View Full Version : 2 weeks on the AT in May, what section?
Hello AT, my little group has 2 weeks in May to hike a section of the trail.
(We have some flexability on which 2 weeks in May)
What section would you suggest and why?
Thanks
Cookerhiker
12-12-2010, 08:25
Start at Hot Springs and hike north. If you reach Damascus within your 2 weeks, continue on to Mt. Rogers and Grayson Highlands. I hiked (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=96217) this area in May and thought it was one of the most beautiful hikes in all my AT sectioning because of the Spring weather and myriad wildflowers. The trees were just coming out on the ridges, days were warm not hot, nights were cool - one of my favorite AT times and places:)
Start at Hot Springs and hike north. If you reach Damascus within your 2 weeks, continue on to Mt. Rogers and Grayson Highlands. I hiked (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=96217) this area in May and thought it was one of the most beautiful hikes in all my AT sectioning because of the Spring weather and myriad wildflowers. The trees were just coming out on the ridges, days were warm not hot, nights were cool - one of my favorite AT times and places:)
Thanks CH, what's the distance from Hot Springs to Damascus?
Toolumpy
12-12-2010, 10:05
About 192 miles give or take a few
That looks awsome! Start in Hot Springs May 1st and arrive in Damascus just in time for Trail Days, average 13.7 miles a day with probably 2 mail drops. Am I missing anything I need to consider?
Cookerhiker
12-12-2010, 18:25
I'd recommend Erwin for your first mail drop and the Mountain Harbor B&B on Rt. 19E for your second. For Mountain Harbor, the mail drop is free if you stay there - and a nominal charge if you don't. I'd recommend staying there - it's very hiker friendly, has hiker rates, and serves a great breakfast. Plus, it's only a few tenths of a mile off the Trail.
Have a great hike! I'm sure you will.
Oh, bring tents. You can't be assured of shelter space since thrus will be sharing the Trail with you.
Is there a preferred guide book / map for that section?
Cookerhiker
12-14-2010, 11:14
The official guidebook is the one covering NC-TN available from the ATC as follows: https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=60&compid=1
You may wish to purchase both book and map or just the maps. You'll get a discount if you join the ATC which I recommend if for nothing else to show your support for the Trail.
These days it seems most hikers skip the guidebooks and rely just on the maps. The guidebooks provide more description of the trail details (including good descriptions of the major side trails) along with wildlife, history, and local club info.
For a description of services near the Trail, check out the on-line Companion (http://www.aldha.org/comp_pdf.htm) also issued by the ATC and authored by ALDHA.
I would go from Deep gap NC just south of Standing Indian to Standing Bear Farm just north of I 40. Start with a great sendoff from Ron Haven and finish with a beer with Curtis Owen. You get the Nantahalas and the Smokies as well as two trail legends. About 11.5 miles a day with a mail drop at the NOC and another at Fontana village.
Cookerhiker
12-14-2010, 11:19
I would go from Deep gap NC just south of Standing Indian to Standing Bear Farm just north of I 40. Start with a great sendoff from Ron Haven and finish with a beer with Curtis Owen. You get the Nantahalas and the Smokies as well as two trail legends. About 11.5 miles a day with a mail drop at the NOC and another at Fontana village.
If he follows the rules, then he has to make shelter reservations in the Smokies for this hike.
Thanks Cookerhiker for the map and guide links!!
Chelko, CH, how many people are on the trail at this time? Will the main group of hikers be ahead of these sections in May? Should a crowded trail be a factor we should consider? Do a lot of hikers time their hike for Trail Days?
After reading this thread, http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=62091
Maybe Trail Days may not be the best destination. Our groups is people in their 30's and 40's and we're past our wild party days.
wornoutboots
12-14-2010, 12:52
After reading this thread, http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=62091
Maybe Trail Days may not be the best destination. Our groups is people in their 30's and 40's and we're past our wild party days.
Don't let one bad apple ruin your thoughts on Trail Days or cause you to sterotype It! This is a great time, great for the At community & the town of Damascus. I'm 45, act like 22, so that puts me somewhere around 30 :) & we hike into Trail Days every year. If you don;t want to party dont, if you do do. I'm looking forward to hitting it from Erwin this year! After all age & the hiking communtiy it really doesn't matter HYOH!
bigmac_in
12-14-2010, 13:04
Springer to Fontana.
Blissful
12-14-2010, 13:09
That looks awsome! Start in Hot Springs May 1st and arrive in Damascus just in time for Trail Days, average 13.7 miles a day with probably 2 mail drops. Am I missing anything I need to consider?
Yeah five thousand hikers doing the same section you are during that time. :cool:
Anyway, a few hundred is probably more like it
I'd go SOBO. NO one goes SOBO
Blissful
12-14-2010, 13:10
After reading this thread, http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=62091
Maybe Trail Days may not be the best destination. Our groups is people in their 30's and 40's and we're past our wild party days.
I'm in my forties and I love trail days. Just avoid the hot spots. great time
Bare Bear
12-15-2010, 18:52
Start at Damascus and go north. You will be ahead of most of the thrus but they will pass you every day and you will get to meet a lot of them that way.
wornoutboots
12-15-2010, 20:20
Start 150 Miles north of Damascus & hike back for Trail Days?? The Grayson Highlands will Blow Your mind or your hat off, depending on the weather ; )
Yeah five thousand hikers doing the same section you are during that time. :cool:
Anyway, a few hundred is probably more like it
I'd go SOBO. NO one goes SOBO
I take this post seriously. A crowded trail is not what we are looking for, south bound sounds interesting. What northern section would be best for May??
Cookerhiker
12-16-2010, 11:31
I take this post seriously. A crowded trail is not what we are looking for, south bound sounds interesting. What northern section would be best for May??
Hike the part of the AT west of I-81 - Atkins/Groseclose to Daleville - 180 miles. Resupply at Pearisburg. Highlights include Chestnut Knob, the ridge walking along Pearis Mountain, Wind Rock, the Keffer Oak, Tinker Cliffs, McAfee Knob. This stretch is a nice balance between challenging sections and easier sections. Many of your ups aren't followed immediately by a down but result in ridgewalking. You could hike this stretch north or south.
The other option is Daleville north to Waynesboro for 134 miles and on into Shenandoah NP as time permits - you can probably make it to Swift Run Gap. This section ascends to and parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway but the BRP crossings aren't as frequent as Skyline Drive in Shenandoah.
Serial 07
12-16-2010, 12:57
GREGW,
i've quick read through this thread, so forgive if this is already stated...but if you don't plan your trip to say, Marion, VA, you will miss the best part of the hike - the grayson highlands! they don't start untli about 24 miles north of damascus...from there it would be another 40 miles to Marion or just 25 miles to Troutdale, VA...this would be an easy place to arrange a shuttle from...
i would start in Erwin and go to Marion...that would be about 174 miles...
Serial 07
12-16-2010, 13:00
Sam's Gap to Troutdale would be 197 miles...
I take this post seriously. A crowded trail is not what we are looking for, south bound sounds interesting. What northern section would be best for May??
I would think Connecticut and Massachusetts would be great. Say, Kent to North Adams. In Vermont it's mud season then, and northward the weather's iffy, but in CT it will have dried out when you start and to the extent that it needs to, it will dry up in Mass before you get there. Greylock will be a beautiful capstone to your travels. Scout troops and other day/weekend hikers will be out by that time, but you'll probably have plenty of room at lean-tos and campsites.
If you choose this stretch of trail, I highly recommend timing your travels so as to allow an overnight at Riga Shelter, just north of Lion's Head and a few miles south of Bear Mountain in Salisbury, CT. It's famed in our area as offering an extraordinary view of the sunrise over the Housatonic Valley from atop a cliff about 1000 above the valley floor, but "outsiders" don't know much about it, so I've not seen it mentioned in any thrus' journals.
You could come up here to New England for the annual Blackfly feed ;).
I'm hiking two weeks in May, and I plan to start south of Damascus, get there for trail days, then hike north for another week and shuttle back. So don't fear the Trail Days crowd...and feel free to join us at Dot's that Friday night.