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barnanimal
09-29-2011, 14:18
I'm trying to decide between a start date in early March and early April. I've read a lot of blogs from each start time. Ideally, I want to begin on March 8th, which will be my 30th :( birthday. I'm in pretty decent endurance shape and I'm hoping to keep a steady pace of 15-20 miles throughout the trip with minimal zero days/nights in town. I know the weather will be a little better if I start a month later and I'll get to see a little more of a Spring, but I think I am too excited to wait. Any suggestions

rjhouser
09-29-2011, 14:28
........... May 1st

max patch
09-29-2011, 14:34
Thats easy. Given the choices you want to leave April 1.

(And if you to postpone it a couple weeks past April 1 then that would be even better.)

barnanimal
09-29-2011, 14:42
Yeah I was thinking April 1 makes more sense but I have gotten kind of obsessed this last week thinking about doing it.

Storm
09-29-2011, 16:07
I think April 1st is a great start date, was planning on that myself. Life throws you a curve sometimes. I find that I'm already going to be in the south on March 18th so I've altered my start date to around March 20th. At my age I might need a couple extry weeks anyway. lol

Slo-go'en
09-29-2011, 16:33
The weather April 1st won't be a little better then March 1st, it will be a LOT better. Especially in N.C..

Start April 1st and you'll be on track to hit all the major trail magic feedatons, and have lots of partners to choose from. So long as you maintain an "typical" pace for the first couple of weeks instead of pushing for 15-20 mile days right off. Ease into it dud, it's not a race!

mountain squid
09-29-2011, 17:06
Mar 1st will be busy. Apr 1st will be busy. Consider the 2nd week of Apr.

With a stated intent for "minimal zero days/nights in town", if Mar ends up being snowy you may find yourself in town more often that you wanted to be.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)

Serial 07
09-29-2011, 17:36
i'll put it out there that there's a HUGE difference between being in pretty decent endurance shape and maintaining 15-20 mile days in GA/NC (and beyond) with minimal zeroes...if you think you're gonna be doing big miles that early, i think your only option is an april 1 start...or, be more realistic about your starting miles and shoot for early march...

Lone Wolf
09-29-2011, 20:37
I'm trying to decide between a start date in early March and early April. I've read a lot of blogs from each start time. Ideally, I want to begin on March 8th, which will be my 30th :( birthday. I'm in pretty decent endurance shape and I'm hoping to keep a steady pace of 15-20 miles throughout the trip with minimal zero days/nights in town. I know the weather will be a little better if I start a month later and I'll get to see a little more of a Spring, but I think I am too excited to wait. Any suggestionsstart the first week of april

Feral Nature
10-06-2011, 21:39
I am confused about which start date for myself as well. I will be a slow-goer but also want to avoid as much bad weather as I can. I worry about getting to Maine before bad weather if I start too late.

Spokes
10-06-2011, 21:46
Start mid-week no matter which one and beat the weekend warrior crowd.

QiWiz
10-07-2011, 13:36
I'm trying to decide between a start date in early March and early April. I've read a lot of blogs from each start time. Ideally, I want to begin on March 8th, which will be my 30th :( birthday. I'm in pretty decent endurance shape and I'm hoping to keep a steady pace of 15-20 miles throughout the trip with minimal zero days/nights in town. I know the weather will be a little better if I start a month later and I'll get to see a little more of a Spring, but I think I am too excited to wait. Any suggestions

To make 15-20 miles/day, it will be much easier to start in April. Avoid the 1st as that's a big bolus of hikers. Leave a week later and you'll catch up to folks with the pace you're hiking. You should also be able to arrive in Damascus just in time for trail days, if you want to see what that's like.

LIhikers
10-07-2011, 16:09
If you're not on a schedule, and have as long as you want to do the hike, why not start on your birthday?
Start early, go a little slower or finish a little earlier, no problem either way. This may be a once in a life time occasion so why not make it last as long as possible, within reason.

jersey joe
10-07-2011, 21:31
One thing I didn't think about before I left was that the longer you wait, the more hours of daylight you will have to hike/cook/camp...something to keep in mind.

Driver8
10-08-2011, 13:02
i'll put it out there that there's a HUGE difference between being in pretty decent endurance shape and maintaining 15-20 mile days in GA/NC (and beyond) with minimal zeroes...

If you read barnanimal's other thread, you'll see he runs 80-100 miles per week at the age of 29 and is looking at a four month thru schedule. I'm predicting he'll be able to get through Georgia in five days or fewer and will continue that pace going forward, barring injury.

b/a: To your question, I'd say follow your intuition and inclination. The weather will almost certainly be a lot better on or about 4/1. As long as you prepare well, though, you'll be fine.

stars in her eyes
10-08-2011, 17:07
Another voice chiming in for the April start. The weather alone is factor enough; March can be fickle, weather-wise. Not to say that April can't be just as bad, but historically April is more conducive to an efficient hike.

johnnybgood
10-08-2011, 19:37
Nothing like an ice storm to squash the enthusiasm of hitting the trail March 1st. The first week of April .

stonedflea
10-08-2011, 23:55
i started april 19th and saw absolutely no snow in the south. it was wonderful. :) granted, georgia was rainy 80% of the time i was in it and we decided to take a zero because of the tornadoes that were forecast through the area a week later, but overall the weather was quite nice.

a park ranger in the smokeys told us that on/around april 1st is a prime start date.

FreeWilly
10-09-2011, 01:20
If I had a choice I'd start Apr 1 (or somewhere around there) just so I can be be hitting all the trail events. Unfortunately I need to start by Mar 1 in order to be done by mid Aug. Good thing I don't mind the snow.

barnanimal
10-13-2011, 13:55
Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I am going to plan on starting April 1st, or maybe a few days before. I would like to start on a nice round number like the first, but I am weird like that I guess.

Feral Nature
10-13-2011, 14:04
I'm gonna be slow so I don't want to start too late. Worried about the weather a bit though, not used to snow and cold. Thinking March 14.

johnnybgood
10-13-2011, 18:05
Sounds reasonable to me . A March 14 start means that you will have two weeks on the thru hiker crowd while adjusting to life on the trail. March is a transitional weather month with temperate dry weather accompanied by periods of cold wet weather, one day often different from the next.

Have a blast whatever the weather brings and good luck.

Feral Nature
10-13-2011, 18:55
Sounds reasonable to me . A March 14 start means that you will have two weeks on the thru hiker crowd while adjusting to life on the trail. March is a transitional weather month with temperate dry weather accompanied by periods of cold wet weather, one day often different from the next.

Have a blast whatever the weather brings and good luck.

Thanks for easing my mind, I can't wait!

nickbreid
10-19-2011, 16:05
Does anyone start much later than this going north? Mid or late May?

Assuming you're planning on moving quickly.

Don H
10-19-2011, 16:42
Does anyone start much later than this going north? Mid or late May?

Assuming you're planning on moving quickly.

Sure some people start that late. I met AYCE at Lake of the Clouds and he started mid May if I recall. He was fast and I never saw him again. I started March 13. The weather through Georgia was great but I did get some snow in the Smokies.

mountain squid
10-19-2011, 16:54
Currently, there are 11 signed up on the 2012 Registry (http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=2012thruhikers) to start in May (a few are SOBOs). You don't have to move quickly, per se, you'll just have to average more miles per day (of course, the two might go hand in hand). If you do find yourself falling behind you can always FLIP up North and then hike South from Katahdin.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)

DapperD
10-20-2011, 08:33
I'm trying to decide between a start date in early March and early April. I've read a lot of blogs from each start time. Ideally, I want to begin on March 8th, which will be my 30th :( birthday. I'm in pretty decent endurance shape and I'm hoping to keep a steady pace of 15-20 miles throughout the trip with minimal zero days/nights in town. I know the weather will be a little better if I start a month later and I'll get to see a little more of a Spring, but I think I am too excited to wait. Any suggestionsThey say on average the weather is better starting in April than in March, but every year is different. You can get just as bad weather/snow storms starting in April at higher elevations. I would wait to see how the weather appears down in Georgia as your potential start dates approach. However you look at it though, it is still a crapshoot. Weather can turn real bad real fast in the mountains early in the season:-?.

Don H
10-20-2011, 08:52
No matter when you leave at some point you're going to hit bad weather. The snow I saw in the Smokies was nothing compared to the rain I saw in Maine after Irene and Lee came through!

Bat321
11-03-2011, 12:01
I guess it depends on what you call bad weather. I started 3/21 this year and I was HOT nearly every day. Im starting 2/29 in 2012 to get some hiking in cooler weather in.

Spokes
11-03-2011, 13:29
I'd pick March 28th or April 4, both mid-week, to avoid the weekend warrior crowd and save you some "tourist hiker" aggravation.

takethisbread
11-04-2011, 11:54
Why would you choose to start march 1?Bad weather equals more gear, heavier pack and more packed shelters, campsites. May 1 seems like a proper start time. Longer days lighter packs and bug season is over by the time you get to Vermont nh, Maine . No brainer in my mind if feasable.

DapperD
11-05-2011, 00:23
Why would you choose to start march 1?Bad weather equals more gear, heavier pack and more packed shelters, campsites. May 1 seems like a proper start time. Longer days lighter packs and bug season is over by the time you get to Vermont nh, Maine . No brainer in my mind if feasable.But yet you want to start in February:D:http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?71615-2012-Thru-Hike-Registry&p=1180975&viewfull=1#post1180975

takethisbread
11-05-2011, 14:04
But yet you want to start in February:D:http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?71615-2012-Thru-Hike-Registry&p=1180975&viewfull=1#post1180975 Like I said, "if feasable". I would like to postpone it if possible. Even if weather is good in feb a strong hiker will arrive in new England in early may which means significant snow in the whites into Maine. Its best to delay arriving in those states till July . In my humble opinion of course.

Theosus
11-10-2011, 07:44
I never thought of the thru hiker crowd being an issue. My wife has spring break the week of April 1. I thought of going on a small section from springer to neels to get my feet wet, but I don't want to be there with 400 others. If I wait until mid week will it be better than say, Sunday?

CaptainNemo
11-10-2011, 12:39
hahaha....I see you trying to draw together a May 1st Militia rjhouser