How many people?

[jeremiah j]

Number of people on trail between Springer and Smokies? Is the A.T. crowded? May go soon, Are most thru hikers further north?:sun

[Woodturner]

Two years ago I hiked from Dicks Creek Gap to Wesser the second week of June. I thought by that time the thru-hiker surge should be points north. It was, but I still shared a shelter with thru-hikers three of the five nights I was out.
The first night I camped short of the GA/NC line and found out that my old tent was about as water proof as cheesecloth. It rained all week so the rest of the hike I had to use shelters.
At the Standing Indian LT I had the company of a large youth group and two thru-hikers. The two thru-hikers and come all the way from Tray Mountain. They had planned staying at the Muskrat shelter but had been run off by the leader of a scout troop that had commandeered it.
At the shelter just past Albert Mountain I had the company of two other section hikers.
My company at Siler Bald was another section hiker and a different pair of thru-hikers.
The last night out was at the Wesser Bald shelter with yet another scout troop and the two thru-hikers I’d met at Standing Indian.
I didn’t really see that many people while I was actually hiking.
If all goes according to plan, I will be starting a hike from near the Pine Swamp shelter in VA to Daleville on the afternoon of June 11. I expect to be in more of a crowd this time, however there is a new tent so I will be using the shelters only for a quick break and water resupply.
A thought just occurred to me.
I stayed at Pine Swamp during my 1975 thru-hike attempt. I had the shelter to myself. It was the first time I had been alone on the trail since the Rock Gap LT in NC! The trail was that crowded even back then.
　

[Woodturner]

Two years ago I hiked from Dicks Creek Gap to Wesser the second week of June. I thought by that time the thru-hiker surge should be points north. It was, but I still shared a shelter with thru-hikers three of the five nights I was out.
The first night I camped short of the GA/NC line and found out that my old tent was about as water proof as cheesecloth. It rained all week so the rest of the hike I had to use shelters.
At the Standing Indian LT I had the company of a large youth group and two thru-hikers. The two thru-hikers and come all the way from Tray Mountain. They had planned staying at the Muskrat shelter but had been run off by the leader of a scout troop that had commandeered it.
At the shelter just past Albert Mountain I had the company of two other section hikers.
My company at Siler Bald was another section hiker and a different pair of thru-hikers.
The last night out was at the Wesser Bald shelter with yet another scout troop and the two thru-hikers I’d met at Standing Indian.
I didn’t really see that many people while I was actually hiking.
If all goes according to plan, I will be starting a hike from near the Pine Swamp shelter in VA to Daleville on the afternoon of June 11. I expect to be in more of a crowd this time, however there is a new tent so I will be using the shelters only for a quick break and water resupply.
A thought just occurred to me.
I stayed at Pine Swamp during my 1975 thru-hike attempt. I had the shelter to myself. It was the first time I had been alone on the trail since the Rock Gap LT in NC! The trail was that crowded even back then.
　

[Woodturner]

Sorry for the double post. I swear I only hit the button once!

[Woodturner]

Sorry for the double post. I swear I only hit the button once!

[Woodturner]

Okay, I logged off and came back. If THIS one doubles I'l let the moderator figure it out.