My Winter Thru Attempt...and subsequent spectacular failure

[Petr]

So, I use to be a regular reader here but this is my first visit since my failed thru...had to detox a bit I suppose.

Anyway, the "can I go in the winter" threads always seem to have a lot of legs. The conventional wisdom is that it's harder, you'll spend more time in town, spend more money, and be cold. This is all true. It's also an amazing and beautiful experience, even in utter failure. Below is my long trail journal detailing the experience of a newbie hiker attempting a thru starting in late January (I think I may have set the record for words written/mile hiked). It's not specifically about cold-weather hiking, but it may provide a realistic depiction of the role the cold takes in the context of me talking about and doing a bunch of other stuff. Just as a heads up, it was written mostly for friends and family, so don't take offense when I try to explain trail terms...I know you're not stupid.

If you've got an hour and are bored, give it a read. You might learn something. You might chuckle a bit (I think I'm funny). The last half or so is a continuation of my travel journal after I got off trail...it's totally irrelevant to the AT but I include it 'cause I wrote the thing as one piece; feel free to skip it.

P.S. Have at it: Flame away.

P.P.S. Well, it appears it's too long to put in a thread post. I guess I'll just attach it.

[couscous]

Didn't get through all 28-pages, but I have chuckled a bit so far. "They say that what you pack reflects what you fear. I apparently fear..." - that was one of them.

[Migrating Bird]

Got a fair ways through it. Good read, thanks for sharing. Last Oct, I passed through Helen and stopped for a quick bite. I worked and traveled in Germany for many years and all I could think of is "what were they thinking".

[Kreekwa]

Excellent. And just when we'd begun thinking about "how beautiful it would be to do some of the hike in the snow"....thanks for the reality check! Very entertaining read, btw -

[Danielsen]

I've been reading through bit by bit and being amused every step of the way. :D

However, I still plan on backpacking in the snow, if not on the AT, then on my local trails...

[takethisbread]

I was one of those winter hikers last year. I left in mid February. I found the experience rewarding, but very difficult. The snow was so deep that I lost the trail several times per day, I took my 15 mile a day average and shrunk it in nearly half. I had to go home for a couple long weekends as well. The wonderful moments, (the chandelier like Rhodadendrons, encased totally in glassy ice), were balanced overwhelmingly by constant wet and cold, sleepless nights, and painful tumbles.

As I look back on my hike so far(I am doing a split Thruhike 1,000 miles inthe winter /spring - and 1200 September until December. ), I remember the first 45 days most. The first 11 days in Georgia with "OM River" , who I felt bad for, because he wanted to quit right away, I felt. He pushed on only out of friendship to me, I think, poor guy. That part I look back fondly upon. Bly Gap to The Smokies, notso much. It took me 3 trips to get through the Smokies. But when I finally did, it was worth the wait.

I loved the journal, (I stopped keeping one almost immediately, as it became a chore). Reminds one of the hardships. I will be out there again this winter, and I suppose I will continue to, bc as tough as the conditions, it still beats arriving to camp in the Smokies, and there is 60 people there.