View Full Version : Northbound Thru-hike starting in May
I will be graduating after the first week of May in 2013 and am planning to attempt a thru-hike. If I have an early to mid may start is it still feasible to make it to to Maine before the park closes October 15th? I am in relatively good hiking shape, I have been training locally doing hikes between 5 and 10 miles at least a couple times a week and will be doing as many 2 or 3 day hikes as I can before starting on the AT. I am in decent shape; I am slightly overweight and have short legs so I am not the fastest hiker, I usually average about 3 miles an hour with a full pack on, but I have pretty decent stamina and don't generally stop for a lot of breaks. From what I have read you probably need to be in Harper's Ferry around July 15 if you want to make it to Maine before the park closes, and by my calculations I would probably need to average about 15 miles a day in order to get there by then. Is this doable, or should I plan a flip flop once I get to Harper's Ferry and fly to Maine and come back south?
Also if I am starting from Springer in early May will I need all of my winter gear including 15 degree bag, or should I pack mostly warm weather stuff and have the cold weather stuff shipped to me somewhere down the line?
Blissful
04-19-2012, 21:21
Do a SOBO hike and walk to your home (mild winter in Maine this year). You're gonna be cutting it real close to climb Katahdin before the snow flies. You'll need to average good miles every single day and not a pleasant way to experience the trail if you go north.
Only around 25% of attempting thru-hikers succeed. Of those, only around 25% of NOBOs finish their thru-hike in five months or less. I have no way of knowing if you would manage to be in both of these groups. If you do give it a try remember that just because you need to average 14.3 miles/day to complete in five months doesn't mean you have to do that many miles right off the bat. That can wait until you have been on the trail a month. If you do find yourself unlikely to finish on time you can always do a flip-flop -- forward to Katahdin and walk back south to wherever you left off.
This question is getting asked much more often than usual this spring here on WhiteBlaze, so maybe if you did decide to leave the second week of May you would have more company than usual:rolleyes:.
kayaker4ever
04-19-2012, 23:30
I'm waiting for my house sale to close so I can't start on my thru hike until the middle of May so I'm going to start at Harper's Ferry, walk north to Maine then take a buss back to harper's Ferry and walk south.
fiddlehead
04-19-2012, 23:45
To the OP: It can be done.
Up to you.
You'll figure it out by the time you get to Harper's Ferry.
SOBO is a good idea also.
Good luck and have fun.
Thanks for the replies. Based on what I have heard here, and reading other similar posts I think that I am going to start in Georgia in May and head to Harper's Ferry. If I am making good time I will probably just keep going north but if it looks like I am on a 6 or 7 month pace I will probably flip flop up to Maine and come back to Harper's. I don't really want to start in Maine because of the bugs, high water, and other difficulties associated with a southbound hike.
steveinator
04-20-2012, 12:22
I'm doing it this year, I'll let you know how it goes.
tranquility6
04-20-2012, 12:59
Steve, when are you starting in may? And are you heading north or south? I may be starting mid may this year and I think I'm going to be up hiking NOBO.
JoshL
Lemme add my two cents worth
From a practical POV it would actually be easier for you to end the NOBO leg of your hike at the Delaware Water Gap
While Amtrak has only one train a day from Harpers Ferry to DC and then the world
Martz Trailways runs about 25 buses a day from DWG to NYC and then the world
http://www.martztrailways.com/schedules-from-stroudsburg-dwg.asp
From LGA you can take US Airways to Bangor -BGR -several times a day
and of course there is Amtrak and Greyhound too
All three NYC airports are accessible using public transportation and NYC has some good hiking equipment stores ..should you need anything
tree-elle
04-11-2013, 08:08
Hey, I'll be starting right around May 6th in Springer heading Northbound as well. I also figured I'd have to average 15 miles a day till Harpers Ferry to be there by that July 15th mark... and once I arrive there I figured I would know more of what I was capable of and worst case scenario I could either flip flop from katahdin southbound or even just yellow blaze NoBo for a little chunk, enough to allow me to hike to Katahdin in time, and then yellow blaze to where I left off to white blaze that final chunk... I just really want Katahdin to be the end destination for me.. but the idea of hauling ass with no 0 days is a little discouraging. And I don't like the idea of hiking Sobo.
But let me just say it's extremely relieving to see a fellow graduate starting at the same time as me. It's almost as painful as it is exciting to see my friend who started a few weeks ago post pictures while I'm here studying for finals. I look forward to seeing you out there, friend. :banana
Dugan Nash
04-12-2013, 20:14
Met a couple guys heading NOBO last year, all starting right around May 20th. I dipped off in MD on July 20th to head to grad school, while they kept on trucking. The first guy made it by early September, the last by early October. But the point is, all three made it no problem. And its not like it was a death march either. We took probably 4 or 5 zeros and at least as many neros on the southern end. Plenty of time to stop and smell the roses.
Not to mention the southern end in May and June is absolutely gorgeous. I feel bad for all the people who trucked over Max Patch while its still brown and 40 degrees out. Laying in the green grass, cooling off in the mountain breeze and watching the clouds float by in a bright blue sky is one of the many great memories that makes me glad I didn't start earlier....that being said...beware Virginia in July, be ready to SWEAT.
smithcj06
04-14-2013, 10:13
Just be disciplined with zero's and efficient with nero's and you should have no problem. If you want to hike like that go for it. The hardest step is the first once you get out there and keep a pace you'll be fine.
MuddyWaters
04-14-2013, 21:55
Hey, I'll be starting right around May 6th in Springer heading Northbound as well. I also figured I'd have to average 15 miles a day till Harpers Ferry to be there by that July 15th mark... and once I arrive there I figured I would know more of what I was capable of and worst case scenario I could either flip flop from katahdin southbound or even just yellow blaze NoBo for a little chunk, enough to allow me to hike to Katahdin in time, and then yellow blaze to where I left off to white blaze that final chunk... I just really want Katahdin to be the end destination for me.. but the idea of hauling ass with no 0 days is a little discouraging. And I don't like the idea of hiking Sobo.
But let me just say it's extremely relieving to see a fellow graduate starting at the same time as me. It's almost as painful as it is exciting to see my friend who started a few weeks ago post pictures while I'm here studying for finals. I look forward to seeing you out there, friend. :banana
youll need a time machine, because this post was a year old.
You might find out how the OP did though.
youll need a time machine, because this post was a year old.
You might find out how the OP did though.
And why would you need a time machine? The post may have been made in April 2012, but the first line reads....
I will be graduating after the first week of May in 2013 and am planning to attempt a thru-hike.
So it looks like the hike hasn't started yet?
MuddyWaters
04-15-2013, 22:10
My bad, I didnt see that start date was going to be 2013.
Always wonder about old posts that get dredged up again after so long.
Seems to happen a lot sometimes.
tree-elle
04-23-2013, 10:33
Hi JoshL,
I am also graduating this May.. may 4th to be exact.. and I will be starting my Nobo hike at Springer on May 5th. I will hitch to Trail Days in Damascus, VA on May 17th, enjoy 2 zero days there, and then either get a ride back where I left off or continue from there to Katahdin, and then after Katahdin finish that part I skipped. There is no hardcore planning for this. So many things could happen that can change your plan. So I would recommend just starting the Nobo from Springer, or if you are starting on the May 17th weekend, then start Nobo from Damascus and flip to finish Sobo.
Hope this helps. I'll look out for you out there!
~Tree
A May start date is nothing to worry about, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Last year (2012), my hiking partner and I started on Springer on April 30 and were on the summit of Katahdin for sunrise on August 25 (118 days). Even with our "late" start, we had more than 1.5 months to spare. Keep your goals in mind and stay motivated even through the tough times. It will always be dirty, rainy and muddy, and your feet will usually be wet and will always hurt. Minimize your possessions to minimize the weight you carry, be smart about food/water choice and amount, and listen to what your body tells you.
Walk at a comfortable rate of speed and maximize the hours hiked per day. It's pretty simple; if your goal is to get to Katahdin, then walk to Katahdin. The more time spent off the trail, on zero days, sleeping in, hanging out, or setting up camp early means the less time walking towards Katahdin. Most of the social hippy-trash you see holed-up in hostels for 4 days at a time will not make it to Katahdin, and if they do, they will probably follow the yellow blazes for many of the tough miles. Sorry for the judgment there, but have some integrity on the trail; skipping miles makes you a section-hiker.
In case you still have any doubts, I have attached a spreadsheet that details my 2012 thru-hike. Do not try to plan your trip according to our daily distances or camping locations because your plans will change daily. Be open to improvising and being spontaneous, the best opportunities you have could present themselves to you at any time.
tree-elle: Go Gators!
stranger
04-23-2013, 12:52
There are different views on the subject...I for one go hiking to 'go hiking'...my idea of long distance hiking is not sitting around camp for 5 hours waiting for it to get dark, so for me a May start would be no problem in terms of time.
I've never thrued, but in 2008 (500+ miles) I averaged 17 miles per day straight from Springer, I was doing 20's by the end of my first week, it all depends on experience and fitness, so yes it can be done. Most thru-hikes take 6 months, that is 12 miles per day on average, I would go insane averaging 12 miles per day. To each their own.
AngryGerman
04-24-2013, 10:32
Most thru-hikes take 6 months, that is 12 miles per day on average, I would go insane averaging 12 miles per day. To each their own.
Yup, mine took six months, 2 weeks and I took nearly 45 days of zeros, over 30 with my wife in various towns along the way. We figured that if I didn't take all those zeroes I would have been done in just over 4mos. as I was walking 20+ daily when I did hike! I started out at 15 miles a day from the start and made it to Gorham in roughly 25 days. Zeroed in Monson and Rangely while neroing in the other towns. My point is; do not worry about the time frame and just start walking, there are several different ways to complete a thru just don't yellow blaze, you will regret not walking those miles in the end.