Getting Started

[cyclocrosser]

I am 17 years old and am planning to thru hike the AT once I graduate in late may. My friend and I will be starting June 1, but I can't figure out which direction to hike. I would prefer to hike North, but I am not sure if that is possible.

[Lone Wolf]

Sure it's possible. Take 5 months and finish the end of October. Or flip-flop when you get to Harper's Ferry.

[The Solemates]

A June 1 start is possible for NOBO or SOBO.

NOBO:
You will have no problem reaching Katahdin in time as long as you are an average hiker and dont take a ridiculous amount of zero days. You will have extremely hot weather however.

SOBO:
No worries about reaching Springer. You will have bugs however.

[A-Train]

Yea either way, would be a blast. I hiked starting 3/1 and altho I don't regret it, I;d love to hike NOBO again starting in may or june to experience wildflowers and warmer longer days. Realize tho that you'll deal with extreme heat from the get go and for the majority of your hike. Both have their pros and cons. If going NOBO you will need to keep a good steady pace and not fart around in town. You also will be 2 months behind the pack and it won't be much of a social hike. You'll be running into tons of section/weekend/day hilkers and summer/boy scout groups. You'll definately start to catch the pack later on, especially the drifters.

Going south you'll have some very cold nights still and will have to deal with bugs, but you'll have no real deadline or pressure, and you'll have a big group of SOBO's around you, as well as running into NOBOs for a month or two. Personally I'd go north. If I were to SOBo I'd probably wait till july.

Either direction you'll end your hike will good foliage and cooler temps, so you can;t really go wrong. Enjoy

[RITBlake]

Check out this link. I posted on the exact same topic a few weeks ago, hope it helps!!! See you June 1st in Georgia!

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=6392

:bse