. March is a very wet month in the Smoky's so snow late is always a factor. Just recently the higher elevations received 2" of snow and 17 degrees. Yes, the temps rose and the snow melted but it happened non-the-less.

birdog
10-27-2009, 07:46
On the other hand I personally love to hike at this time. Solitude and some beautiful scenery are my companions. I love to winter solo(because no one else will go) through the Park on the AT at that time of year. I'm equipped properly and have had 25 years experience hiking in winter conditions but in no way do I let a sense of complacency invade my thinking. My pack weight averages around 23 lbs for a 5 day hike so I'm not overly burdened and I take every precaution that one should. Sadly, there are many tragedies that have occured because someone underestimated the weather in the GSMNP.

fredmugs
10-27-2009, 08:13
Weird as this may sound some people prefer to cold to bugs (not me). I've done section hikes in Feb that weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be but then again there wasn't any appreciable snow on the ground either.

Plus I think some people just like knowing they're out in front. I did a section hike in Mass last May and kept running into a guy who was the 4th person to sign the book at Harpers and the guy who was 5th. The guy in 5th kept trying to catch the guy in 4th. I was doing SOBO sections and ran into both of the them 5 days straight.

I've also met people who wanted to summit Katahdin on July 4th and other people who wanted to finish their hikes and still have the majority of the summer to do other things.

Last March I was in Hot Springs and there were over 10 thru hikers where I was staying. Some of the let's say slower hikers started early because they were afraid they could not make it to Katahdin before Baxter closed down.

I would imagine most people who start early do so because (1) they can, and (2) they have some reason to finish early.

Cookerhiker
10-27-2009, 08:31
For me, the problem with the early start is not just missing the beautiful spring flowers of the Southern Appalachians or dealing with cold, ice, and darkness. It's also arriving in NH and Maine during mud and black fly season and before blueberry season. The northern bugs are worse than the southern bugs.

datadog314
10-27-2009, 08:41
Personally, I'm born and raised New England, I've seen more than my share of winter settings. I too, am thinking about a later start than first planned. I always thought the south had sunny, warm, tempertures......I'm taken aback by talk of single digit temps and spring snows.

I always thought that's why people lived down there.........hell, I didn't think it even snowed past the Mason-Dixon line.

birdog
10-27-2009, 09:25
Oh boy does it snow down here at the higher elevations. March in the Park averages 26" of snow: not much by New England standards but when you are out in it for a week at a time it seems like 26 FEET. I remember one year, 1985 I think, where 5 hikers were stranded in the Cosby shelter for 5 days. Ran out of food, fuel to melt snow, and had to be rescued by the park service. Almost didn't make it. All this happened within 7 miles of a ranger station and I-40.

HooKooDooKu
10-27-2009, 09:45
In some cases, it's just personal schedules.

A few years ago, I had a nephew getting married in July, so he had from when ever he though he could get started until then to do the AT. He started sometime between Christmas and New Year. Occationally was held up in shelters or just flat out had to get of the trail for a week due to cold weather and/or snow. But some how he still managed to complete the AT and get to his wedding on time. Actually, the groom's cake had something of a silk-screen like overlay on the cake, and it was a pair of picture, one at the start of the hike, the other at the end.

George
10-27-2009, 09:50
when you hike off season you almost have the trail to yourself

Rain Man
10-27-2009, 11:02
Or, you're from Denmark?! LOL

Red Dane's trail journal (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=3860)

Started January 7, 2006. She has some nice snow and ice photos posted in her Trail Journal.

I've hiked parts of the AT in the snow and have had my water freeze, including my CamelBak tube. But I do thinking "walking with Spring" makes more sense.

Rain:sunMan

.

Lyle
10-27-2009, 11:40
My hike in LATE May in SNP 2 years ago was also cold as I awoke on May 19 to 30 degrees and the high temperature didn't hit 60 until around May 28.

This just struck me as funny. I consider these temps to be dang near IDEAL for backpacking. Any daytime temp above 40*-45* for me is shorts weather, depending on sun/wind.

As you said, you're a southern boy who likes warm weather. You probably shouldn't start until mid to late spring. On the other hand as some have already pointed out, cold has it's own rewards and is quite comfortable if you are prepared.

HYOH is a definite principle to apply here, no one is right or wrong.

HAVE FUN!!!!

The Solemates
10-27-2009, 11:44
no bugs
no hot
no people

3 cardinal rules of hiking in my book. these lend themselves well to winter hiking.

Slo-go'en
10-27-2009, 12:04
I love winter hiking. I hate winter camping. Even if your prepared, few realise just how difficult it is to deal with the cold 24/7 on an extended hike. Very few who start Jan/Feb make it very far.

Cookerhiker
10-27-2009, 13:15
....I always thought that's why people lived down there.........hell, I didn't think it even snowed past the Mason-Dixon line.

Your post reminds me of one southerner who told me she didn't know there were mosquitos in NJ (let alone New England) because the winters were too cold. And another southerner who thought we didn't have rattlesnakes in PA, NJ, and NY because of the allegedly cold winters.

Tagless
10-27-2009, 13:34
False Start, who my wife and I met on the trail in March, would have an interesting perspective to share. He began his thru hike in January and ended up going home (within about a week as I recall) due to cold wintery weather. He returned in March to continue - thus the trail name False Start was earned.

datadog314
10-27-2009, 15:49
Man, all this talk of snow, ice, and cold temps down south has this New England boy bummed out. I figured I'd start in early March and have a golden tan by April 1st. Seriously, all the southern people I meet around here, say the only cold the south gets is alittle in Janurary...........and, when they speak of cold, they're talking anything below 40 degrees. I figured I had it made. I hate the cold.......that was a huge reason I was going down there in early March.

Are we talking about cold mornings?.........then, the temps get into the 50's by afternoon? Have we screwed the enviroment so bad that the polar region is ebbing into the sunny, warm, south............three lousy weeks shy of spring?

I'll walk in the cold but, I want no part of camping in the ice and snow.......been there, done that. I believed all those stories about sunshine and heat and that the girls crusied around half naked.......now, I'm beginning to wonder if the bears I might run into are going to be huge and white.

Can we use whale blubber to stoke our fires and seal skins for clothes?

And, does the sun ever set in the summer down there?

I'm taken aback by all this talk of ice and snow.

Rockhound
10-27-2009, 17:04
I love winter hiking. I hate winter camping. Even if your prepared, few realise just how difficult it is to deal with the cold 24/7 on an extended hike. Very few who start Jan/Feb make it very far.
Where do you get your stats? %wise I think the earlier hikers start the better their chances of finishing. They leave Springer better prepared, determined,equipped and motivated than many of the later starters who think it's just going to be a walk in the woods. This is just my observation and I've seen quite a few hikers over the past couple years.

Doctari
10-27-2009, 18:04
From MY point of view:
Good points; better views in many cases due to less foliage to block them, fewer hikers / less crowds, Less heat (I wear a tee & kilt down to the lower 40s or colder when I hike.), NO D**N BUGS! More time to hike, therefore you can take it slower possibly reducing the chance of Injury.
Bad points; Fewer people to depend on in emergency, possibly more opportunity for there to be an emergency, Normal people need to carry more insulation, fewer people to talk to, some services may not be available early in your hike.

My friend Privy Monster started on January 1 of last year, his reasoning: "I knew I would want to start out hiking slow, so I allowed for the first month or so to be 5 miles per day, and that is what I did till through the Smokies." When I last saw him at Old Orchard Shelter he was doing 13 - 17 mile days, but still not hurrying "I'm walking from Georgia to Mane, looking for good places to sit!"

Jack Tarlin
10-27-2009, 18:51
Actually, I don't think there's a whole lot of difference in clothing and gear between the folks starting 20 February and those starting 10 March.

Meaning they both have pretty much the same kinda gear, clothing, etc.

The two big differences:

The folks starting earlier probably have greater expectations of bad weather than those starting three or four wels later.

And this is good.....as they WILL have a much greater chance of getting bad conditions. SiO i"m glad they anticipate this.

But I disagree very strongly with the contention that the early folks are better prepapred or mentally equipped to deal with this simply because the have elected to start their trips earlier. Anticipating horrible conditions doesn't guarantee that you're going to cope with them well.

On the contrary, regardless of gear, preparation, or expectations, I see people every year quit out of discouragement because they've been beat up early by worse weather or longer periods of bad weather) than they'd anticipated, and I am positive that many of these folks would have stuck it out if they'd started later on, and subsequently had enjoyed an easier first few weeks, a period that is crucially important on a thru-hike.

In short, I do NOT think that starting earlier increases your chances of completetion. Based on my own obeservations (which include hiking Georgia and North Carolina 14 out of the past 15 springs), this is decidedly NOT the case. The easier your first few weeks, the greater your chances of getting thru that pivotal first few weeks. Likewise, the harder those first few weeks are, and bad weather makes things harder, then the likelier that you'll quit early.

In short, the contention that earlier starters are better prepared, hardier, mentally stronger, and therefore have a greater chance of completing their trips, is not a contention I'd agree with.

stranger
10-27-2009, 20:28
Starting early is an unnecessary risk in my view. Even if you waited til mid April, that leaves you 6 months to hike, potentially longer as you can climb Katahdin after 15 October provided the weather holds, and there is always the flip flop option.

And there is a substantial difference between starting 25 Feb and the first week in April, maybe not every year but certainly most years. I've left Springer 3 times:
- March 2nd 1995
- Feb 29th 1996
- April 9th 2008

Last year was so much easier in terms of weather, for me atleast. Waiting until April means little chance of prolonged cold or snow (key word prolonged) and before you know it your into May, which is usually a excellent month for hiking. Granted, there will always be freak storms, and this will continue to get worse in time, but speaking in general...a hiker who leaves in mid April will have a far easier time than a hiker leaving in late Feb or very early March - all other things equal.

Gramps
10-27-2009, 21:56
In some cases, it's just personal schedules.

A few years ago, I had a nephew getting married in July, so he had from when ever he though he could get started until then to do the AT. He started sometime between Christmas and New Year. Occationally was held up in shelters or just flat out had to get of the trail for a week due to cold weather and/or snow. But some how he still managed to complete the AT and get to his wedding on time. Actually, the groom's cake had something of a silk-screen like overlay on the cake, and it was a pair of picture, one at the start of the hike, the other at the end.


"...Get me to the church on time..."

Somehow I can picture someone like that running into the church with full hiking attire; boots, gaiters, head bandana, and a white shirt, bow tie, and cumberbund.:D

Doctari
10-27-2009, 22:24
One thought for someone planning a early start: If you are from a warm climate, consider; a) warmer insulation than you think you will need! b) A later start. c) All of the above.

FYI / FWIW:
I'm a native of SW Ohio, one of my hiking partners is native S Florida. Needless to say, the temps we can both hike (together) in are in a very narrow range. I don't stop sweating till it gets down to around 70, he doesn't stop shivering til it hits 80. :eek: No joke, you should have seen us last visit to RRG AM day 2, I in Tee & kilt was comfy, he in long pants, long sleeve shirt, jacket, knit hat, etc. had blue lips. About this color > ;) I laughed at him, then tossed him a pair of toe warmers & put him in my hammock (warmer than his tent) & got him functional. 45 minutes & a cup of hot chocolate for him later, we went hiking.

So go prepared if you do plan an early start.
A couple of chem warmers for emergency. A warm hat at least for sleeping in can make a HUGE difference, the ability to quickly make something hot to eat or drink can save your life (I know from personal exp!) Even a small Esbit type stove & a small cup with a pack of Nestles will help. Be ready to "bail" or at least get under shelter. Hypothermia can sneak up on you so easily (again, personal exp!) for more info see http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=8209&highlight=Hypothermia+article

TTFN!

Canada Goose
10-27-2009, 22:28
I've always thought that a good start date would be on April 1st. That way I could claim to be on a fool's journey. ;)

I took the same approach when I joined up here on WB. :D

Jack Tarlin
10-27-2009, 22:40
Funny you should say that.....I've been on Springer on April Fool's Day at least seven times. :D

Petr
10-27-2009, 23:23
I'm planning on starting my thru on January 28th due to scheduling issues. I've got the last exam of my academic career on the 27th (which I conveniently scheduled in Atlanta) and my professional career starts in late June: not the biggest window.

Yes, I'd prefer more time. Yes, I'd prefer to start a tad later. Yes, I worry about being a little too alone. Yes, even being from Detroit, I'm a little intimidated by the prospect of being cold pretty much the whole time.

On the other hand, I'm nearly positive that I won't be willing/able to create 4-6 consecutive months of freedom until I reach retirement age. I don't have the experience of Baltimore Jack (or 99% of WB'ers), but I tend to agree with his reasoning regarding an early start. While I'm thrilled to be avoiding hiking in heat, the balance does seem to be massively in favor of waiting for spring.

So, why do I choose to hike early? It's been said in several threads that if thru-hiking the AT is not the #1 priority in your life at this particular moment and you're not willing to sacrifice other things to do it, then don't do it. Because it's late January or not at all for me, that sacrifice is the comfort of better weather and more compatriots (and a whole host of other sacrifices that are irrelevant to the OP). So that's my reason.

Well, that, and, if I actually make it all the way, I look forward to becoming the preeminent WB blowhard about being a man and hiking in the cold...that'd be fun.

Petr

Jack Tarlin
10-27-2009, 23:30
Petr:

You'll be fine; sometimes, depending on the year, it's actually warm by late February or early March, meaning in some years, the weather is actually BETTER for the guys who started early. You never know what you're going to get.

You'll also be pretty well guaranteed shelter space for much of your trip, which can't hurt when the weather is bad, tho you may discover that you actually sleep warmer in your tent.

In any case, dress warm, get the right gear, you'll do just great.

XCskiNYC
10-27-2009, 23:31
Starting early is an unnecessary risk in my view. Even if you waited til mid April, that leaves you 6 months to hike, potentially longer as you can climb Katahdin after 15 October provided the weather holds, and there is always the flip flop option.

And there is a substantial difference between starting 25 Feb and the first week in April, maybe not every year but certainly most years. I've left Springer 3 times:
- March 2nd 1995
- Feb 29th 1996
- April 9th 2008

Last year was so much easier in terms of weather, for me atleast. Waiting until April means little chance of prolonged cold or snow (key word prolonged) and before you know it your into May, which is usually a excellent month for hiking. Granted, there will always be freak storms, and this will continue to get worse in time, but speaking in general...a hiker who leaves in mid April will have a far easier time than a hiker leaving in late Feb or very early March - all other things equal.

That appears to be a good start date, both for the reasons you mentioned weatherwise and because it allows a pace of 12 miles per day which should be pretty reasonable for many hikers (or 14 miles per day with one zero day averaged out of every seven).

Maybe people are picking the very early start dates because they underestimate how much daily mileage they can handle.

Lemni Skate
11-01-2009, 19:51
Thanks for all the input. I think you guys have convinced me to just go when it is comfortable for me.

I know my 11 days in late May story had to strike some of you as funny, but I seriously could not get warm. I had a good sleeping bag and plenty of clothes, it seemed, but apparently not. Just 11 straight days of never feeling comfortable. I'd sweat while hiking and freeze when I stopped. I ended up without much dry to wear (there was a constant mist) and would just curl up in my sleeping bag as fast as I could. I would wake up and be hiking by 5 just to warm up. When I finally got a to a bath tub I spent 3 hours in it...seriously three hours.

stranger
11-01-2009, 20:12
Just to clarify I wasn't implying it's a bad idea to start early in the year, and do not want to discourage anyone from doing so, I was just trying to relate my experiences over the years. I agree with Jack's post about sometimes weather being better for the earlybirds - even last year, in late April, it was damn cold in the Smokies, while in 1995 we didn't really have much cold nights in the Smokies despite going through in March - it really is a crap shoot.

However, I think it's safe to say the later you wait in the season, the warmer it will be as a general rule. This does not mean you will be drier though!

JoshStover
11-01-2009, 20:54
What is the Farmers Almanac saying about the weather for early next year? I'm starting around February 20something. I LOVE hiking AND cAmping in the snow/cold. I would be starting earlier but I don't think I will have quite enough funding.

Chillfactor
11-01-2009, 21:06
I'm not starting when there's snow or any danger of sub-freezing weather. With luck, I won't encounter really cold conditions. Don't forget the rain. It was seriously bad this spring. I wonder if I can avoid both the cold and flooding....

I hiked from Harper's Ferry to Waynesboro this fall and decided to go home before getting in the really rural areas. It was a great learning experience. I'll definitely get better footwear and a pad that's a bit lighter. Also a 15 degree Montbell bag.
I'm starting from Springer but not before March. I hope to see the flowers and buds on the trees. I'm not worried about getting to Katahdin this year. Hope to see some of you on the Trai!

kayak karl
11-01-2009, 21:13
its 4 pm, you grab a snack and put your headlamp around your neck. at 5 you get to camp. find water. start dinner and set up hammock(don't have a tent:D) temp is dropping quick. hands and feet get cold first. get out of boots and into down booties. cant forget to pack out boots so when they freeze you can put them back on. eat dinner and clean up. hands are cold. cant wait to get in bag. dump extra water. you will be the human drier for the night. socks, shirt, gloves; extra water will take up calories. dont forget the pee bottle. the body uses up calories keeping fluids in the body warm. the night will be 12+ hours long. when the morn comes it will still be hard to get up. breakfast and packing will cause your hands and feet to freeze. you will run and stomp your feet the first mile to get warm.
DAMN, i miss winter hiking:sun

Bronk
11-02-2009, 04:21
I started February 28th 2002 and found that once the weather got warmer I found it a lot harder to make the miles...the heat really sapped my energy. To me, 40 to 50 degree days are the best hiking days. I also liked the lack of bugs in the early days...

chiefduffy
11-02-2009, 04:42
Y'all are making me cold

sarahgirl
11-02-2009, 06:05
I had to change my start date when my sister announced her wedding...originally she had said June, but I talked her into July. I'm in her wedding, so I've gotta be done by the 10th. I also prefer cooler hiking weather, so it works out ok.

See you out there Josh:)
I'll be about a week or so ahead of you.

takethisbread
11-02-2009, 08:26
I will give my reasons for starting in February.

1. I own a business that does 75% of it's revenue in summer months. Cannot be on the trail after mid may. So I have to hit the trail hard mid february to mid may. Then restart hard in early September so to finish Katahdin before it closes Oct 15.

2. I hate the heat. November is perfect hiking weather to me, and April is great as well.
3. Poison ivy loves me. It's more of a threat in summer.
4. Water is always a huge issue in heat. I drink 4 liters a day in summer before camp, right now a liter is all I need.
5. Bugs

The Solemates
11-02-2009, 10:24
I will give my reasons for starting in February.

1. I own a business that does 75% of it's revenue in summer months. Cannot be on the trail after mid may. So I have to hit the trail hard mid february to mid may. Then restart hard in early September so to finish Katahdin before it closes Oct 15.

2. I hate the heat. November is perfect hiking weather to me, and April is great as well.
3. Poison ivy loves me. It's more of a threat in summer.
4. Water is always a huge issue in heat. I drink 4 liters a day in summer before camp, right now a liter is all I need.
5. Bugs


why not just start jan 1 and then you be done mid may?

takethisbread
11-02-2009, 12:36
why not just start jan 1 and then you be done mid may?
if I had someone that would start with me jan 1 I would. I would be worried about spending 3 months with no conversation at all, and in the cold itssafer to have more than one person in camp.

slowandlow
11-02-2009, 13:26
no bugs
no hot
no people

3 cardinal rules of hiking in my book. these lend themselves well to winter hiking.

And don't forget: no sweat.

harryfred
11-02-2009, 13:36
if I had someone that would start with me jan 1 I would. I would be worried about spending 3 months with no conversation at all, and in the cold itssafer to have more than one person in camp.
I do not know about other sections of the trail, but I hike all year round between Penn Marr and Duncannon; if there is not major ice, heavy snow or cold rain. I can not think of a time I have not met somebody on the AT. The shelter logs suggest people spending the night in the shelters even in Jan and Feb I spent the night with a couple of thru hikers at Birch Run Shelter in late Mar. early Apr. Then there is hunters, park rangers, hiker towns state parks. If you want isolation the AT is not the place to do it:D My cell phone so far has reception any where in PA except around the Rausch Gap area for a quick check in at night. So your not really alone.

Lemni Skate
02-04-2010, 19:56
You cold weather fans must be jumping for joy right now.

Seriously bad winter in the south. You're not hiking the trail in Virginia without cross country skis or snowshoes right now.

SNP expecting 4 feet of snow this weekend. Don't know what they're looking for in Smokey's but I saw Georgia sections of trail getting 3 inches of rain this weekend. Low's near zero Sunday night in SW Virginia through Maryland sections of trail.

Springs should all be flowing for many, many months.

Give me 95 degrees with skeeters and humidity. I'll see you on the trail in June!

Johnny Swank
02-08-2010, 16:38
I'm with you on that. I'm dusting of my thru-hiker dataset today and running numbers on start dates. From a quick glance, it looks like the average date has moved back by about 3 weeks since the 70's.

Just throwing this out there, but I'd almost guarantee that early starters end up taking at least as long (by choice or otherwise) as folks that start later. You're far more likely to end up squirreled away in a hostel or motel room burning up money while waiting out a storm. Not for me, but YMMV

Cakon
02-08-2010, 18:12
I am starting my second attempt at the AT in February. It is just my time slot. I need to be back by August if I can. I'm from the UP of Michigan, if you don't like hiking in the cold you don't hike much. It does have its advantages. No bugs, snow more managable than rain, less people. I'm just used to it and have the gear for wet and cold so I'm doing it then.

Slo-go'en
02-08-2010, 19:00
And don't forget: no sweat.

Oh, you sweat pleanty hiking in the cold, even at 20 below! And that sweat can chill you down real quick if you stop for a break. At the end of the day, you better get into dry clothes real quick or you'll be real cold.

DAJA
02-08-2010, 19:36
Cold is a relative thing... As usual for a Canadian winter we've had lots of very cold windy weather... So today when it warmed up to just below freezing, I found it very difficult for my body tempature to regulate. Even while enjoying my lunch on the patio in a t-shirt, I was sweaty..

I feel for you southern folk, but hiking in anything from the 10 - 30 degree's is perfect hiking weather for me, beyond that, it just gets uncomfortable..

prain4u
02-08-2010, 20:52
When you start in January or February--what is the bear situation like--especially around Great Smoky Mountain National Park? On one hand, because the bears are "hibernating", it would seem that that bear/human contact may be less with an early start. On the other hand, the first few waves of hikers (carrying and cooking readily available food) might seem like an attractive "target" for hungry bears who have been eating very little all winter.

Due to the cold and the presence of less hikers, are the shelter mice any less active in January through early March? (or does human body heat and the possibility of tasty crumbs attract them just as much--or even more--early in the season?)

Is hiking through New England/Maine rougher when you start in January/February from Georgia? If you get there in May-July do you encounter more flooded rivers and creeks? Muddier trails? Snow/ice covered peaks in the Whites? Bug problems? (In short--is New England/ Maine a nasty place if you arrive there early in the season?)

IF an extremely early start means that you encounter fairly nasty trail conditions in BOTH the South (cold/snow) and the North (mud, floods, and bugs). That doesn't seem like a very fun hike! Theoretically, you would be encountering the potential for nasty conditions for roughly one third of your hike. I can't see much advantage or joy in doing that.

HOWEVER, if an early start means greater solitude, less bear encounters and less mice problems, nicer views from some peaks, less chance of encountering REALLY hot/humid days, more abundant water--and less encounters with the obnoxious variety of "day hikers" and "tourists"--the early start might be well worth risking the nastier trails.

Any thoughts?

sasquatch2014
02-08-2010, 21:36
I have yet to do a thru and can't wait for that day until then I deal with what I am given. Selling real estate I tend to go most when the market is slow and so I am mostly active, short my aggressively protected week or so hike in nice weather, during the off season. I am not sure when I would go but I have to say that the start of an early hike does not scare me off.

The idea that there is not bad weather just bad clothing, or shelter applies. I have been out in really bad stuff for long periods of time and if you know not only what to wear but how to wear it you will be amazed at how comfortable you will be in the conditions. I am not saying comfortable as in sitting in a t-**** watching TV at you home comfortable but woods comfortable. If the former is what you want then you will not be happy in the woods.

I may be one of those freaks that when bad weather really begins to roll in I find a reason to go out for a hike in it. I have been that way for years. There is nothing that makes me feel more alive than fierce weather. This is just my thing.

An early start you need to ask yourself will you be more energized by element challenges or will your resolve be zapped by these. I am the type that when the storm is really raging I stand out there and yell to the sky "Is that you got!!" Yeah you may not want to stand to close to me if you believe that God may smite you.

If time were not an issue I would start as early as possible and spend as much time on the trail as I could. then again I am looking at the trail as a retirement plan myself. With maybe a bit of time off for some rail riding in the really cold months if i get board.

this is just me and my thoughts. As i said I have not thru hiked and I am not retired so maybe I am just full of ****. Then again I am looking for some winter hiking partners for the end of Feb if you want to join me you decide.

To the two of you that I have met who are starting in Feb rock on you are well prepped for anything that the south can throw at you. I'll see when you get to NY or sooner. you never know where I'll appear. Bigfoot sightings have been known to occur.

Johnny Swank
02-09-2010, 10:10
HOWEVER, if an early start means greater solitude, less bear encounters and less mice problems, nicer views from some peaks, less chance of encountering REALLY hot/humid days, more abundant water--and less encounters with the obnoxious variety of "day hikers" and "tourists"--the early start might be well worth risking the nastier trails.

Any thoughts?

Sounds just like my SOBO hike went.

Snowleopard
02-09-2010, 11:19
why not just start jan 1 and then you be done mid may?
If you're getting to Katahdin in mid May, you may run into conditions that range from difficult to dangerous to impossible in northern New England (deep snow, deep rotten snow with water underneath, etc.)

A Jan. 1 start sounds good to me -- I hate hot weather -- but I wouldn't want to be hiking the White Mtns in April.

Chaco Taco
02-09-2010, 11:35
If you're getting to Katahdin in mid May, you may run into conditions that range from difficult to dangerous to impossible in northern New England (deep snow, deep rotten snow with water underneath, etc.)

A Jan. 1 start sounds good to me -- I hate hot weather -- but I wouldn't want to be hiking the White Mtns in April.

Then you blue blaze and have a kick ass 10 month hike as opposed to 6

DaSchwartz
02-12-2010, 00:31
Just an observation but I find many who start really early end up having to spend a lot of time in hostels/hotels. Just plan financially for that being a real possibility.

jesse
02-12-2010, 03:04
Short days, and long nights.

vamelungeon
02-12-2010, 06:11
We've had an unusually rough winter this year, with low temps, tons of snow but more importantly high winds. Cold and snow are one thing but when trees are falling in the wind it's time to get out of the woods. The ground is saturated, and that makes the trees more likely to fall. I'm just hoping spring decides to come early to the Appalachians this year because I'm sick of winter.

Deerleg
02-13-2010, 11:49
I love winter hiking. I hate winter camping. Even if your prepared, few realize just how difficult it is to deal with the cold 24/7 on an extended hike. Very few who start Jan/Feb make it very far.
:p I've sectioned 4-5 times in Feb and early March and can relate. 2 or 3 nights is enough for me but some of the winterscapes are stunning. Defiantly love-hate...

Lemni Skate
02-13-2010, 15:16
The other thing is that the weather is keeping the trail clubs off the trails right now. You end up with a LOT of blowdowns to negotiate this time of year.

I seriously can't imagine anyone being able to hike most of the trail around here (Virginia-SNP) right now. The depth of the snow up there is being measured in feet, not inches this year. Another 6-12 inches scheduled for Monday night and another system approaching for the weekend of the 20th.

My back is so sore from shoveling snow. Chiropractors are going to make a fortune this spring

SGT Rock
02-13-2010, 16:13
I started my hike in January. It just happened that it was when I started terminal leave from the Army because of situation. I hiked through snow and freezing rain. Spent the night on the trail during flash flooding and tornadoes in Virginia. I even got some mild frostbite one day. But mostly the weather was just cold. As long as you have the right gear you can hack it. If you start with the mindset you are going to run into weather and are prepared for that, then most of the time you can keep moving.

It was a warn, sunny day when I got off. I was on a ridge, the weather was nice, the flowers were blooming, my pack was lighter, and the days hiking wasn't hard. It was April 1 and many didn't believe I was getting off the trail. I just needed to get an ankled looked at by a doctor. I still wished I would have kept hiking, and in my rosy memory of the hike I think I still could have LOL. My point: you can get put off the trail even in good weather.

That said, I would recommend people wait until later. The daylight hours were short, and temperatures were not friendly to staying long at places and take in the sites or play in the creeks. Most camp nights I spent bundled up in clothing going to bed as soon as I was done eating. I never missed having people to visit with in camp, but many AT hikers are very social. Starting in January can mean lots of days and nights alone.

1234
02-13-2010, 19:43
I have seen a lot of big people do the trail, they need to lose a lot of weight so they start off with short days. and lots of time in hotels etc. 5 to 8 mile days are a major day. I met a fella that took a week to get to mountain crossings, some folks make it in 2 days. I heard mention of the same guy from a journal, in NY, then saw a picture, my guess he lost 75+ lbs and was in great shape. Cold is just cold you can put on stuff to get warm, but you cannot take enough off to keep cool. Some big people do not require a zero degree bag, I hunt with a friend of mine that sleeps in a summer bag in 18 degree nights and then only throws it over himself as a blanket. So early starts are good conditioning for some people that may need more time to condition themselves and lose weight. by Virginia they will be in the mist of the pack.

4shot
02-13-2010, 20:29
That said, I would recommend people wait until later. The daylight hours were short, and temperatures were not friendly to staying long at places and take in the sites or play in the creeks. Most camp nights I spent bundled up in clothing going to bed as soon as I was done eating. I never missed having people to visit with in camp, but many AT hikers are very social. Starting in January can mean lots of days and nights alone.


gear. It's fine, I dealt with the cold. One big issue though was getting in the bag at 5:30 PM and it's pitch dark (I live in CST). It's weird waking up for a bathroom break and it's 9:00 Pm and you are thinking it must be at least 3 AM. The lack of light was really different. Most of my prior winter camping was car camping in which I carried a lot of fire wood and could sit up past dark for at least 2-3 hours. Jan/Feb starters have my respect.

Johnny Appleseed
02-14-2010, 16:54
The only difficulty is stopping too long, and getting started in the morning, assuming you don't lose the trail. Try to get that tent packed quick so you can get moving then you are fine. When it is around zero it gets tough and you may want to stay in the tent all day.

But when you have a moment when you think why am I doing this to myself-pay attention because very soon you will have a moment that makes you know all the trials are nothing compared to the beauty you will see/feel. Every day I had this happen to me when I hiked for 2 weeks in a big snow storm. Those moments I still remember 3 years later.

traildust
02-15-2010, 13:32
Rock is rock on.

HiKen2011
12-01-2010, 22:48
Anyone plan to start as early as late January early February? I don't do well in the heat, so just thinking about an early start.:-?

HeartWalker
12-02-2010, 19:29
I started in March last year and the snow and cold made the hike a lot more challenging than it should have been. April is better, particularly when it looks like we'll have another cold, snowy winter.

johnnybgood
12-02-2010, 20:06
Feb. is a good time to start if the heat of the summer is too much.

mweinstone
12-02-2010, 20:17
why start in january or february? cause. im there. and its fun to toy with the crowd.newbee women need to be looked over and divied up. lots of reasons. cause.