How early is it practical to start a CDT hike?

[red headed stranger]

After some major life changes I'm considering doing a CDT thru-hike this season. I want to start as early as possible because I have an opportunity for work in the Vail CO area this summer. My plan was to get an early jump on the trail; work in CO to resupply the bank account and then finish the trail. I am thinking about April 1st? I live in CO and it has been a very low snow year (so far). I know that the answer to my question depends on skill and experience so here is a short list of my credentials:

-live at 10k in CO
-AT hike in 2001
-LT hike in Oct 2000 (very cold and quiet)
-ice and rock climbing skills
-winter camping/hiking skills from growing up in NH
-work as a forester and very comfortable w/ maps and navigation

I'm open to any advice and information beyond my start date question; specifically about New Mexico. When I started the AT I had consulted w/ thru-hikers for years. This trip is being thrown together much more quickly so I have done less research.

[fiddlehead]

April 1st is OK for a NOBO for a while.
The big problem with getting there early will be when you arrive at Cumbres pass. (NM/CO border)
Normally, late June is when you can get through without it being all snow.
If it is a low snow year, that still probably means a good bit of snow up there on June 1st or when you might hit it, but, maybe you can find the trail (I'd want a GPS myself when it's covered THAT much)
It's a long way to the next road. That's the scary part. You won't know if how far you can get in all snow conditions until you try it.
At least, take your time through NM. No point in hurrying.
Good luck.

ps. March and April is often when CO gets a good bit of their snow, so, it's not over by any means.

[handlebar]

It depends on the snow. I recommend checking out the "snow conditions" tab on postholer.com. It will take you, initially, to the snow conditions for the PCT. You then use the drop down to select the CDT. Like you say, it shows that this is indeed a low snow year in CO.

+1 on having GPS and I recommend getting Jonathan Ley's map CD and printing out his maps. You'll probably want to take some of the alternates such as the Gila River canyon N of Silver City NM. I'd also get the CDT waypoints that Jerry Brown has posted for the "official, CDTA (now defunct) route". The GPS saved my butt on numerous occasions when I strayed from the trail. It was particularly helpful when I was walking over a lot of snow. You will also want OOO's track file which someone has posted. Check out recent posts on the CDT-L mailing list.

[neighbor dave]

interactive snow chart;
http://www.nohrsc.nws.gov/interactive/html/map.html?mode=pan&extents=us&zoom=&loc=53.74+N%2C+112.17+W&ql=station&var=ssm_depth&dy=2012&dm=3&dd=1&dh=15&snap=1&o9=1&o12=1&o13=1&lbl=m&min_x=-127&min_y=20.716666666668&max_x=-62.000000000003&max_y=57.283333333333&coord_x=-94.5000000000015&coord_y=39.0000000000005&zbox_n=&zbox_s=&zbox_e=&zbox_w=&metric=0&bgvar=dem&shdvar=shading&palette=1&width=800&height=450&nw=800&nh=450&h_o=0&font=0&js=1&uc=0

[Miner]

Francis Tapon on the 1st CDT Yo-Yo hike entered the San Juans in early May heading North. He followed the official route rather then taking a lower alternate. He advocated followinng the top of the divide rather then the trail at some points since the divide was often blown clean of snow rather then postholing down below. You might want to read his journal to see what you might be in for. http://francistapon.com/Travels/Continental-Divide-Trail/

[bearcreek]

I think April 15th might be better. Purgatory Ski area near Durango is entirely below 11,000' and got 30" of snow this past week. (amazing powder skiing right now!) As of yesterday, the San Juans are 101% of normal snowfall and March is one of the biggest months here (I am in Durango) for snow. Great for skiiers and irrigators, but maybe not for early season hikers. Read Fiddlehead's comments above again. That's good advice. If you take off on April 1st you will just have to wait longer in Chama in order to do the San Juans.

[STINGER1]

I started on apr 10 2011 from antelope wells. Water froze in my bottles first night! Had 18 inches of snow dump on me overnight just north of cuba nm. Entered the southern San juans before june 1st. Bailed out after one day. Got snowshoes and more food and headed back in. Camped on snow every night until stony pass. The high route was awesome!! As far as the avalanche danger goes, I just looked at the maps a day ahead of time and found the areas that might be a problem and evaluated them as I got there. There where pepole that passed me and just pushed through w/o snowshoes, so it just depends on your experience and comfort levels. It's totally possible to do it if your up to it.