View Full Version : 2010 Thru hike plans--SOBO's please read
SKessler
02-13-2010, 10:57
I am graduating college this spring (May 15th I believe) and I plan to hit the AT asap afterward. I want to do a modified SOBO hike so that I can hit Katahdin and 100 miles from the north, then hike south and follow fall through VA and such. I would probably do some sort of flip flop anyway.
I HAVE to get off the trail for about a week because my older sister is getting married in Florida. This would be late June-early July so I have a good month at least to hike before the wedding.
The plan is to start somewhere in the NE, hike to Katahdin and get to FL in time for the wedding. Any ideas on where to start? To give you an idea, I am accustomed to doing long-ish days of hiking...this summer I averaged about 17 mi/day through the trail in NC (elevations up to 5600')
Maine in late May and early June is a real challenge. BUGS, RAIN and BUGS. It is done by many every year but usually not a pleasant walk in the woods.
ARambler
02-13-2010, 11:28
Not sure the question. Do you want me to multiply 17 by 30= 510? or suggest that you be more conservative on milage and more realistic on number of days and multiply 14 mi/day by 40 days and get 560 mile?
So conservatively, you are looking at Sherburne Pass above Rutland (mile 488). I left the trail here for 3 weeks in '07.
You are starting early enough to not be rushed in the beginning. Other towns with bus service are Manchester Center and Hanover, NH.
Rambler
ARambler
02-13-2010, 11:40
There are lots of ways to overthink this, but you may want to start closer to home and the lead edge of the north bounders. You could go to Trail Days/Hardcore and get a ride to Dalevale, VA (or jsut get to Daleville). You could then get off (and back on) at Delaware Water Gap.
Rambler
max patch
02-13-2010, 12:46
I would start a SOBO after the wedding.
SKessler
02-13-2010, 13:03
I was more asking because of transport to/from and weather and such. If Maine is going to be that awful in May/June, then I might wait a bit for it and hike north for a bit, then go SOBO.
ARambler, I was just saying that to give an idea of pace in the NC mountains, wondering how much different the terrain was in the NE.
Max patch, is July 1 too late to start a SOBO thruhike?
Lone Wolf
02-13-2010, 13:06
July 1 is about normal. i started june 29 one year
white_russian
02-13-2010, 13:07
July 1stish in my mind is the ideal SOBO start date. You get past a bunch of the mud and bugs (not all of it though), but it is early enough that you are not hiking all winter in the south.
max patch
02-13-2010, 13:11
Max patch, is July 1 too late to start a SOBO thruhike?
Given the conditions normally found in Maine its actually a great date to start.
ARambler
02-13-2010, 14:23
July 1 is about normal. i started june 29 one year
:eek:LW was only 2 days ahead of normal.
I left Abol Bridge July 1 the only year I sobo'ed and felt I was in, but near the end of, the pack.
I think the north half the trail is slower than the south half, but the data, even my speed, is not much different.
Rambler