2012 Thruhikers

[naturejunkie]

I am considering a 2012 FT thruhike beginning in early January, if everything comes together. Any FT thruhikers out there?

[STINGER1]

Going to start Jan. Looking foward to it. Just ordered some maps, along with looking at some new gear for this years hike.

[Red Dawn]

I'm starting couple days after Christmas with my friend. I have my map packet I just need to work on my permits.

[naturejunkie]

Nice! Hope to see you guys out there. I am ordering my thru hiker packet today. I think my start date is looking to be around January 8-10th. Currently planning on the Western route around Orlando. Cheers!

[WingedMonkey]

Just a reminder to everyone about the southern part of the FT. If you are not already planning on the western route around Lake Okeechobee, the eastern side of the lake is blocked in large sections for dike reconstruction and will require serious road walking.

[WingedMonkey]

Nice! Hope to see you guys out there. I am ordering my thru hiker packet today. I think my start date is looking to be around January 8-10th. Currently planning on the Western route around Orlando. Cheers!

You might want to check that route once your packet arrives, before you decide to take the western loop. While the Florida Trail has more than enough road walks already, the western route from Three Lakes/Prairie Lakes Wildlife Management Area at CR 523 (Canoe Creek Rd) where the trail splits off is one long road walk.

That western loop starts with a total of 67.5 miles of pavement before you get to the trail head at Green Swamp. 59.9 miles along roadways and then 7.5 on the paved Van Fleet Rail Trail. Camping is non existent along those roads although there are motels at Kissimmee.

Nice place to visit if you know what you are in for. Not that the eastern loop is pavement free either, but that's a lot of asphalt to walk in one chunk.

[naturejunkie]

Thanks WingedMonkey for the heads-up. It's nice to get current info on the trail. I'll plan on the Western route for Okeechobee. I appreciate the downside of the long road walk heading West around Orlando, but I went to summer camp at Camp Withlacoochee near Inverness (which I guess is now defunct) so I'm headed that way for nostalgic reasons.

[lilricky]

Well, if you plan on hitting Kissimmee on a weekend or on a weekday after 5pm, I might be able to drive you to the Green Swamp trailhead, which would knock out a huge chunk of roadwalking.

[naturejunkie]

Thanks lilricky, that's a super-tempting offer. I'm pretty set on doing a purist hike, but if I change my mind or my body changes it for me I appreciate the offer.

[naturejunkie]

I understand that hurricane season is not yet over and there are still two months to go until January, but does anyone know whether this has been an average, wet or dry year in Florida to date? Thanks!

[WingedMonkey]

Florida, particularity South Florida has two seasons. Wet season (the rainy season) is from about the end of May until the end of November. This year's wet season was mostly a drought condition until the last month when heavy rains hit the Central Florida Area. This water flows through the Kissimmee River basin to Lake Okeechobee and south to the Everglades.

The effect on the Florida Trail will be noticed at the southern terminus if enough of the water drains that far, where hiking in water from ankle deep to knee deep, hip deep if we get another storm, may be encountered below I-75 (Alligator Alley). After that and through the Big Cypress Indian Reservation to the north end of Lake Okeechobee it won't mater because for the most part the trail is on canal levees and the lake dike. North of the lake you may encounter wading along the Kissimmee River area where the trial crosses wetlands.

After that since you are taking the western loop to Green Swamp (not a wet swamp) there won't be much standing water until you get to the panhandle where there is always water to wade at Bradwell Bay Wilderness. Also the Suwannee River trail area can flood with a good rain storm any time of year to extreme levels and will be closed.

The weather forecast for this winter just released predicts a second dry season in a row to be fueled by La Nina conditions that will lead to below average rainfall.
"As for temperatures, expect it to be cooler than normal through the end of the year. Freezing temperatures are possible in December or January, with a possible trend toward warmer conditions in February and beyond"

[bamboo bob]

I would like to point out that I've started the FT in January and February. Dont overlook the short daylight in January. You'll have a short hiking day and a loooong night in that little tent. 12 hours in a tent gets old. I've thruhiked the ft twice and i suggest starting Feb 1 or so to get a better hiking day and warmer too.

[Red Dawn]

Bambo - respectively wouldn't that put you in the pahandle in may? I have lived in Pensacola for over 15 years and that can be seriously hot weather and sometimes difficult to find water.. I thought starting in Jan. was more based on hunting seasons, permits, water levels in bradwell bay and the everglades. My buddy and I did apalachicola section(bradwell bay) during spring break couple years ago. It was chest high at parts and had many fallen logs. Our designated camp grounds flooded two of the nights due to rain and we stayed up all night being miserable. I have thought of hiking SOBO but I wouldn't know what recommended starting time would be.

[Trailbender]

What permits would you need, and how many miles total are the roadwalks? I have thought of doing the FT since my AT thru in 2010. Is the trail well known enough in towns that cops won't stop and talk to you constantly, thinking you are homeless? Along the large sections of roadwalk, are there places to stealth camp? I'd rather not waste money on a hotel.

[lilricky]

Well, you can find the list of permits here (http://www.floridatrail.org/Long-Distance-Hiking/Thru-hiker-Info/Permits.html), although its much easier to let the FTA set them up for you, really pays to be a member. As for roadwalk mileage, I believe the last I heard it was about 200 miles altogether. Most law enforcement in the towns near the trail know about it, but very few of the residents do. And yes, there are plenty of woods along most of the roadwalks to stealth in.

[Red Dawn]

yeah, most the permit thing minus the reservation is kinda a joke imo. I live like 20 mins away from the "registeration Kiosk" for Eglin and the window has been shot out with a shotgun and there's permits from the 90's in there.. never touched. Also when I drove out of the way to register for St. Marks the lady hardly even knew what the Florida trail was..I've joined the FTA and will get my permits but this subject is like my opinion on "no dogs". I had to pay $250 dollars to get my dog crated during the smokies on the AT..but I ran into tons of tourists leaving trash everywhere and people on horses. I've never been a fan of such things.

[lilricky]

Hey Red Dawn, which kiosk was it, the one on Hwy 331 S, the one on Bob Sikes Rd, or Hwy 85? I'm going up to Defuniak Springs soon and can probably get the local FT troop to help repair it, along with talking to the Eglin Recreation people about how diligent they are about the registration process.

[mistiaggie]

When we went through Eglin last year on our thru-hike (I guess it was *this* year but it feels like longer!) the permits at Eglin hadn't been picked up in years!


We also had to take the west loop of the Lake O levee, but I'm glad we took it as it was very peaceful and there are some good stops for good along the way, Clewiston, Moore Haven, a gas station with a deli and then of course at Okeetantie Rec Area.

I'm curious what everyone is planning for the stretch after Okeechobee for a resupply? We had a friend drop food to us at 441 but it is a long stretch without an easy resupply.

[roy_hiking]

Bayou here planning to start a northbound hike from around Orlando "Lake Mary" on 1 February 2012.

[bamboo bob]

Bambo - respectively wouldn't that put you in the pahandle in may? I have lived in Pensacola for over 15 years and that can be seriously hot weather and sometimes difficult to find water.. I thought starting in Jan. was more based on hunting seasons, permits, water levels in bradwell bay and the everglades. My buddy and I did apalachicola section(bradwell bay) during spring break couple years ago. It was chest high at parts and had many fallen logs. Our designated camp grounds flooded two of the nights due to rain and we stayed up all night being miserable. I have thought of hiking SOBO but I wouldn't know what recommended starting time would be. Actually a feb 1 start finishes about April 1

[roy_hiking]

Going to Orlando on the 24th Jan, will meet up with the "Chuch & Trigger" group.