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Dark Star
08-05-2010, 22:39
hey what is going on my name is Dark Star i am planning a SoBo thru-hike of the AT for next may. any questions or guidence please message away. happy trails

Wrangler88
08-05-2010, 23:23
Don't plan on starting SOBO in May. That's some advice. You probably want to wait at least another month or so. Or go NOBO and hookem in May.

DapperD
08-06-2010, 09:04
hey what is going on my name is Dark Star i am planning a SoBo thru-hike of the AT for next may. any questions or guidence please message away. happy trailsSome say a Southbound hike can be a tougher initial start but a rewarding direction to choose. I believe only like 10% of thru-hikers choose to go Southbound. From what I understand it is recomended one doesn't start Southbound until around July 1st, due to the blackfly infestation that is pronounced up until around July, and also due to the higher water levels that can be found on the trail in the form of mud and higher water crossings.

Migrating Bird
08-06-2010, 17:28
I started from Katahdin on May 29 this year and hiked to Franconia Notch, NH. The trail was in great shape, except for a few blow downs in sections that had not been cleared yet. I only used bug repellent 3 or 4 times in Maine. Think about the other end, if you start too late you will be finishing in Nov. Dec. and that can be just as rough weather wise down south. My daughter and her boyfriend started June 3rd last year - one of the wettest June on record and finished Oct. 24th and they hit snow from SNP to Standing Indian Mt.

Dark Star
08-26-2010, 16:48
i have made some adjustments in schedualing my date is june 1 of 2011. i was also wondering how easy it is to find fuel for my msr pocket rocket stove or if its cool to mail them to myself?

warraghiyagey
08-26-2010, 17:00
They have your fuel at Shaw's in Monson (awesome place for your first town stop btw:sun) and at the store in Stratton. You may want to send yourself supplies in Andover and after that it's pretty easy to find in any trail town from Gorham south. . . :)

Dark Star
08-26-2010, 17:16
so your allowed to ship fuel canisters to your self also. i just wasnt sure thats was cool.

Helios
08-26-2010, 17:30
so your allowed to ship fuel canisters to your self also. i just wasnt sure thats was cool.

You are, but there are some packaging guidelines. Use the search feature on here for "shipping canister fuel" and you should find the info you need. I've seen it on this site somewhere...

pricklypear
10-07-2010, 18:27
Ill be starting my sobo hike on the 1st too

uberart
10-07-2010, 22:52
I started June 13th two years ago, the first 10 days were rainy, and a few creeks near Monson swollen, but it wasnt cold at night. Few black flies, but the mosquitoes in the hundred mile wilderness were enough for a head net, excess deet, and more than one layer of clothing.

Maine has some terrain that will slow your hiking pace, but moment you come off Moosilauke in NH, you will have 1800 miles of tread that feels so smooth and easy.

fiddlehead
10-08-2010, 07:16
My 2 cents on the subject.

Maine: Ice out is thought to be around May 15th as a standard date. (although global warming could be moving that up a week or two now-a-days)
Mud season immedietly follows.
Bug season is normally the month of June.

After that, the weather is often great. (although a bit wetter than the rest of the country)

Someone mentioned that only 10% of thru's do it SOBO. For the sake of argument, let's call them sheep. Sheep tend to stay in herds and follow whoever is leading.
I've tried both and prefer the open-mindeness of the SOBO'ers.

Watch the snow levels throughout the spring and take a headnet.

IronGutsTommy
10-16-2010, 23:26
you can only mail fuel cannisters by labeling the package "ground transport only" as for safety regulations aircraft will not transport flammable materials or fuel except in their own gas tank of course. trying to mail fuel without a ground only designation may in fact get a person prosecuted.