View Full Version : Is early August too late for a southbound thru hike?
Razamataz
02-07-2011, 23:08
Hi all,
Earliest we can start is early august and my friend and I want to do a southbound thru hike. We think we could handle 20 miles a day with minimal rest days. We're both experienced hikers, but are reading mixed things on start dates and would like some feedback on whether an early august start date is reasonable.
Blissful
02-07-2011, 23:14
Doubt you can do 20 mile days in southern ME and northern NH. After Glencliff, sure.
A start in August puts you in cold wintry weather in the south. If you have the gear, go for it.
Razamataz
02-07-2011, 23:25
Besides it getting cold halfway through, are there any specific tips for us? You mention gear for instance, but anything different from what southbounders in July would bring?
Air temperature and water availablity will be better for you than those who pass through earlier.
Plenty of opportunities to observe the raptor migration can be expected. Take the time to visit Hawk Mountain. You will be glad you did.
Razamataz
02-08-2011, 00:31
Plenty of opportunities to observe the raptor migration can be expected.
Raptors?
http://www.yourprops.com/norm-478ccb7f1a18c-Jurassic+Park+(1993).jpeg
Well, that will really add to the gear I'm bringing.
http://www.hawkmountain.org
No special gear required. Firearms prohibited.
Not amusing to anyone who knows its history.
4eyedbuzzard
02-08-2011, 00:48
http://www.hawkmountain.org
No special gear required. Firearms prohibited.
Not amusing to anyone who knows its history.
I doubt the OP is a bird brain.
I believe it's quite obvious. Still, he may find Hawk Mountain interesting.
Hikers who professed to have little knowledge of birds and visited with me out of curiosity found it to be quite interesting.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail is about more than walking. It's a learning experience. Anyone hiking through Kittattinny Ridge Important Bird Area ought to take the time to learn something about it, but few do.
Razamataz
02-08-2011, 01:59
I was just joking about about the use of the word "raptor" because I love Jurassic park.
But you bring up an interesting point. I know next to nothing about identifying birds and it'd be a shame to walk right past them without a clue what I'm missing.
Do you recommend some books I could read on the subject?
~
But you bring up an interesting point. I know next to nothing about identifying birds and it'd be a shame to walk right past them without a clue what I'm missing.
Do you recommend some books I could read on the subject?
Good attitude. I've discovered that learning a bit about my surroundings makes for a more interesting hike. I wish I was more knowledgeable of plants, animals, cloud types, etc.
Some things to keep in mind about a late-start SOBO:
You will have to walk more miles per day than the average thru-hiker, if you want to complete by Christmas.
As the days get shorter, maintaining high miles per day becomes more challenging.
If you wish to complete by Christmas, you may have to start walking at first light and walk until dark.
You may be setting-up camp, finding a water source, and cooking in the dark.
Hostels will usually have a vacancy.
Some hiker services will be closed for the season.
You will be in the company of many NOBOs through ME and NH. By the time you reach VT, you will have more solitude.
With smaller social circles, there will be less tendency to take extended zero days in town with your friends.
Pack weight is inversely proportional to outdoor temperature. Expect to carry more weight as your trek progresses.
Many hikers say they want solitude. Too much solitude can really challenge one's mental stamina.
Best of Luck!
Cookerhiker
02-08-2011, 08:18
Also much of your hike will be in hunting season so it's advisable to have blaze orange vest and/or cap and/or pack covers. Before you leave, visit the ATC's website for the year's schedules in the respective states.
I know next to nothing about identifying birds and it'd be a shame to walk right past them without a clue what I'm missing.
Do you recommend some books I could read on the subject?
I recommend Scott Weidensaul's books for A.T. hikers. Many are available in paperback or you might be able to borrow one or more his books from your local library. Mountains of the Heart (http://www.scottweidensaul.com/mountains-of-the-heart/) may be the best choice were you to read only one of them.
Visit All About Birds (http://www.allaboutbirds.org) to learn more about specific species. WhiteBlaze threads Georgia A.T. birds (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=59177) and Tennessee A.T. birds (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=60562) especially serve to call the attention of A.T. visitors the importance of the A.T. corridor to birds. In fact, much of the A.T. corridor is designated as Important Bird Areas.
garlic08
02-08-2011, 15:57
A 20 mpd average will be very difficult for a first-time thru hiker. Assuming you can hike those miles on tough trail, and assuming you're self-supported, you'll still need a surprising amount of time just for logistics. You'll spend a lot of half-days in town, at least, for shopping, laundry, gear replacement, keeping up with email, etc, and that makes for a lot of 10-mile or shorter days. You'll need and want a few rest days. Also, your days will start getting noticeably shorter in September. Most of your hiking days will need to be around 25 miles to keep a 20 mpd average, and that's harder to when you start seeing only 10 hours of daylight in the fall.
If you haven't made a long hike before, there is a learning curve on blister and injury prevention, on efficient camping and resupply, on nutrition--all of which may require extra time fixing mistakes and resting.
I was considering an August SOBO start before I did my NOBO thru. I ended up hiking a 20 mpd average and could have finished before Thanksgiving on a SOBO. I don't think it's too late if you can keep a decent pace or don't mind deep winter hiking.
Razamataz
02-08-2011, 20:31
Thanks for the book recommendation, emerald! A professor of mine recommended "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson today, and I think I'll pick that up too.
I'm really big into reading, I plow through books like crazy. So if anyone else has any literature recommendations, I'd love to hear them!
Doc Mike
02-08-2011, 20:48
A walk in the woods is a complete waste of time. Not that i don't enjoy wasting time but i considered a walk in the woods very painful to endure.
Doc Mike
Razamataz
02-08-2011, 20:48
A walk in the woods is a complete waste of time. Not that i don't enjoy wasting time but i considered a walk in the woods very painful to endure.
Doc Mike
Would you recommend anything else, then?
Blissful
02-08-2011, 20:58
My trail journals - ?
he he
I liked White Blaze Fever among others
Blissful
02-08-2011, 21:02
Besides it getting cold halfway through, are there any specific tips for us? You mention gear for instance, but anything different from what southbounders in July would bring?
Well July starters also need cold weather gear, blaze orange, and dealing with short days as was mentioned. But you will have more of it because of such a late start. I think it will be tough to finish by Christmas. That's only 4 1/2 months. January is the target month, and that means snow and cold and dark nights and loneliness and hunger galore and some stores closed (like NOC's small grocery store, Fontana Dam, and much less shuttlers), etc
Slo-go'en
02-08-2011, 23:51
Completing a thru-hike with an early Aug start will be a challenge. I'd go into it with the mind set of just hiking as far as possible until conditions get too crazy.
Spirit Walker
02-09-2011, 16:10
It is doable but it won't be easy. Every year there are a few who start SOBO even later. We have met southbounders in PA in November and December. You'll get a lot of experience at winter hiking, which could be good if you enjoy it and have the gear. You won't be able to go ultralight, but then, a lot of people have thruhiked with heavier packs. Get a really good winter sleeping bag sent to you in mid-September. You might not need it for a while, but as I remember, even in September it can get really chilly in New England after walking in an all day rain. It will start getting dark early by late September - you will either have to night hike or have something for entertainment in the evenings. Those 14 hour nights can get very long. But you will have a wonderful and unique experience - I'd say go for it.
Hi all,
Earliest we can start is early august and my friend and I want to do a southbound thru hike. We think we could handle 20 miles a day with minimal rest days. We're both experienced hikers, but are reading mixed things on start dates and would like some feedback on whether an early august start date is reasonable.
I met a guy that started mid-August who was still on the trail on Cheoah Bald in late March- early April (140 miles left). Of course, I doubt he did many twenty miles days, but his name was "Crazy Legs".
Razamataz
02-09-2011, 16:51
Just saw that there is a board for southbounders, so I'm going to post this there too. Thanks so much for the advice so far, everyone!
Razamataz
03-21-2011, 14:22
I looked at the list of hikers going through this year.
550 or so, and 6 of them Southbound in August?
Gonna be a lonely hike...
:(
brian039
03-22-2011, 19:01
I looked at the list of hikers going through this year.
550 or so, and 6 of them Southbound in August?
Gonna be a lonely hike...
:(
Yeah, the best thing about the AT to me was the company. So many awesome people hike the trail. There's no way I'd hike it SOBO much less that late for just that reason. You're not me but thought I'd throw that in there.
SouthMark
03-22-2011, 19:12
Go ahead and get "A Walk in the Woods". It really is a good book. Some people just have a problem with the fact that Bryson did not hike the whole trail and I notice that a lot of his detractors have not hiked the whole trail either. It is funny and a good read. As a friend of mine always says "you couldn't make some people happy if you hang them with a new rope."
The answer is NO - if an experienced backpacker starts in good physical condition and starts with reasonable miles in Maine and NH (11 m.p.d) and picks up the pace to 16-18 m.p.d. about a month into the hike, an expected finish date would be about 4 months and 3 weeks later - around Thanksgiving - this schedule doesn't build in a lot of zeros or fooling around trail towns, but is certainly doable. You will probably hit a bit of snow in the smokies and in NC, but you should be ok. go for it.
I like Bill Bryson's writing style - he is funny, but "A Walk in the Woods" is a book for mall-walkers about a couple of "Yellow Blazers"
Migrating Bird
03-22-2011, 20:10
Razamataz, just go for it, you should, probally, maybe, possibly, will get through the whites before bad weather hits up high. The trails will be crowded with day hikers through mid November during nice weather. The issue will be what kind of weather you hit down south. Let me know when you get to MA and I'll do what I can to help out.
Ditto the Bird's post - when you get to the South - probably around Irwin, TN and maybe before and need to transition to cold weather gear, hit me up - I'll try to help out shuttling you around to re=supply or something - you'll be at the back of the SOBO pack, but you can do it.
I noticed that you said you can do 20 mile days - that is great, but don't start that fast even if you can - BSP isn't so hard, but Southern Maine and obviously New Hampshire is the toughest hiking on the trail. Start with 10 or 12 mile days (even if it seems easy) and build your body up to the 20s - just because you can do a 20 off the couch (which is great), I respectfully doubt that you can do a week of them in Maine and keep going. That said, early August is late for a SOBO but you can do it and it doesn't have equal murderous days (just longish ones)
Feral Bill
03-22-2011, 20:51
I recommend the Barefoot Sisters Southbound. They left earlier, but ended up hiking right through the winter. Good read.
I like Bill Bryson's writing style - he is funny, but "A Walk in the Woods" is a book for mall-walkers about a couple of "Yellow Blazers"
That's why I recommend it. He journals what to do, and especially what not to do when hiking the AT.
He is funny, but more importantly, he is realistic.
Brad
fiddlehead
03-24-2011, 21:56
Obviously i'm in the minority here but I think August would be a great time to start a SOBO.
It's too hot everywhere but Maine will most likely be a little cooler than most places.
NH also.
Sept and Oct are the best times to hike anywhere.
November and December will most likely be perfect down south.
I disagree that you will have to worry about hunting season.
Maybe in one of your final states or two but, I doubt it.
Start slow. Don't rush.
Have a great hike.
ShelterLeopard
03-24-2011, 22:06
You'll need and want a few rest days. Also, your days will start getting noticeably shorter in September. Most of your hiking days will need to be around 25 miles to keep a 20 mpd average, and that's harder to when you start seeing only 10 hours of daylight in the fall.
And I find that I feel so much better when NOT hiking under a time constraint. It just makes me feel ill to think "Okay, 18 miles today or more, or I'll fall behind." Or when you're tired, or sick, or just plain want a break and spend a day in a hostel, and suddenly have to jack up your daily mileage. HYOH, but in my opinion, the more time you can give yourself, the better.
A walk in the woods is a complete waste of time. Not that i don't enjoy wasting time but i considered a walk in the woods very painful to endure.
I have mixed feelings on the book. My one definite feeling is that the book has NOTHING to do with thru hiking. Bryson took a lot of liberties... The book has some funny parts. I found it reasonably funny before planning a thru. Irritating and inaccurate during my thru (someone left it in a shelter), and reasonably funny and inaccurate afterwards.